Brickbat: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Seth Reynolds has already spent 300 nights in jail for defying a Boone County, Missouri, judge's order to remove a shed and fence the judge found to be in violation of local zoning laws. Reynolds has asked that he be allowed to serve home detention instead of nights in jail, citing a fear of catching or spreading the coronavirus in jail. Boone County attorney C.J. Dykhouse responded by asking that the judge jail Reynolds 24/7 until Reynolds removes the shed and fence.

Comments

[Unicorn Abattoir]

FTA:

"Reynolds has already served more than 300 days for the non-criminal offense."

"Dykhouse {prosecutor} is adamant Reynolds be jailed over the non-criminal offense of defying Asel’s shed and fence removal order. "

"Reynolds’ attorney, Steve Wyse, alleged the matter is a personal vendetta on the part of Dykhouse. In the past, the county attorney has said jailing Reynolds would send a message to residents not to test zoning enforcement."

[Cynical Asshole]

Look on the bright side: if they're putting this much effort into enforcing zoning restrictions then Boone County, Missouri must have stamped out any and all real criminal activity.

[darkflame]

Seems like a good way to get a message sent back to zoning enforcement, a la 9mm. Trying to ruin peoples lives over minor shit that doesn't matter doesn't make you a hero, just a prick.

[Fist of Etiquette]

In his home or in a prison cell, either way he's sleeping on government-owned property.

[loveconstitution1789]

They dont call it Mis-souri for nothing.

[Finrod]

Classic civic FYTW.

[sarcasmic]

Several years ago my father decided to put an addition on his home. He's been living there since the 90's. When he moved in there was a greenhouse in the back yard.

The permit guy comes and says he won't issue the permit until he destroys the greenhouse because it wasn't built without a permit. Even though my dad didn't build it.

So he tore it down and never rebuilt it, since that would have cost in the neighborhood of ten grand. He can no longer grow fresh vegetables and such because he's 9000 feet up into the Rockies, and without a greenhouse to extend the growing season, it's literally impossible to grow produce outdoors.

The kind of people who seek out that job are petty tyrants who get a kick out of forcing people to destroy perfectly good simply because they were built without first begging for permission. Fucking assholes.

[sarcasmic]

...perfectly good structures, simply...

MY KINGDOM FOR AN EDIT BUTTON!

[sarcasmic]

...it wasn't was built without..

Jeez, sarc. Pay someone to proofread next time.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

If Reason's "editors" don't have to proofread...

[creech]

Sad. Where I live, you could apply to Zoning Board for a waiver and have the greenhouse inspected and, for a small fee, permitted.
Sounds like his area of Colorado is run by some real douchenozzles.

[Cynical Asshole]

Pretty much the entire state of Colorado is run by douchenozzles, but then again you could say that about pretty much every state. Douchenozzles, and the occasional douchecanoe, are the only types of people attracted to government.

[sarcasmic]

Boulder County. Doesn't get much more douchnozzle than that.

[Wizard4169]

That's one of the big problems with laws such as these: they're usually written on the assumption that they'll be interpreted and applied by reasonable people. That's also why there's so little pushback against them: most people who haven't personally encountered one of these petty tyrants assume that the people enforcing them will be reasonable. So, when libertarians argue against them, most people think we want anarchy and chaos.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Friends in a rural county had their septic tank pumped out, and discovered a hole on it needing replacement. Used a backhoe to dig a hole next to it, got new piping laid, got an exact same new tank delivered, all planned to only take an hour or two to switch tanks.

And some damned fool county inspector going on a weekend vacation with his family saw the new tank being delivered, knew he hadn't issued any permits for septic tanks, followed the truck, issued a fine and delayed the whole process by weeks ...

His family must have been so proud of him ruining their weekend vacation.

You gotta be a control freak of the worst water to be any government bureaucrat like that.

[IceTrey]

You have to be an idiot to not check if a permit is needed to do major work on your property.

[darkflame]

how's that boot taste?

[Agammamon]

I've got a similar problem. My house has a small metal frame structure that a previous owner used as a pen to hold livestock (horses, I presume).

County doesn't want me to panel and roof it. Even though it used to have a roof, at least.

And we have this thing called a 'no-permit-needed permit'. Yes. That is a real thing. There are certain small structures you can build on your property that don't need a permit. Except that they need a permit to certify that they don't need a permit.

[Cynical Asshole]

Boone County attorney C.J. Dykhouse responded by asking that the judge jail Reynolds 24/7 until Reynolds removes the shed and fence.

I think I see slight problem here. Unless Reynolds has figured out to be in two places at once, how's he gonna remove the fence and shed from jail? Or is this considered a feature, not a bug?

[Don't look at me!]

They are looking at the big picture and you are fussing over details.

[Jerryskids]

Obviously, he doesn't mean Reynolds personally has to remove the shed and fence, he just means that Reynolds has to arrange for the removal to take place. And it's not like it would be that difficult to get it done, there's no doubt a locally owned and operated Dykhouse and Sons Shed and Fence Removal Services that charges entirely reasonable rates.

[Kevin Smith]

And he can call them from jail for only $10/minute

[shamrock]

He can't get out of jail until he tears down the shed and he can't tear down the shed until he gets out of jail. Nice catch-22.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Yeah, I was also wondering how he's supposed to tear down the shed if he's in jail 24/7 until he tears it down?

What The Fuck?

[IceTrey]

Hire someone.

[IceTrey]

Have you seen the "shed"? It's a huge garage not a tool shed from the Depot.

[MatthewSlyfield]

How does he hire someone from a jail cell?

[IceTrey]

The idiot built a huge garage without even checking if he needed a permit. You always need a permit! I have no sympathy for his stupid ass.

[dangfitz]

Do you have a permit to post that?

[darkflame]

you got a license for that opinion?

[loki]

Is the judge's name pronounced 'dick house'? If his parents did not have a permit to make a dickhouse, he should be torn down.

[Inter results]

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