On Feburary 1st 2001, when I was in 10th grade, I was arrested, it related to bombs. Here you will find everything I typed up during this whole thing. I've edited it so that it is more readable, fixed spelling, and put everything in chronological order. I didn't add or remove anything (except for this summary and the prologue and epilogue), and I didn't change or edit anything that anyone else wrote (Chris, CST, court). If you want the unedited version you can go here. It is unedited, and exactly as it was posted on The CVP Site, all in caps, with horrible spelling and typos.
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In 10th grade of high school I got the bright idea to make a "newsletter" about bombs and stuff, and give it out to whoever in school, terrible idea. On February 1st 2001, after 10 week (and issues), they called me down to the office and asked me about it, tried to lie but I remembered pretty fast when they started to search my book bag (which was filled with all the issues). They indefinitely suspended (an important distinction from expelled) me from school, and after a search of my house arrested me (because they found Draino in a cabinet, and empty plastic bottles on a table, along with a random box of copper roofing nails [which had nothing to do with anything]).
They claimed a teacher saw me passing out my newsletter, but later at my hearing the principle told the Board of Education that another student wrote some crazy letter about me (and he had like a 3 page hand written letter in his hand), I never found out who the kid was, or got to read the letter. I don't really care who it was besides some curiosity, in the end it just got me out of school for half a year, but I would love to read that letter.
The newsletter was on stupid crap, if you've ever read the "Anarchist Cookbook" it's that type of stuff. My goal was to try to be more accurate than the rather horrible Anarchist Cookbook that the majority of kids were using, although being only 15 and not having any idea what I was talking about I probably was not much more accurate, although I feel I probably only made safe mistakes.
The newsletter is what got me kicked out of school, but what got me arrested was Draino Bombs. If you don't know what Draino Bombs are do a Google search, nothing complex. They just build up pressure until the (plastic) bottle bursts, with a very loud pop. No more dangerous than a firecracker really.
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You Know what's fun steve may be coming back to good Ol' overbrook. He was recently expelled/suspended for writing newsletters about anarchy stuff.Here it is
CHARGE NO: 1
Within the jurisdiction of this court, knowingly possess an explosive with the purpose to use it unlawfully, specifically by combining hydrochloric acid and aluminum foil [you forgot water] causing it to detonate [this just makes hydrogen which when bottled up forced a bottle to blow] on a public street [actually it was a private parking lot and lake] in violation of N.J.S. 2C:39-4B Possession of Weapons for Unlawful Purposes - 2nd (later dropped to 3rd) degree crime.
CHARGE NO: 2 (later dropped)
Within the jurisdiction of this court purposely cause or recklessly create the rik [SIC] of public alarm by reating [SIC] a physically dangerous dondition [SIC] [I don't think that anyone heard, let alone was alarmed by the noise, I even stuck around afterwards and no one ever came by] by an act which served no legitimate purpose of the defendant, specifically by making and detonating an explosive device, A petty disorderly persons offense 2C:33-2A
Author's note:
For those of you that don't know [brackets] indicate something I added and [SIC] is a term used by authors to indicate that they didn't make the mistake, but rather it was in the source they were copying from.
Stephen Wetzel
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Ok, it's about 11:00 and I just got home from my trial. Let me start out with a summary and then I'll give you the whole story. Well, they decided nothing, this was the first of two trials the second on April 24, but they did tell me stuff. Apparently they were taking this whole thing fairly seriously, and I was in danger of getting more than just the community service, but let's go into the full story:
So today I woke up to Metallica's ...And Justice For All (I felt it fit the day), I woke up at about 7:30 and was dressed and ready to go in about 10 mins. At about 8 we left. We went to Lindenwold train station, and we took the train to city hall Camden. After that we got off the train and wandered around and asked these folks where the court was and they said down this way 2 blocks, and then take a left. So we went down there and saw a tall building, we went in there and they had all kinds of fancy stuff. First off it was all new and shiny and I thought man this is pretty nice. We went thorough this state of the art metal detector and then asked all these guys in suits, not police uniforms, where room 23 was. He looked at us like we were crazy and said we don't have a room 23 all our rooms have letters like 2A. He then asked what judge we had and we said, actually I forget his name now but whatever his name was, he said we don't have a a judge named that. Then we told him my charges and he said they're not federal charges, but rather pathetic and girlie state charges (he didn't actually use the words pathetic or girlie but you know he was thinking that). So now he said this is a federal court and unless I was under arrest by the FBI I wasn't supposed to be there (guess that explains how nice it was). So now he said that we wanted the county court house and gave us direction back to where we emerged from the Speedline and just a block back in the other way. Now we walked in the rinky dink county court and I noticed the difference immediantly. I guess the county court house didn't get as much money as the nice federal court house. Couldn't help but fell like a second rate criminal. I was here in this piece of shit excuse for a court. First the metal detector detected some phantom metal and according to the officers hand metal detector I have a metal plate in my stomach. (maybe I ate too much iron for breakfast). The next thing is the large number of crappy criminal petty robbers and the other scum of Camden. The federal court was so nice, and it was where I belonged with the other insane madmen of our society and, with some nice high profile. I guess I'll just have to aspire to one day go there. So we waited in the water damaged hall of the court until out attorney showed up he went in to the court and then came back out and basically he said that they would drop the Disorderly Person charge (wopdy friggin do) and downgrade my 2nd degree crime to a 3rd degree if I went to a shrink. So now he explained the degrees, 1st degree are your hardcore crimes like murder and rape. Now 2nd degree (that's me) are wait to you hear this, things like aggravated assault, armed robbery, and manslaughter. Pretty great, I was ranked up there with armed robberies and accident murders. The 3rd degree involve no intent to harm and the 4th degree is just crap I guess then there is a 5th degree but it's not really called that, and that was where the Disorderly Person charge is. So now he says that since the prosecutor believes that I didn't intend to hurt people or property she decided to downgrade to 3rd degree. My attorney says that I will probably get probation, community service, and said that the essay thing that the cop said I would have to do was fucking crazy, and he had never heard of anything like it in his life. So after that he asked me some stuff about the crimes and I explained that the Drano wasn't even in the same room as the "assembly line" and that they were plastic bottles not glass, and I hadn't used the nails (which I will be going off on a crazed rant about a little later). And that they were in the safe area behind Shop rite.
Now we went into the court and I sat next to my attorney and my mom sat in the back, was small and there was no jury. Now I may be dreaming but I believe that the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the US give me the right to trail by jury. But, of course I'm a minor so why should I be given my rights. So now I noticed there where even people in there that didn't have anything to do with me, I guess they were spectators, it seems pretty fun, just sit there all day and watch trails. I wonder how much tickets cost. So now the prosecutor and my attorney stood up ad talked tot he judge, I didn't know what the hell to do so I stood up like an idiot, but only half way so I kind of looked mentally ill. Then my attorney asked me some questions, and I answered the first one aha and the judge freaked out and said answer yes or no, and I just sat there like a deer in the headlights and said yes. Then he asked about 10 questions, I basically tried to throw in Chris V's name as much as possible and make it look like he was to blame and hinted at him being an international terrorist and the judge looked concerned and asked about his address and I have him his phone number and address. The prosecutor didn't ask anything the judge asked me some stuff about the bombs themselves (I think he may want a subscription to the Newsletter, I'll have to ask next time) and he said come back on the 24th and we left the room. Then I got this paper and this lady asked a bunch of stupid ass questions about my background, including what my hair color was, come on. Then we left the building and walked back to the train. Now there were two red stair cases and the one I was ready to go down my mom said no that says subway on the side and I said well it's the one we came out of. She ignored this and we crossed the street for the other one she then yelled at me for about the 5th time for not looking at the street before I cross then she went to Philly to complete a half day of work and I went to Lindenwold. While on the train I decided that it would be pretty fun to just sit on the train and pay for the ticket to get on then just sit on there as it goes back and forth between Philly and Lindenwold, and I will probably do that one day. At lindenwold I got in a cab which was quite nice and plussy (I don't know if that's a word) and smelled like berries. We went to my house and even though I owed him 10:50 he let me get away with 10, he was pretty cool, but I think that he killed and ate the guy whose cab it was because the picture wasn't of him, but he was ok in my book. So I guess that's it, I will give this my thoughts on the whole matter:
I got to say I feel a lot more in danger now that I have this proof of how much the cops are fools. They never even once wanted to know any of the people I did this with and they as you all know took many things that didn't make any sense like the nails. Now as promised before, this is my insane rant about the nails. Ok first what the hell these are 8 dollar a box of 100 nails and they are coper which means less strength they won't rust and they were roofing nails which means they were short and had a huge head. Now if I was going to strap some nails on the outside for added shrapnel I would use steel 4 inch nails with the head grinded down into another point. In the constitution I am guaranteed just compensation for any articles seized by the government and they cost me 8 dollars so if you see the government tell them they owe me 8 bucks, and I want it, if they don't pay soon I'll take them to court. I guess that's it so go away.
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Ok, so at about 10:30 am I got back from crazy town let me sum my day so far. I awoke at about 8:15 got dressed and stuff then we set out, we went down 73 to Vorhees. Then after a mile or two we turned down Evesham and we traveled through a few lights until we got there. So we walk up to the office and this dog is there behind the glass door. So we can't open the locked door (well I could have, but then again that's why I'm here isn't it) so this lady let's us in and we sit around for a while in the waiting room. Then me and my mom went into the room, now first the lady wanted some info on what happened and my mom told all that. She just asked a bunch of questions for a hour and we answered them. My stupid assed mom told her that they were federal charges when she asked (isn't that why the federal court house was the wrong court house in our last adventure) the lady (yeah, it was a lady shrink) said that she had a guy 22 who had PVC pipe and a timer and they got him on federal charges, Conspiracy to Construct an Explosive Device, he did a year and half. So basically she was only concerned with the fact the I didn't seem too talkative, and that I wasn't embarrassed. She also said that it would cost more than we thought because it was a court evaluation more than 200 (if you guys want, feel free to give me some cash, it is entirely your fault) Oh yeah, in some past episodes I claimed I mentioned Chris's name and it's always fun to see him and have him not be happy that I did even though I never did. But any way in this one I actually did I mentioned all my friends nothing bad just dropped a name here and there so you all can feel great. So basically she said I'm fine and that now the judge should give me a nice little sentence.
P.S. About the state now I just filed my taxes and they didn't take any federal out but they took state (makes perfect sense doesn't it) so now the state owes me 8 for the nails and stuff and now 8 more for the taxes. So I want my money I tell you what you tell them that if they give me 15 I'll call it even otherwise I'm talking your ass to court Buba.
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Ok, I just got back from the Child Study Team today they did testing on me and my mom to see how crazy I am. We both went into separate rooms and I was with the school shrink. She first questioned me stuff like my hobies (making jewelry out of rat heads) and if I had trouble making new friends at the beginning. Then I took a test about he same 10 questions rephrased about 100 times all true or false. Stuff like "do you make friends easily", "do you feel alone even when in a group". Even the following was a question "do you hear voices telling you to do bad things". I of course did what my voices told me to do and circled yes. Then there was a the standard questions to see if I was paying attention, like "did you just return from a 10 month ocean liner cruise", and "every week you take two trips between New York and L.A". Most the questions where the same thing over and over again, until it made me want to kill everyone and wear their skin as clothes, but I figured that they would get the wrong idea about that if I did that, like I was crazy or something. Some of the questions where worded like, true or false I am someone who doesn't not get along with others poorly.
So then she had me look at pictures and tell her what was wrong with them, like a picture of a door with no knob. Most of them the problem was that the people where still alive, so that was pretty easy if there was no people then the fact that whatever was in the picture wasn't destroyed was usually the problem. Now I had to draw a picture of a person and I had to make up some stupid ass story about him. It was clear that they wanted me to answer the questions for him about me. Things like what is he afraid of, so I threw them off and this was my actual answer, "he's afraid of what else will be drawn in around him". All my answers dealt with him being a drawing and not real, just to screw with them. Then I had to do the stupidest thing yet, she read unfinished sentences and I had to fill them in "I am afraid of...", "I don't like it when...", and so on, so stupid. Then she got into the testing for my smarts. Things like rearranging blocks into the shapes on a piece of paper. Nine blocks, they had a diagonal line from corner to corner, one half red other white. She timed me with and old fashioned ticking stop watch, the ticket damn near drove me mad. So she said that I did the last one right and she had never even had to look at it before because no kid ever got there. Now this seems like a complement, but first they were fucking blocks easiest thing in the world. Second the Child Study Team deals with kids who are try to qualify for "special" retard classes so I can officially say I'm smarter than a retard. Now we did vocab she said a word, I defined it, some samples are ominous, sentence, encumber, and remorse. Then I had to do mental math, if Jimmy has 6 pieces of candy and he pays 1.60 for them plus 20 cent sales tax what was the cost for each including tax = 1.60 + .20 = 1.80 / 6 = .30 cents a piece. Then I had to follow the pattern and fill in the blank, big circle, little circle, big circle, little circle, what comes next? Daahhh a triangle. That was basically it, we got done and then they are going to look at it all and then I have one last meeting where all the shit goes down and I find out once and for all if I come back.
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Ok, I got a brutal 18 months probation, 10 hours community service, and a $45.00 fine, also I must comply with any recommendations of the Child Study Team. Now the 10 hours community service I don't know much about right now but here's everything about the probation:
1.Shall obey all laws federal, state, and municipal.
2.Shall not have in possession any firearm or any other weapon of any kind at any time for any reason.
3.Report to my probation officer every Monday any time from 8am - 6:30pm in Camden, that means the train once a week and a taxi to the station.
4.Can't leave the state of New Jersey without permission of my probation officer.
5.Can't leave my home for more than 24 hours at a time without permission.
6.Permit the PO to visit my house and meet with me.
7.Notify the PO immediately of any change in residence, school, employment, or contact with cops.
8.Answer truthfully all questions from my PO.
9.Complete Child Study Team and do anything they recommend.
10.Attend school or work.
11.Pay $45.00 dollar fine.
12.Abide by my own special curfew that I don't know yet.
So, 18 months from May 22nd 2001 is November 22 2002, that's my senior year, a long long time. I don't know if I'm coming back to school that's separate from all this, they are deciding if I'm sane as we speak, they will call me in and tell me when they decide I won't be coming back. So for 18 months I have to go to Camden every Monday, that's 72 wonderful trips to Camden or as I like to call it Satan's asshole. By the way apparently a lot of people are on probation because that place was packed even at 11am.
So I will probably do a lot of waiting in Camden smelling pee. Ah, this is wonderful. By the way again one quick thing that is funny is that the first thing I did after going on probation today was violate it by going over to Philly for a baseball game which yes was rained out lucky me, I'm going to Vegas, oh wait that would be against the law.
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Ok, first off this is the letter that sums up all the tests. I suggest reading it to find all the crazy stuff that they look at (like which way I position the paper when drawing) after it will be my summary.
LOWER CAMDEN COUNTY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL SERVICES
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
Name: Stephen Wetzel
D.O.E.: 5/8/01
Address: *** ****** ****** West Berlin, NJ
D.O.B.: 4/21/85
Phone: 768-****
Grade: 10
School: Overbrook Senior
Examiner: Kathleen A. Giampetro
Reason for Referral:
Stephen was referred to the child study team by the Lower Camden County Board of Education. This psychological assessment is being completed in order to update and to assist in planning the most appropriate education program.
Background Information:
Stephen, a nice looking, well-built tenth grader was seen in the Child Study Team office by
appointment. Stephen is the only child born to and living with his mother, Susan Wetzel.
Stephen's biological father, Thomas, died prematurely when Stephen was approximately a year
old. There are no medical problems for which Stephen is being treated of taking medication.
Academically, Stephen does not appear to be working to his potential currently, nor during years
in Overbrook Junior High School. Until his suspension from school in December 2000, and
subsequent police interaction regarding discovery of explosive making materials in his home,
Stephen has not demonstrated any external behavior problems in junior high nor in his time at the
senior high. Stephen is receiving home instruction so that he will be eligible to move into the next
grade level. Stephen's third marking period grades are as follows: U.S. History I - 90, English -
92, Geometry - 89, Lab Biology - 94, Introduction to Marketing - 94. It should be noted that
Stephen's grades are significantly higher than his second marking period grades while he was
in the school community.
Behavioral Observations:
Stephen, a blond, handsome young man, was seen in the Child Study Team office by
appointment. Nicely and neatly attired, Stephen approached the testing environment calmly,
almost nonchalantly. Stephen communicated in a soft voice, and, despite the different and varied
avenues the conversation traveled, he demonstrated a flat persona which was manifested overall
throughout the length of the session. Eye contact was not consistent nor was the time he took to
complete individual tasks. When Stephen was presented with a sheet of paper on which to draw
his Bender designs and another sheet to draw his Human Figure, Stephen turned his paper
sideways which suggest negativism and hostility. Stephen hurriedly performed paper/pencil tasks
and, when creating his Human Figure, Stephen began with the feet and quickly worked up to the
figure's head. Throughout the session, Stephen remained focused, listened to and followed
directions, moved easily from one task to another, and demonstrated no signs of fatigue. Stephen
was not sidetracked by extraneous sounds or noises, but, when executing a task which required
short-term memory and complete concentration, Stephen encountered notable difficulty.
Although constant praise for tasks well done was imparted, any indications of self-satisfaction or
gratification could not be perceived. Stephen persevered to the end of the assessment and it is
this examiner's opinion that overall, this is a valid assessment of Stephen's cognitive ability.
Diagnostic Procedures:
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition
Bender Gestalt Test
Human Figure Drawing
Sentence Completion Test
Behavior Assessment System for Children - Youth Self-Report
Behavior Assessment System for Children - Parent Report
Behavior Assessment System for Children - Teacher Report
Review of Records
Clinical Interview
Test Results and Interpretation:
On the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition, Stephen achieved a Verbal Scale IQ
score of 134, a Performance Scale IQ score of 113, and a Full Scale IQ score of 127 indicating
that Stephen is functioning overall within the upper limits of the superior range of cognitive
abilities. Despite Stephen's high scores, there is a significant difference of 21 points, over one
standard deviation, between his verbal and performance scores.
The verbal of language related area is an indication of Stephen's very superior verbal comprehension. This includes his ability to reason with words, to learn verbal material, and to apply verbal skills to the solution of new problems. The majority of Stephen's scores are clustered in the high average and superior ranges. These skill include his superior working vocabulary, his superior ability to discern relationships between objects or things, his superior math ability to solve word problems without the use of paper and pencil, and his superior ability to solve everyday problems and conduct oneself according to acceptable social norms Stephen' fund of information, which he has gained through formal school and in the environment in which he has been reared, is seen as a high average skill. A relative weakness exists in his average short-term memory, concentration skills as demonstrated on the task in which Stephen had to repeat numbers he was given with each subsequent group increased by one more number.
Within the performance or nonverbal area, Stephen demonstrated overall high average skills. This includes his ability to reason without the use of words, to think in visual images and to interpret material quickly. An above average skill is indicated in Stephen's nonverbal reasoning ability which enables him to analyze and synthesize visual spatial material. In this subtest, Stephen was required to replicate a pictured design with the use of blocks. Stephen demonstrated high average skills in his analogic reasoning ability and his attention to visual detail. On this subtest, Stephen was shown incomplete pictures and was required to complete it with a response from one of five possible choices. Average skills include Stephen's visual perception and alertness to detail in the identification of an important missing part in pictures presented, his visual sequencing ability on tasks in which he had arrange pictures in logical story order, and in his ability to learn a code rapidly by using speed, eye-hand coordination, and short-term memory.
The results of the Bender Gestalt test indicate that Stephen's visual motor integrative skills are equal to a 10 year, 0 month to 10 year, 11 month developmental level. According to the Kippitz developmental scoring system, Stephen had one error in distortion. Though he worked rather quickly, Stephen executed his designs in a neat, orderly fashion. Emotional indicators seen in Stephen's work include withdrawal behaviors, constriction, and negativism.
Personality assessment indicates that Stephen appears to be an introverted young man who exhibits negative and intellectualizing tendencies. The mix Stephen's intellectualizing and introverted tendencies seems to generate a covert hostility which prohibits Stephen form expressing candid feelings toward people, about himself, and life. Harboring all these feelings within can only result in further withdrawal and depression. Interestingly, negativism and hostility were detected in the paper/pencil tasks the were administered.
The results of the Basic Assessment System for Children - Youth Self-Report, indicate that Stephen's behaviors are overall within the average range. In the attitude to school scale, Stephen's score fell in the At-Risk range. Mrs. Wetzel's completion of the Parent Report Form reveals that Stephen's behaviors are overall within the average range. Several problem areas are evident in the Teacher Report Form which include At-Risk attention problems, withdrawal problems, leadership problems and study skill problems. Great cause for concern is exemplified in the social skills area which is overall in the Clinically Significant range. The At-Risk withdrawal area coupled with the Clinically significant social skills area allude to distinct possibility of depression.
Stephen's adaptive skills, in terms of his levels of personal independence and social responsibility, are overall within normal limits. At home, Stephen reports that his relationship with his mom is good and despite his father's premature death, there have been several positive male role models in his close family network. School relationships, though limited, are adequate. Stephen reveals that he is very shy around people with whom he is not familiar and is never a person who will initiate a conversation. Not being a sports person, Stephen prefers playing videos or working on his computer. He does not belong to any club, group, team or organization in out of school. Stephen does work on weekend at Taco Bell. In the future, Stephen hopes to attend Penn State University or MIT to major in computer science.
Summary:
Stephen, a handsome, blue-eyed tenth grader was seen for evaluation as directed by the Lower
Camden County Board of Education. According to the current assessment results, he is
functioning overall within the superior range of cognitive abilities. Stephen's Verbal IQ score of
134 and his Performance IQ score of 113 signifies difference of 21 points. In the Verbal realm,
Stephen demonstrates a relative weakness in his average short-term memory and concentration
skills. Above average skills are indicated in Stephen's numerical reasoning ability, and in his
general fund of knowledge. The remainder of Stephen's skills, which include his reading and
verbal vocabulary, his understanding of and conformity to social situations. And his ability to
identify likeness in objects/things, fell in the superior range. In the Performance area, Stephen
achieved above average scores in his nonverbal reasoning ability and in his anologic reasoning
ability. Stephen's visual perception and alertness to detail fell in the above average range and his
visual sequential ability and short-term memory. Concentration ability to learn a code rapidly fell
within the average range. Visual motor integrative skills are equal to a 10 year, 0 month to 10
year, 11 month developmental level.
Personality assessment reveals that Stephen seems to be an introverted youngster who tends to look negatively at the world. Though introverted and basically shy, Stephen appears to intellectualize situations, people and events. With this type of mixture, Stephen finds it difficult to express hi feelings, not only about himself, but also about others, which seems to course him to withdraw further and results in covert anger and hostility. Putting all of the above together seems to this examiner that depression will automatically result. The Behavior Assessment System for Children, completed by Stephen, his mother, and a teacher, indicates that Stephen's behaviors are overall within the average range. Within the teacher rating scale, however, several major problems surfaced. In the adaptive skills composite, Stephen's social skills fell in the clinically significant range and leadership and study skills fell in the At-Risk range. Results on the withdrawal scale were within the At-Risk range. This measure of an adolescent's tendency to avoid social contact may reflect the existence of depression, refusal to join groups, and a refusal to talk openly. This coincides with findings in the personality assessment. Adaptive behaviors. In terms of Stephen's levels of personal independence and social responsibility, are overall within normal limits. Stephen shares a close relationship with his mother and has a good relationship with the network of extended family. Relationships in school are adequate though limited because Stephen has difficulty making friends due to his shyness. Stephen is not involved in any activities in or out of school. In the future, Stephen would like to attend Penn State or MIT to major in computer science.
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So in the end I just went back to school for my 11th grade year. I don't really know if they decided to let me come back, or if they had just sent me a homeroom because I was still in the system. I don't really care either, I graduated in June of 2003. Looking back everything that happened with school wasn't bad at all. I got out of half a year of high school, and there was no real downfall. The legal stuff on the other hand sucked, mainly going to Camden every week. If I could do it all again I'd probably be up for the school stuff, although I'd avoid letting them find any legal evidence in my house.
