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August 5, 2019

Title: Is Ignorance of the Law an Excuse?
Topic: Mens Rea

Discussed by Michael Haugen
with Texas Public Policy Foundation (www.TexasPolicy.com)

The line between “commonplace” and “criminal” is very thin, and ignorance of a law is no excuse.

New guest, Michael Haugen, discusses a recent incident out of Florida where a woman was arrested for collecting seashells. Michael is a Policy Analyst at the Center for Effective Justice and its Right on Crime Initiative at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Questions/Issues Discussed:

What is Mens Rea?

Why did Dallas resident Diana Fiscal-Gonzalez get arrested in Key West, Florida?

What was her punishment?

Does the state of Florida have the right to protect the sea creature?

Did Diana’s punishment fit the crime?

Does every state have laws that people are unaware of that could land them in jail with criminal charges? Should we be able to use the concept of Mens Rea in these cases?

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