[Skunk]

First of all, I don't recall any books by Stephen King written in "first person" style...where he is outlining a plan for himself and unnamed colleagues to commit the murder of several people he has decided he doesn't like.

There are plenty of authors who write in the first person (HG Wells's 'The Time Machine', for example), so this is really a matter of creative taste - as for the subject matter, it's just that - subject matter.

Secondly, Stephen King's books have always been written and submitted for publication, not kept hidden on some computer file and discovered accidentally by a third party.

Stephen King happened to be a talented author with the drive to get his work published - less confident and/or 'good' authors may not have the same luck - so should we lock them up because they write 'boring' pieces that publishers won't touch?

I agree the felony charge is completely over the top, but let's look at this from a different perspective. Suppose - just for the sake of argument - that Brian Robertson HAD been planning to carry out this "fictional" attack on his school. Let us also suppose that this story of his wasn't discovered until after that attack had occurred.....What would be the general reaction if it suddenly became known that this kid who blew up the school and killed the senior class president (among others) had written a story on the school's own computer several months earlier detailing these exact events? There would be harsh criticism of the authorities in general (and the school system more particularly) for "ignoring obvious evidence" that was right in front of thier faces.

Pick up several teenage diaries and I can guarantee that at least 30% of them will contain references of bad thought and bad deeds that they want to carry out - that's just being a teenager. Writing is often a way of releasing pent up anger - it in no way means that the person will acutally commit the acts that he/she describes. All healthy stuff of kids.

This is about administering first aid to a gunshot would without asking why the victim got shot in the first place. It would be more effective to have stricter gun controls, train the teachers (and parents) to better notice the signs of teenage-angst, employ councellors to help kids get through those wild-hormone induced depression/anger and so on - of course that does cost more money than a simple law that locks up everyone who even considers a bad act...