Damn! I *so* wanted to be on that jury...

First, I read this story (from AP via KYPost.com) -

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Call it a case of assault with a smelly weapon. Police in West Virginia accuse Jose Cruz of passing gas -- then fanning it toward an officer.

Mr. Cruz was later charged with battery on an officer and drunken driving (What? You were shocked that a guy who farted and directed it toward a cop was drunk at the time. :)) )

I saw this story earlier today and seriously considered moving to West Virginia so that I'd have a chance to sit on the jury when a police officer stood up in court to explain that he was injured by a fart. I had all sorts of witticisms planned like "Cruz potentially faces other, more serious, charges like 'disturbing the peace - tooting' and 'ADW - flatulence'.

Now that I'm home, however, I'm glad I didn't do anything rash (and I'm pretty sure that living in WV would have eventually involved a rash :) ).

This story was hitting the wires by the time I made it home (courtesy AP) -

A West Virginia man accused of passing gas and fanning it toward a police officer no longer faces a battery charge. The Kanawha County prosecutor's office requested that the charge be dropped against 34-year-old Jose Cruz.

The story didn't give a reason for the prosecutor's move to drop the charge, though I expect the desire not to be subject to national ridicule may have played a part in the decision.

Later!