Laser Pointers in Calif Gets a long Holiday

[Peter-RB]

I have just read on one of my other sites, that a guy and his girlfriend who pointed a laser , a very strong laser at a Police heli in California has been jailed for 14 years,

Now that's my kind of Judge..!!

Peter R-B
Lancashire

[206Fan]

Indeed!

A man convicted of pointing a high-powered laser at a police helicopter has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
It is believed to be one of the longest sentences for such a crime.
Sergio Rodriguez, 26, of Clovis, California, was accused of pointing a green laser 13 times more powerful than typical devices at a Fresno Police Department helicopter in 2012.
The helicopter had been called to an apartment building where an emergency helicopter for a children's hospital had also reported being targeted by a laser.
Laser-Pointing Case Leads To 14-Year Sentence (http://news.sky.com/story/1224005/laser-pointing-case-leads-to-14-year-sentence)

[Capetonian]

Waste of public money. They should have pointed the laser at his eyes for half an hour or so, far more effective and cheaper.

[lelebebbel]

He got 14 years because of the third strike law and his two prior convictions. He would have also gotten 14 years if he had stolen a purse.

[Stanley11]

Those lasers are really too powerful for the eye. Not sure if you had been part of a presentation in a small room with the speaker using such a laser on one of those scroll down screens. The reflected light on of the spot dazzles the eye.
Use to remember using them (red lasers) at night during NVG sorties to navigate... good old days.

[topendtorque]

Be good to get a bit of media coverage in other countries as well. That should not be too hard to organise for media helicopter drivers. Possibly pointless it being in national newspapers, up front on Bogan prime time is the place for it, although exposing the story to the judiciary and lawmakers may be a very good idea.