This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
What Happens On Facebook Doesn't Stay On Facebook: Online Feud Bleeds Into Real World Stabbing, Teen Sentenced
17-year-old Michael Jason Wilson of Laguna Beach was sentenced to a year in jail and three years probation after pleaded guilty yesterday to "stabbing a rival in a feud that started with traded insults on Facebook," according to Laguna Beach Patch.
Michael Jason Wilson entered his plea to felony assault with a deadly weapon with a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily harm. Two other felony counts of assault with the same sentencing enhancements were dismissed, according to court records. Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Robison immediately sentenced Wilson to a year in jail and three years of probation, court records show. His attorney, Paul Meyer, declined comment.
Wilson, who was 16-years-old when the attack occurred, was prosecuted as an adult. The victim, after agreeing to meet his at Wilson's house after school, was stabbed in the stomach with a 12-inch carving knife and spent a week in the hospital, say prosecutors. The victim's friends in a nearby car were also injured as they struggled to take away the knife. The defendant was also "accused of also slashing the hands and arms of two boys," causing an injury for one that required surgery.
Had Wilson gone to trial and been convicted as charged the teenager could have faced up to 15 years in state prison.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
