Hey, there! Log in / Register

Full weight of the law comes down on another alleged train spray-painter

An Illinois man is being held in lieu of a total of $25,000 bail for allegedly treating Orange and Red Line trains as his own personal canvas, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office says.

Jim Clay Harper, 24, of the well-to-do Chicago suburb of Wilmette, was arraigned today in West Roxbury District Court on two counts of vandalizing property for allegedly spray-painting "ETHER" on trains at the Forest Hills T stop. He was already being held on similar charges involving Red Line trains in Dorchester, and is also suspected of tagging Blue Line trains at Orient Heights, according to the DA's office.

Prosecutors says he was best buds with Danielle "Utah" Bremner, who was sent away for six months last week after pleading guilty to marking up Back Bay alleys and Boston-area trains with her monicker.

The DA's office asked for the relatively high bail because Harper lives out of state and because of the cost of removing the graffiti. In a statement, the DA's office adds:

On August 11, 2008, MBTA Transit Police detectives were contacted by investigators assigned to the Transit Division of the New York Police Department with information on the identity of the person using the tag "ETHER." In the course of an investigation into the tagger DANIELLE "UTAH" BREMNER, they learned that Harper was a close associate of Bremner and had been arrested for leaving the "ETHER" tag in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Innocent, etc.

Topics: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

Throw away the key. We don't need these jerks making our trains look ghetto.

If you want to paint on large public spaces, PAY THE OWNER OF THE STRUCTURE FOR THE RIGHT TO PAINT UPON IT.

up
Voting closed 0

Or, even better -- be artistic enough that the owner would want to pay you as a muralist. We have some great ones around the Boston area. Most graffiti is about as artistic as a dog marking his territory, and not even so much in the public interest.

There are exceptions to any rule, of course. But tagging trains with your sig isn't one of them.

up
Voting closed 0

That's what advertisers already do, and their stuff pretty much looks like hell too. Billboards make a place look "ghetto", but I can't have those guys thrown in jail. So cops, focus on solving the major crimes. You've been doing somewhat better lately- don't go mucking it up now with an international operation to nab Banksy or whatever.

up
Voting closed 0

finally someone who has some sense!

up
Voting closed 0

Stupid.

Yes, these people should be punished. Sent to prison? Come on. Guy above me says to throw away the key. Please!

up
Voting closed 0

Give him a fair trial. If he's the guy

  • make him pay for the damage.
  • Give him community service cleaning up after other taggers for a few weeks
  • if he's good at cleaning up after other taggers, offer him a job doing it
up
Voting closed 0

Make them work cleaning and repainting the filthy tunnels as punishment.

up
Voting closed 0

Stupid trendy kid... didn't you ever see home alone?

up
Voting closed 0

But the more I've been thinking about it as a mature adult, i wonder why do people get so angry over graffiti? It's really not that big of a deal. I mean yeah nobody should have the right to deface public (or private) property but does it really deserve such a harsh treament? I mean to go to jail with $25,000 bail? I'm not condoning this act but that sounds pretty steep for all the kid did was put a little art on a subway. Worst they should do is make him clean it off or pay to have it removed which no way it is near $25,000. But to criminalize him in such a way for this is too much. It's not like he hurt someone. We need to match up the level of punishment with the level of crime better and think about how we apply the force of law on our citizens. Wake up people we live in a police state driven by $!

up
Voting closed 0

It's obvious why people disapprove of and dislike graffiti. In no way am I an advocate of the activity and I understand that a reasonable amount of anger on the part of a victim of this sort of violation of one's right to own, enjoy, and be secure in one's personal property is a foreseeable reaction to the crime. However, the disproportionately intense outrage and overpowering hate for graffiti (and the vandals themselves)that seemingly consumes many self described patriotic "taxpayers" is unjustified, unnecessary, and wholly irrational.
Those who advocate for violent retribution or lengthy incarceration as rational and appropriate means of responding to graffiti are mentally unstable individuals who belong to a culture of sadness and frustration. These individuals share the common experience of deep seeded personal crises and/or an unsatisfactory personal life, and as a result, will predictably scapegoat graffiti writers--who are an easy target.
This all-consuming, primal outrage exhibited by many good citizens can only be explained by the individual's own inability to cope with or address some personal problem or source of frustration/inadequacy, which ultimately manifests in a morbid desire to witness the imposition of a similar degree of suffering upon another man. In an endeavor to experience recompense for personal troubles, unhappy individuals could go so far as to impose their medieval misconceptions of justice.
I believe jail is a fair punishment for those vandals convicted of repeat offenses. Individuals found guilty of a first offense generally don't deserve jail time (though there are exceptions depending on the nature and severity of the offense). Charging most vandals w/ felony property damage and sentencing those convicted to even moderate prison sentences (even in cases against the most egregious and undeterred vandal) is, on the other hand, a punishment disproportionate to the crime, and arguably prosecutorial/judicial misconduct and an abuse of discretion.

up
Voting closed 0

It's obvious why people disapprove of and dislike graffiti. In no way am I an advocate of the activity and I understand that a reasonable amount of anger on the part of a victim of this sort of violation of one's right to own, enjoy, and be secure in one's personal property is a foreseeable reaction to the crime. However, the disproportionately intense outrage and overpowering hate for graffiti (and the vandals themselves)that seemingly consumes many self described patriotic "taxpayers" is unjustified, unnecessary, and wholly irrational.
Those who advocate for violent retribution or lengthy incarceration as rational and appropriate means of responding to graffiti are mentally unstable individuals who belong to a culture of sadness and frustration. These individuals share the common experience of deep seeded personal crises and/or an unsatisfactory personal life, and as a result, will predictably scapegoat graffiti writers--who are an easy target.
This all-consuming, primal outrage exhibited by many good citizens can only be explained by the individual's own inability to cope with or address some personal problem or source of frustration/inadequacy, which ultimately manifests in a morbid desire to witness the imposition of a similar degree of suffering upon another man. In an endeavor to experience recompense for personal troubles, unhappy individuals could go so far as to impose their medieval misconceptions of justice.
I believe jail is a fair punishment for those vandals convicted of repeat offenses. Individuals found guilty of a first offense generally don't deserve jail time (though there are exceptions depending on the nature and severity of the offense). Charging most vandals w/ felony property damage and sentencing those convicted to even moderate prison sentences (even in cases against the most egregious and undeterred vandal) is, on the other hand, a punishment disproportionate to the crime, and arguably prosecutorial/judicial misconduct and an abuse of discretion.

up
Voting closed 0