In conjunction with the Pflugerville Independent School District (PISD) police, the Austin Police Department conducted an investigation into threats against a PISD school that resulted in the arrest of 17-year-old Stuart Little of Austin. Law enforcement officials are touting the arrest as a victory in preventing the Texas school from becoming another Columbine incident.
The criminal terroristic threat charges were filed as a result of email and other Internet threats that the boy allegedly made against the school. The PISD, Pflugerville, and Austin police departments all worked in tandem to prevent any harm coming to students or faculty at the school. The initial threat came to the KXAN newsroom in Austin, allegedly from Little, and was then forwarded to authorities. The threat submitted to KXAN and subsequent threats, also ostensibly from Little, caused the PISD to put heightened safety and security measures in place at all of their campuses, particularly the high school, which was the object of the threats.
Following the boy’s arrest, officials gained search warrants that enabled them to strengthen the criminal case against Little by establishing a connection between the initial threat and subsequent threats via email, Facebook, and other online sources. Some of the online conversations have Little saying that he is confused, that he did not want to hurt anyone, and that he never brought any weapons to school. According to the boy’s mother, her son suffers from autism and is highly intelligent, which would account for the extremely intricate web-based cover he developed, but would not ever harm anyone, as evidenced by his online chat communications. Such information could be used by Little’s Austin, Texas criminal lawyer in building his defense as both autism and Asperger’s have proven effective in similar trials in Texas.
Regardless of how Little’s Austin, Texas criminal lawyer eventually goes about defending the boy, it is important to realize that despite whatever supposed threats he may have made against the school, Little along with anyone else charged with a crime in Austin, Texas, does have the right to a criminal lawyer. It is a right that every Austin, Texas criminal lawyer takes seriously and endeavors to uphold because it is essential to our justice system, to our freedoms, and to our American way of life.
If you or a family member is facing criminal charges in Austin or anywhere else in Texas, it is important that you exercise this right to a knowledgeable and able lawyer so that you can have the best defense possible. Contact an Austin, Texas criminal lawyer so that you can begin working together to maintain your innocence and your freedom.