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CLIFTON – The parents of a Brewer High School teen charged with terrorizing said police are overreacting to a harmless joke.





“(A) Friend came in late. Asked what we’re doing in class. And I responded, nothing much, we’re all going to die. I didn’t see anything wrong in it.”

Joey Jamison said he was just joking around. Police said this is not a joking matter.

“It did not fit into a model of bantering back and forth. And to minimize this would be inappropriate, said Chris Martin, Brewer Deputy Police Chief.

The incident happened last Friday. Jamison has been suspended from school for 10 days He also has to appear in juvenile court to answer a terrorizing charge. His step-father said Jamison suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, and may have a

somewhat different sense of humor.

“A stupid thing to say. But his friend and him both laughed at it. Because boys don’t think straight. But that’s all it was,” said John Massaro, Jamison’s step-father..

Police also confiscated a pocket knife after searching Jamison’s backpack. Martin declined to detail Jamison’s comments, but said, “With respect to this particular case, given the context and everything else, provided a certain shock factor for

those who heard them”

During the month that’s passed since Nicholas Cruz shot and killed 17 students and teachers at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, numerous Maine students have been charged with terrorizing because of social media posts

or overheard comments.

“What he said, was it smart? No. But it’s not a criminal act,” said Massaro.

Brewer’s deputy police chief disagrees.

“We want to send a message that we’re on it. We’re paying attention to these things. You can trust us with your most valuable assets, your children,” said Martin.

Since Friday, Jamison said he’s received threats on social media telling him to stay away from school. Massaro said police offered to drop the whole thing if his step-son apologized. Martin says that never happened.