Common sense flies the coop in case of gun-toting student
Remember the 15-year-old thug who was arrested for carrying a gun outside Greeley School? He had been the intended victim of the other kid who fired a gun inside Woodruff High School.
Omar Porter is 16 now and got sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday for unlawful possession of a firearm. With credit for time served and credit for “good behavior,” he’ll be out in a few months.
It could have been more:
But [Peoria County Circuit Judge Scott Shore] granted a motion by Porter’s attorney Thomas Iben to dismiss a more serious charge of unlawful use of a weapon. The attorney contended prosecutors had not proven during a stipulated bench trial in May that Porter used a public way, such as a street or a sidewalk, to get to the school, one of the legal elements of the charge.
Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Bembenek disagreed, saying “for the court to make that inference, it suggests the defendant flew from Woodruff (High School) to Greeley.”
You see that was a mistake. Judges hate it when attorneys argue on the basis of simple common sense.
In a couple months, Omar will probably be trying to get enrolled at school again.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Well now he is back in prison for shooting some guy that his girl was cheating on him with.