Comments about ‘Miss Riverton steps down following ‘homemade bomb’ incident’

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Published: Tuesday, Aug. 13 2013 10:10 p.m. MDT

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Virginia Beach, Va

Give the girl a break. A dumb prank yes, a felony ? No. I'm glad her family and frinds are standing by her.

I know it. I Live it. I Love it.
Salt Lake City, UT

I'm sure plenty of people will say "It doesn't matter what their intention was" and support the felony charge.

However, it's often also said that "You'd feel differently if it were your kid" and people usually argue against that. The truth is, there is no arguing against it. when put in the shoes of someone getting stones cast at them, everyone all the sudden finds that sympathy they somehow couldn't muster up while they had a stone in their hand.

The point of justice isn't retribution but helping everyone, perpetrator and victim alike, turn to the right and doing what is productive. Serving felonies producing nothing necessary here. Forgiveness goes much farther to convincing someone than getting even.

People hate being told they have a stone in their hand. But the truth is the truth and no one can escape it. In the end I'd rather be found with an empty hand, if not for my own sake if I wasn't willing to think about the person I was throwing it at.

These teenagers need our help. A felony is not the best thing we can offer to anyone here.

CHS 85
Sandy, UT

Who voted for the politicians who made the laws that made this act a felony? Which political party rules this state that made this ridiculous law? Laws are made by politicians who are put in office by us. Did you write your congressman when this law was passed to decry it's purpose and effects? I highly doubt it.

If this young lady had a Hispanic surname, would you all be up in arms over this action.

For the record, I think this entire situation is overkill. Perhaps a citation and a fine, but a felony? Come on.

Bountiful, UT

This looks like a case of the prosecutor overcharging the offense. She said they didn't throw these at anyone unless the prosecutor can prove otherwise the jury oUght to acquit. I'm certain she is not a danger to the community.

the old switcharoo
mesa, AZ

Give all of them a break. If toilet bowl cleaner and plastic bottles are bombs then everyone has bomb making supplies in their house. Isn't that supposed to be a crime too?

I don't think noise makers are the same thing as bombs. Crazy world.

Salt Lake City, UT

Silly mistake? This is a sad commentary for those who have been given example setting positions. Not ever getting into trouble before is like the pedophile who has never been caught...and when he's caught, saying he didn't mean to harm anyone. I wonder why these youth didn't think about throwing these bottles in their own homes on their kitchen floors instead of in public places. Makes me wonder where they put their chewed gum and throw their gum wrappers. No silly mistakes here, only very poor choices with deserving consequences.

Love Utah
Draper, UT

Sometimes kids don't think and do stupid things. I think this belongs in that category. I hope this young lady manages to put this behind her, learn from it and move on and do great things in life. I for one wish her well.

Auckland NZ, 00

More evidence of the success of "terrorists" in forcing US society to cringe and change. Or maybe it is more accurate to call it the success of the fear industries: journalism, the infotainment telesector, government, demagogues of all varieties, police and armed forces.

Charlotte, NC

Thus we see the difference between intelligence and wisdom. Kids (and many adults, actually) don't always have the maturity to make wise choices. Give them a good scolding and let them move on.

London, 00

I wouldn't be so sure about the legal system handling it appropriately. If you get an over zealous prosecutor who because of the case notoriety and his likely hood of getting his name in the newspaper...if he or she really wants to swing the bat in this case...it could be quite ugly...my wish is that they do some sort of plea of obeyance type of thing..(i'm not an attorney) so that if there are no other issues in 12 months..the entire case will be dismissed and there will be no record.

Harvest, AL

It's a shame that critical thinking skills are not being taught in schools. I get the prank part but a bomb?? ....yeah, they weren't going to throw it at people... But they still built a bomb... I guess toilet paper, shaving cream and confetti is too boring these days.


Let's hope the judge/jury recognize this for what it is--a stupid prank and not something malicious. Hopefully the district attorney will also come to his/her senses and withdraw the charges or reduced them to something (eg littering)that requires perhaps some community service.

ute alumni
paradise, UT

Nowadays everything is taken to the extreme. I am glad that I am not a youth today because the pranks I played would have probably caused me to serve a life sentence. Kids do some dumb things. This was one. Now punish her for a prank. Felony? No way.

Stansbury Park, Ut

The fact is that someone could have been seriously injured by the acid in these "bombs." These four "children" are legally adults. I think probation and eventual pardons should probably be the proper punishment. A society that allows adults to do things and then claim they didn't know what they were doing, is set-up for failure. These were serious acts committed by people who should have known better. These four were "honor" students! Did they take chemistry? Sorry, the they are just kids defense doesn't fly with me. Serious acts demand serious consequences. But, justice should be tempered with wisdom and compassion.

Layton, UT

It's good to know another beauty queen's bombmaking days are officially over. This should be a pageant question.

Austin, TX

The days of doing things like this are gone. Back in the day this would have have been looked at as a prank and the police would have just taken them home or sent them home with a lecture about the stupid.

Kid need to stop and think about the consequences of their actions a LOT more than they used to but the don't seem to get that. maybe this will be a wake-up call for more than Ms. Gill.

I am with everyone else howver, no way should this be a felony or even a criminal charge. Stupid? in today's enviornment yes, but not criminal. give them a few hundred hours of community service and keep their records clean. (assuming this is their first brush with the law)

Mom of 8
Hyrum, UT

While I sympathize with these kids/adults, I'm tired of dismissing such behavior as merely a "practical joke."

There's nothing "practical" or "joking" about pranks. Pulling a prank on someone is actually a form of bullying, of demonstrating you have power over others, of setting yourself up while pushing others down.

Even if no one is maimed or even hurt, still someone else has to clean up the mess. It's childish and demeaning, no matter the age of the culprit.

No, this isn't criminal behavior, but practical joking is always harmful.


I think it's a good plan, she needs to learn NOW that there are consequences for her actions. American society gives too many people "breaks" because of money and beauty already.

AZ Blue & Red
Gilbert, AZ

I think the gist of most comments are similar. Prank yes. Felony no. Let them completely off the hook, No. Some recompense is needed but Felony? No way.

Glad we did not get this much attention for the dumb things kids did in my day. We would all be in jail. We did not hurt anyone but based on dumb we were right up there.

Betting this will be a life changer for this young lady. If she does something similar again then get more serious but this is not a felony. Do not ruin a life for a dumb teenage lapse of judgment. Guessing most of my generation of teenagers (70's) have a story or 2 to tell. Most of us did OK.

Dallas, TX


"back in the day..."

Even back in the day, the only kids who did things similar to this were either the habitual trouble-makers, or those dumb enough to hang out with them. Toilet-papering a house was generally the height of 'practical jokes,' but even thirty years ago kids knew not to throw anything that exploded. Really, there is no news here in this story, only the enforcement of laws that have always been around. Frankly, the only reason why it's receiving attention is because a pretty girl is involved, and 'heaven forbid' we punish a pretty girl.

Undoubtedly this will be a wake-up call to the teenagers involved that actions have consequences. While this involved a pageant winner, it could have been anybody. To be clear nobody is being picked on here. Anybody who plays with fire gets burned. Fortunately for them, in the end this will likely amount to a large amount of public embarrassment and probably probation if they are first time offenders.

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