'McMissile' Mom Faces Prison Time

[derekkj 0]

Sorry if this has been posted before - search function is currently down.

'McMissile' Mom Faces Prison Time

She Throws Cup of Ice Into Car That Cut Her Off

ABC News

(Feb. 21)

A mother of three was sentenced to two years in prison by a jury for throwing a cup of ice into a car that cut her off in traffic. A judge can still reduce the sentence Wednedsay.

Jessica Hall, a North Carolina mother, drove down I-95 on a hot, sticky and gridlocked day with three kids whimpering in the back of the car, a pregnant sister in the front of the car and her husband serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.

Suddenly, the same car cut in front of Hall twice, and it was more than she could take. She snapped.

She tossed a large McDonald's cup filled with ice into the other car.

"It was a dumb decision to do what I did," Hall said later.

Hall's outburst didn't do any real damage, but it did land her in prison with a two-year sentence.

"I had to drop everything, all my life, my kids, everything," Hall said.

Her three kids are living with relatives until her husband gets back from Iraq.

"It's tearing the family apart. You know, we're holding on by really thin threads," said Jesse Hall, the woman's father. "One of the little girls asked that question 'is my momma coming home?' and I say soon."

Does the punishment fit the crime?

"What's disturbing about this case is the real lack of proportionality in the sentencing," Court TV's Lisa Bloom said. "Two years in prison, two years for her kids not to have a parent. That seems unduly harsh."

Even the occupants of the other car — sticky and angry at the time — are shocked at the final sentence.

But the prosecutor argued that the cup was a missile and could have caused major damage.

"But I'm sure prosecutors want to send a message by saying acts of road rage are unacceptable," Bloom said. "They're violent, they cause injuries and it's going to stop right here with this case."

[Jenn! 918]

That's ridiculous. Two years? She should have just had to pay a fine.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I bet she was driving an SUV.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

From WaPo

...

Hall's attorney and prosecutor George Elsasser did not return calls seeking comment.

Elsasser argued in court that had Ballin been hit by the cup, he might have gotten into a serious accident with injuries. Hall also was found guilty of reckless driving, assault against Ballin and assault and battery against Fowle. For her conviction on those charges, the jury recommended she be fined $1,000.

...

Agree with Jenn--the above was enough, 2 years for this is ridiculous.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

FYI, even Fowle (who was the one hit by the cup) considers it too harsh.

[derekkj 0]

...

Hall's attorney and prosecutor George Elsasser did not return calls seeking comment.

Elsasser argued in court that had Ballin been hit by the cup, he might have gotten into a serious accident with injuries. Hall also was found guilty of reckless driving, assault against Ballin and assault and battery against Fowle. For her conviction on those charges, the jury recommended she be fined $1,000.

...

Considering that they were in bumper to bumper traffic, I doubt a serious accident could have occured.

I try and avoid 95 in Virginia at all times!

[derekkj 0]

Just in...

Woman In 'McMissle' Attack Avoids 2-Year Sentence

Judge Sentences Woman To Time Served

POSTED: 11:17 am EST February 18, 2007

UPDATED: 11:22 am EST February 21, 2007

STAFFORD, Va. -- A woman who has been in jail for two months for throwing a cup of ice into another car was told by a judge in Stafford County, Va., Wednesday that will be enough.

The judge told 25-year-old Jessica Hall she would be on probation and not have to serve a recommended two-year sentence, NBC4 reporter Chris Gordon said who was in the courtroom.

Hall told the judge thank you and then hugged her lawyer and broke down in tears, Gordon said. Her three children, ages 4, 6 and 8 were also inside the courtroom.

Hall was being sentenced for "maliciously throwing a missile into a vehicle," according to court records. Her crime was flinging a McDonald's cup of ice into a car that had cut her off on the highway, police said.

Hall had told investigators she was mad when it all happened last summer but never expected this.

She said a car driven by a D.C. man merged in front of her twice on Interstate 95, as she, her kids and her pregnant sister were driving to New York.

Hall flung the McDonald's cup over her car and into the other car, where it flew across the driver and landed all over his girlfriend, according to court records.

"It feels horrible. It feels like I'm a criminal," said Hall.

When Hall was convicted, a Stafford County judge instructed the jury that any physical object can be a missile and be propelled by any force, including throwing.

"There were some people who teased me and called me McMissile girl," Hall said.

For more on this story tune into News4 at 4, 5 and 6 and Nbc4.com

Edited February 21, 2007 by derekkj

[Saddle Bronc 124]

...Hall's attorney and prosecutor George Elsasser did not return calls seeking comment.

Elsasser argued in court that had Ballin been hit by the cup, he might have gotten into a serious accident with injuries. Hall also was found guilty of reckless driving, assault against Ballin and assault and battery against Fowle. For her conviction on those charges, the jury recommended she be fined $1,000....

Considering that they were in bumper to bumper traffic, I doubt a serious accident could have occured.

I try and avoid 95 in Virginia at all times!

I've told more than one colleague (in Balto) to use US-301 (which connects to I-97 in Annapolis via US-50) for going from Richmond to Balto--and some of them STILL try to use I-495/I-95, and complain of being caught in multiple jams (and I even drew an oversimplified map of the route to boot).

There ARE some bottlenecks even on the above route:

• I-695 (though I've rarely seen it quite as bad as I-495--and NEVER as bad as the Wilson Bridge, or the section between Braddock Rd. and I-95)
  
• I-97 between Annapolis and Balto (total route is shorter than some of the jams I've seen on I-95 between Richmond and DC--enough said!)
  
• tollbooth entering VA from MD (not in reverse)
  
• a few traffic lights
  

Also (due to NOT being an interstate), there are shopping centres and petro-pumps where one can pull into if fatigued (try that from jammed traffic on I-95, where you're oft stuck for quite awhile BETWEEN exits!).

[Jonesie 1]

Glad that her sentence was reduced - two years for throwing ice is insane.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Glad that her sentence was reduced - two years for throwing ice is insane.

She's still an idiot.

[almaty 19]

Glad that her sentence was reduced - two years for throwing ice is insane.

She's still an idiot.

and a chopf##k

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Other factoids to add:

• It's not only in the Richmond-DC stretch that I-95 is nonoptimal; between Philly and Balto, it is usually faster (and ALWAYS cheaper, as you don't have to fork over $$LOTS to MD and DE for tolls) to use US-1 (despite of its Miami nickname of "useless 1").
  
• DC to Balto? Well, the least-bad route is generally MD-295 (BW parkway), though US-1 is no worse than I-95 during rush-hour.
  

[derekkj 0]

Other factoids to add:

• It's not only in the Richmond-DC stretch that I-95 is nonoptimal; between Philly and Balto, it is usually faster (and ALWAYS cheaper, as you don't have to fork over $$LOTS to MD and DE for tolls) to use US-1 (despite of its Miami nickname of "useless 1").
  
• DC to Balto? Well, the least-bad route is generally MD-295 (BW parkway), though US-1 is no worse than I-95 during rush-hour.
  

Yeah, we almost always use 295 when doing the DC-Baltimore thing.

This Friday we are heading up to Long Island and are planning to take 295 to 695 to 83 up to Harrisburg, then 81/78 through New Jersey to probably 287 across Staten Island. We'll see what traffic is like when we get closer to the City and then decide which bridge or tunnel looks best. It's supposed to take a bit longer (though not if there is any backup in bloody Delaware or accident on the NJ Turnpike) and you save some $$$ as well. Keep your fingers crossed!

[pedroh 21]

so, she got the sentenced reduced cuz it was ridiculous by itself? or because 'sob sob im a mother and hubby is in Irak and my family is breaking up'...

I know other cases here that people say 'no, enforce the laws, they are criminals! it doesn't matter they have babies'.. LAWL OMGWTFPWNED

[Robor007 0]

so, she got the sentenced reduced cuz it was ridiculous by itself? or because 'sob sob im a mother and hubby is in Irak and my family is breaking up'...

I know other cases here that people say 'no, enforce the laws, they are criminals! it doesn't matter they have babies'.. LAWL OMGWTFPWNED

The former... I've heard/read stories of guys flashing a friggin' gun in a road rage incident and they never serve any time aside from the arrest. Tossing a cup of ice at someone is a lot less serious than pulling a gun. The original sentence was laughable. The jury and defense attorney should all be kicked square in the...