Recently in Other Misdemeanors Category

A total of 15 states have enacted laws that allow for the medical use of marijuana, according to a recent USA Today article. Meanwhile 14 additional states, including Illinois, are considering legislation that would legalize pharmaceutical pot (also known by its proper name, cannabis).

But while legislators ponder the burning question of whether or not it's a good idea for the state, Illinois citizens caught with less than 30 grams of the herb can be charged with a misdemeanor, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Possession of more than 30 grams gets into felony territory.

That means tokers in the Windy City who consider marijuana an important medicine may want to hold onto that Chicago criminal attorney's business card for a little while longer.

In an effort to crack down on crime on and around Chicago's extensive "El" train network, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has installed cameras at 24 Green Line stations (AP, via bnd.com).  

While the CTA claims to now have 1,657 cameras at 73 stations, the agency hopes to have at least one camera at every station by the summer.

The CTA also announced a new pilot program to determine whether or not it makes sense to retrofit the train cars with cameras as well. Expected to begin this spring, the program will look at cost and efficiency concerns.

Citing excessive "noise and stench," Chicago aldermen have tried (and failed) to make dog hoarding - i.e., owning more than five dogs - a misdemeanor before. And they may not get much futher this time (Sun-Times) either.

While it may sound reasonable to limit households to a manageable number of pets, the criminalization of six dogs may not be.

Damage done to All Saints Episcopal Church in Ravenswood certainly was intentional. The assailant broke a stained glass window, fed a garden hose through the opening and flooded part of the building, according to a Tribune article. The crime was committed against a house of worship, but was it a hate crime?

It's anything but a simple question.

Raise your hand if you ever drank alcohol before your 21st birthday. Okay, leave it up if your mom or dad ever gave you a beer or a glass of wine before your 21st birthday. Right, most of us are not such pollyannas that we actually waited until that magical age.

Is dad a reckless monster for giving you that glass of Merlot with dinner when you were 16? Of course not, but the law has to draw a line somewhere and technically that is illegal. It falls under the broader offense of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor. 

Just don't let the cops see you do it.

But under no circumstances should you do what Far South Side resident Ameenah Williams allegedly did (Fox Chicago) when she was approached by the police, who saw two 14-year-old boys walking on the sidewalk with cans of beer.

Sometimes it's okay to laugh at reported crimes, especially when no one gets hurt. A recent incident that gives new meaning to the term "Black Friday" is a real gem: A Chicago man was charged with assault and property damage for allegedly smashing TVs and cameras with a hammer (Fox Minnesota) at a Winona, Minnesota Target store.

But it wasn't just vandalism. Witnesses say 39-year-old Jerome Eberle really put on a show until he was finally tasered and taken into custody by police.