Stop The Presses!

Sanity, yes Sanity in a courtroom

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) –
A Bullitt County District Court Judge has dismissed all charges against a man who shot down a drone he said was flying over his property.

The court hearing for William Merideth began Monday afternoon. He shot down a drone in Hillview earlier this year.

Merideth said the operator was violating his privacy and spying on his family, but Hillview police arrested Merideth for firing his gun within city limits and charged him with wanton endangerment.

…During Monday’s hearing, Boggs testified that flight data showed the drone was flying higher than Meredith stated. But Judge Rebecca Ward says that since at least two witnesses could see the drone below the tree line, it was an invasion of privacy.

“He had a right to shoot at this drone, and I’m gonna dismiss this charge,” said Ward.

Judge Ward dismissed both charges against Merideth including criminal mischief and wanton endangerment.

I like the cut of that judge’s jib.

9 Responses to “Stop The Presses!”

1. Syd B. says:

   October 27, 2015 at 1:07 pm

   Flight data? Those things have flight data? Boy, that’s a long way from the balsa wood planes I used to play with as a kid. I think I’m glad I was born when I was, except for the belly, the gray hair and the sore back.

2. JeffS says:

   October 27, 2015 at 4:32 pm

   Probably GPS information injected into the video transmiission, Syd.

   Which doesn’t mean much; speed and location from GPS data are fairly accurate, but reliable vertical elevations takes more work.

   GPS technology is good, but there is a definite limit to it.

3. JeffS says:

   October 27, 2015 at 4:33 pm

   “GPS derived information” is what I meant there.

4. Rob says:

   October 27, 2015 at 5:21 pm

   In a year or two, the sky is going to be filled with those things.

5. JeffS says:

   October 27, 2015 at 6:17 pm

   Time to pick up a 20 gage shotgun …..

6. Kathy Kinsley says:

   October 27, 2015 at 8:08 pm

   I’d like to hear the backstory on that one. I suspect it WAS harrassment. But why?

7. Mr. Bingley says:

   October 28, 2015 at 9:05 am

   I’m sure the Voyeur Temptation is just too hard for these people to resist, Kathy.

8. Kathy Kinsley says:

   October 28, 2015 at 6:06 pm

   Well, yeah – but why was that particular property being targeted?

9. JeffS says:

   October 29, 2015 at 9:53 am

   Kathy, the original story said that Meredith’s daughter was sun bathing in the backyard. IIRC, she was about 16 years old.