Mixed reactions were apparent in the streets of Virginia after a 31-year-old man in Virginia was spotted walking around dressed as the Joker with a sword in his hands.
The Joker is a fictitious character that was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson that first appeared in the debut issue of the American comic book Batman (April 25, 1940) published by DC Comics.
The man was arrested and charged with wearing a mask in public on Friday. The man was spotted walking around dressed as the iconic comic book supervillain the Joker.
The Police authorities in Winchester said that the Winchester Emergency Communications Center received numerous calls around 2 p.m. on Friday of a suspicious male wearing a black cape and carrying a sword walking around the city.
The man was identified as Jeremy Putman. He was charged with wearing a mask in public. Wearing a mask in public is a felony that could land him in jail for up to five years.
Authorities reported that they had received several similar reports over the last week. It’s surprising that wearing a mask in public is a felony. However, the police emphasized that they wanted to remind the community that it’s a serious crime.
Virginia Code 18.2-422 says that it shall be unlawful for any person over 16 years of age, with the intent to conceal his identity, wear any mask, hood, or other device, whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered, so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, to be or appear in any public place, or upon any private property in this Commonwealth, without first having obtained from the owner or tenant thereof consent to do so in writing.
The man is being held at the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center on a $2,000 secured bond. It is yet to be established if he has an attorney to facilitate his case.
SOURCE: http://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-police-arrest-sword-wielding-man-dressed-joker/story?id=46365754
