Was this arrest justified? (illegal, state, California, constitutional)

[redguitar77111]

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...l17-story.html

In 2001, a teenager in San Diego was arrested for “underage possession of a lighter”.

[Mad_Jasper]

Wow! 20 years ago.....

No, the arrest was not justified. Disposable lighters are not single-purpose, tobacco paraphilia. The case should have been thrown out, charges dropped, and the officer disciplined.

[vkhmini]

What?

[BaptistFundie]

If the law is written to state that it's illegal for anyone younger than 18 to possess a lighter, it's a valid arrest. I'd imagine that it was appealed and that's up to the state to determine if the law is constitutional or if the lighter meets the scope of it.

Having said that, the fact that this was 20 years ago shows that California has been nuts for a long time. No way I'd move my family there.