Write a story, go to jail
According to a recent Wired News article, a guy is being tried in Oklahoma at the moment for writing a story. While I think it’s a load of poppycock, it does raise an interesting legal point. The statute states an almost incohate offence. In Britain we have the incohate act of attempt and to prove it, it must be shown that you committed an act “more than merely preparatory”. This is the sort of situation that is not even “merely preparatory” - it doesn’t prepare for the act. He was just screwing around.
