The two Iowa men held on weapons charges after they were stopped trying to enter the Pokemon World Championships in Boston last month appeared for a dangerousness hearing today. Kevin Norton, 18, and James Stumbo, 27, were ordered held without bail for the next 120 days.
According to the Boston Globe, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Joseph Janezic argued that the two men were heavily armed and planning to commit an attack. "Unfortunately, we live in a world of keyboard commandos, individuals who post things without further thought of where they go. This isn’t that case," he argued, suggesting that a "mass casualty situation" was only prevented because of the intervention of the Boston police (see "Arrests, Weapons Charges at Pokemon World Championships").
The defense attorneys argued that the online threats were just talk, and there was no evidence that the two men were planning to carry out an attack. "If they really had the true intent to do anything about it, why leave [the weapons] in the car?" Stumbo’s attorney Steven Goldwyn asked. "It’s ...mere speculation that this vague bravado talk on Facebook was going to be carried out."
Boston Municipal Court Judge Thomas C. Horgan agreed with the prosecution, ruling the pair is too dangerous to be free while awaiting trial.
Suspects Ruled Too Dangerous to Release
Posted by Nicole Bunge on September 1, 2015 @ 5:56 pm CT