Remember the local GLO on MTV that ate the campus fish?
 

New Charges Filed In MTV Fish-Killing Case

UCSC's Midas Stolen, Killed, Eaten Last Year

March 12, 2004

LOS ANGELES -- New charges have been filed in the koi fish killing case at UC Santa Cruz.


UCSC frat boy Matthew Cox pleaded guilty Friday in Santa Cruz to misdemeanor grand theft and misdemeanor vandalism charges. He faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

But now, reports indicate that two more young men face the same charges in connection with the catching and killing of Midas, the prized fish at UC Santa Cruz.


The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's office said Jonathan Bermudez and Jordan Trigg were the drivers of the vehicles that went to the college to get the fish.

Midas was removed from the campus pond, killed and eaten last year during the filming of MTV's reality show, "Fraternity Life."

Bermudez was arraigned Friday and authorities are still trying to get in touch with Trigg to make him aware of the charges he faces.

A fourth man, Casey Loop, was a no show in court Friday.

I thought the fish was named something else??? :p

Let the boys get what they deserve.

...with a little tarter sauce :D

It's just a damned fish.

Tuna anyone?

honestly
 

That was a stupid thing to do, but if they stole a fish out of your backyard and ate it-what could possibly be the consequences?
1) tresspassing-misdemeaner
2) petty theft-misdemeaner
3) fishing without a license-misdemeaner

It is stupid to be facing 2 years of jail for this. I doubt they will get anything more than a fine and maybe probation.

Stupid thing to do, but worth all this hoopla-hardly.

Re: honestly
 

You just mentioned THREE misdemeanors! If they are in a 3 strike rule state, three misdemeanors equals a felony. With a felony, the rules of sentencing change drastically.

Re: honestly
 

I think it has more to do with the fact that the fish was school property and so it's disrepectful to the school and whatnot. I don't think they'd be making such a big deal out of it if they had just taken a fish from a pond somewhere, unless, of course, the pond in question had been private property.

Re: Re: honestly
 

California does have a 3 strikes law but its 3 strikes law does not turn 3 misdemeanors into a felony for sentencing purposes. The propriety of 3 strikes put aside, the law was supposed to sweep career criminals off the street by mandating sentences of 25 years to life, without possibility of parole, for anyone with two "strikes" -- serious or violent felony convictions -- convicted of any new felony. It also doubles prison terms for anyone convicted of a second violent or serious offense.

There is some flexibility to the application of the law too. For example, Grand Theft is usually considered a violent felony, but I was prosecuting a preliminary hearing on a guy who committed petty theft with a prior which becomes GT. He had 2 previous strikes (one for a drug crime and another for PT with a prior). I believe that when his case got to the superiour court he was offered a deal so that he didn't get a third strike for price tag swapping on a blanket that was 4 dollars. Today, prosecutors actually have the option to file or not file under the 3 strikes law.

Re: Re: Re: honestly
 

Thanks for the info!

Yeah Lawyers have really messed up the system . .

Why wouldn't this just be a campus issue dealt with by judical?

Hope it tasted good on the way down, because this sounds like something that could keep repeating on you!! Oh man, that was bad! :D I bet the kid does no time.

Is this a very reputable publication? I would call the term "frat boy" editorializing considering it's context.

But that's just me............

Wild man Stan, where you been hiding Dude?:(

I am sure since it is a Fish From a higher School of Knowledge, It must have been a special Fish!:confused: But arent they all:confused:

While Stupid, (Yes It Was), I hope they enjoyed it as it will taste a lot more bitter if it hasnt already!;)

Hell, used to try to catch the Huge Gold Fish at the Lamar, Mo. Power station in a pool built for them! :D

Wonder How they would have tasted!;) Especially after I got my ass beat by everyone in the neighborhood!:(

I'm not sure where Hoosier got this article from, but the local newspaper here in Santa Cruz has a tendency to throw the "frat boy" term around. I believe that the article in the local paper did use the term frat boy. UCSC and the surrounding community is extremely anti-greek.