Tuesday, March 23, 2010

People v. Townsend (Cal. Ct. App. - March 15, 2010)

Here's a combination that's never good: (1) delusional paranoia, and (2) an obsession with Molotov cocktails.


"Townsend's commitment offense in October 2006 involved possession of 'two unlighted Molotov cocktails.' At the time of this offense, Townsend had 'paranoid delusions.' These included his delusional beliefs that his neighbors were 'involved in systematically burglarizing homes . . . [and] malfeasance with the payment of mortgage payments . . . .' Townsend told law enforcement officers that 'he carries [Molotov cocktails] for self-protection.' [!!] Prior to his commitment offense, Townsend also had an arson conviction in March 2006.

Following his commitment offense, when he was a patient at a state hospital in 2008, Townsend sent a letter to a neighbor stating that he had placed 40 Molotov cocktails on her property. After the neighbor reported this incident, the police went to her yard and found 12 Molotov cocktails. Townsend subsequently told police that he was going to use the Molotov cocktails against 'bad guys in the neighborhood.'"

And you thought your neighbors were bad news.

Of course, I think there's an absolute Second Amendment right to carry Molotov cocktails for personal self-defense. Twenty-First Amendment too.