Eric Kaplan
School’s out, summer’s here and pranks are a lot different than when I graduated…
At least they’re sure treated differently in the zero tolerance world we live in. If you have kids in public school, as do I, you can see firsthand how this rule works at times and not at others.
Kids can be suspended for using a finger as a play gun yet only given a “hard talk” after sending sexually violent, threatening messages on Facebook or by text. Because, according to the Johnson County District Attorney’s office, “If it happens on Facebook or the Internet we treat it differently, it’s kind of like fantasy land, people say things they don’t really mean.”
I wonder if the DA’s office wishes Columbine had been treated differently because, hey, the kid was just ranting on Facebook and the Internet, he didn’t really mean anything.
With that as the backdrop, we come to the latest examples in our local news.
I give you 18 year old recent Blue Valley North grad Eric Kaplan, making an 11 p.m. trip to Price Chopper in crime-free Leawood. Obviously with loving on his mind. Allegedly.
A 30-something soccer mom is leaving the store for her car as she passes said suspect – she was walking out as he was walking in – there’s a country song in here somewhere.
Her female instincts kicked in and something didn’t seem right.
That soon proved true as she noticed that he had turned and gone back to his car. She starts to drive home; he’s following her, so she dials 911. Instead of going down her street, she drives down a Cul-de-sac and as she makes a u turn at the end, a side glance out her window finds him wearing the latest in black, fashionable ski masks.
Odd, right?
911 dispatch tells her to drive by the police station where officers are waiting in their cars and promptly pull him over. What do they find in his car but said black ski mask, some rope, lube, gloves, a knife, some weed and “paraphernalia”. This seemed troubling to the police but confused Kaplan who thought it was nothing more than a first date, “get to know ya” kit.
Now he’s charged with reckless stalking and two misdemeanor drug charges. Released? Of course. Bail? You betcha – all $1,500.00 dollars of it.
Give this some thought, $1,500.00 bail for stalking with a rape kit in his car. If he’s got $150 on his Abercrombie card, he walks away free. There has to be more to this story than we are seeing and I’m all over it.
Katilyn Booth
With that as our judicial baseline, let’s look at high school student Katilyn Booth, from Columbia, Missouri, arrested on suspicion of felony property damage after she allegedly changed a classmate’s last name from “Mastain” to “Masturbate” in some 720 Hickman Crescent yearbooks.
The school had the choice of turning the yearbooks into pulp and coughing up $41,000 to replace them, or spending 12 hours licking 720 stickers to go over the student’s name. They chose the stickers.
Raigan Mastain
Raigan Mastain, the “victim” in this “crime”, told the Columbia Tribune she was “kind of annoyed” at Kaitlyn, but “wasn’t that upset.” She said they worked together on the yearbook staff, weren’t really friends but weren’t really enemies either – she just didn’t know why she did it.
Booth was arrested and now faces a felony destruction of property charge in criminal court. Mastain said, “What she did wasn’t right, but I don’t think it should affect her for the rest of her life.” This prank, if carried out in court the way it appears they want it to go, would leave Booth unable to get a decent job, vote, own a gun and having to check that little box on a job applications – all over a harmless and now repaired prank.
Granted, it was more than stupid, but not even Mastain’s truly that upset.
Let’s compare and contrast; $1,500 bail for trying to get a kidnapping first date in Leawood or a felony for pranking someone’s name in a high school yearbook.
Justice in the injustice system?
I propose the mandatory death penalty to any and all catty girls who decide to work on the yearbook staff. Their frenemies are to be placed in Stalinist style work camps assembling scrapbooks for elderly people.
Smarty, I have a call into two of my contacts in the DA’s office. I can’t imagine, given the 20 minutes he drove, the contents in the car, that this rated a $1500 bail. There’s a story behind the story here and Ill find it if it exists.
I think the 66209 zip code pretty much explains a good deal of the story. Also, because he was apprehended, he didn’t actually get to “do anything.” Not that I would have wanted it, but darn if he hadn’t almost tried to lasso that mom, and she, prepared, had the cops on speed-dial so they could have caught him in-process!
That Kaplan guy ain’t gettin healthy anytime soon.
Creepy.
He will just do a better job next time.
Put a chip in his chest like a pacemaker so the cops can keep track of his azz.
Yep, this guy will just hone his skills like another Dahmer, I am pretty sure this one has dead animals in his closet.
Eagle Scout to boot, what is it about being in the Boy Scouts? Does it train you to be a pedo creep?
He’s from Kansas, what is it about Kansans? Does Kansas train residents to all be societal derelicts with stone-age educations?
His affiliation with the Boy Scouts has no more to do with this than his affiliation with his home state. Besides…Pedo creep? She was a soccer mom not a middle-schooler.
The guy sounds like a felony waiting to happen but let’s leave the general aspersions about people groups out and hold him personally responsible for his own choices and actions.
Sorry about that, I loosely use the term ‘pedo’ kind of as a catch-all creep describer. Indeed, what is it about Kansas AND Boy Scouts? One must ask these queries.
Chuck, there’s something up here; if you watched the news story the emphasis was on what an accomplished pianist he is, headed for the UMKC Conservatory. Someone up the food chain is connected to someone. Tomorrows job is to sort that out.
I could sort it out, get in close, shift my weight and follow straight thru.
He will be fine after a week or so.
Some day, someone’s daughter will end up dead in a ditch and this sh*theel will be the perp.
You know it, I know it, the cops know it and there is nothing that anyone can do.
If this kid goes on to harm somebody after getting this kid glove treatment, some heads are going to roll. I couldn’t care less if he is a good piano player. The little punk needs to go to prison and get a lesson on playing the skin flute!
Something is going on here no doubt, but he does look like your typical creepy fucker you tell your daughters to stay away from.
Guys, I plan on making some people uncomfortable with plenty of follow up questions. It appears his dad owns a pre owned BMW dealership out in Martin City. We’ll have more on this and a follow up story tomorrow when some more dots get connected.
Sweet
Here’s the dots I got from my non shellfish eating friends.
Young Mr. Kaplan is “meshuggina” and daddy got him a “kosher” deal.
Ya feelin me Ha-chever sheli?
Follow the money.
Did he have duct tape in his rape kit? Maybe he is related to somebody on here frequently that is named after a motorcycle and is always right!
Oy Vey!!
Well there ya go! I’ll just say it, rather than beat around the ‘religious’ bush; always someone around to throw in the ‘jewish-money’ curve. Shame on you. Who set the bail? Look at the evidence, then ask the public defenders, lawyers and judge how they came up with the lame $1500 amount. The only sad thing is when ignorant bigots like you come out of the cracks.
Even an accomplished pianist can be a SOCIOPATH. Bail should have been 10 times higher!
Charles Manson was a musician and look at what he did!
Who’s the judge that set bail? I think there needs to be a concerted effort to make sure that a majority of NO votes happen the next time this judge’s name comes up on a ballot next to the question of whether he should be retained.
+1
+2
That makes no sense. It looks terrible, but it is a problem with the law, not the judge. The guy is charged with 3 misdemeanors because that’s all the prosecutors could do.
Point being, it is the Kansas legislature that needs to change this situation. It is not the judge’s job to make his or her own law.
Turns out our boy Eric is/was an Eagle Scout as well. Had his own jazz trio that played at local restaurants. And he had a partial scholarship to UMKC. $1500? Pocket change to Mike.
Take a spin by Bavarian Auto Group and tell Mike and Janet what a fine, upstanding son they’ve raised.
Betcha he got a knot tying merit badge.
Did and one say what kind of car he was driving?
BMW
This news tag is just disgusting; only in Leawood.
Tag Archives: Eric Kaplan … Gifted Leawood pianist, recent H.S. grad arrested for allegedly stalking …
Well I would agree this whole thing seems pretty twisted.
I just have one point about this breathless “article”. It is the usual hype. The Columbine killers ranted on face book? Columbine was 1999, face book was founded in 2004. Once I see such glaring misinformation, I can’t bring myself to read the rest.
This is in know way in support of the accused. I have only read the news and it seems he was up to something very evil but to tie it all into some with internet hate just makes me scratch my head? What do we really know at this point?
Bubba, I understand your premise, but it was an analogy based on what the JoCo DA’s office said about a sexually violent criminal threat on FB; they don’t consider it real, it’s just fantasy, talk.
My point was there are serious threats out there, if the Columbine dude said he was going to shoot up his school on FB, in today’s world, that’s how the JoCo DA would treat it…just talk.
See my point? (I also know Columbine isn’t in the JoCo too, just a compare/contrast. Sorry if I wasn’t clear)
Well, as I said, I quit reading when I a glaring bit of hype.
You are digging around in this kids life. There are investigators for this. I would agree that on the face of the reported allegations that this kid was up to some real evil. Evil not a word I use lightly. When I think evil I think of someone who should be locked up for good.
We know nothing if there was any prior contact. We don’t know if there was something going on that could be one of those sick love affairs that go out of control and somebody gets hurt. I have no reason to believe this to be the case but I think posts about his parents business and going by to tell them what one thinks of their son is going a bit far.
First sometimes parent can do their best and their kid turns out be a shit. I am thinking of a guy who might have to turn to the courts to get his fair share of family business because said shits didn’t live up to their end. But I digress, we have NO real knowledge of the whole story. If this was a random target, then it is pure evil if it all plays out as the media has painted it. But I will wait to see how this plays out in the long term. If this is as it seems, I hope he gets Judge Davis. If you know the JO courts, you know what I mean.
Leawood Lifestyles Magazine
Troop 10’s Newest Eagle Scouts
Eric Kaplan, son of Michael and Janet Kaplan, is a junior at Blue Valley North High School. For his Eagle Project, Eric designed, planned and coordinated the building and refinishing of bookshelves and held a book drive for the Ozanam Home in Kansas City.
And created a pedo creep dungeon in his parent’s basement in his spare time where he can bring kidnapped and bound soccer moms to diddle.
I think we’re missing a fundamental point here: Law is purely commercial at the base level. We have PRIVILEGES, not “rights”. From a mercantile standpoint, the damages of the so-called “crime” by facetiously changing a name in yearbook costs more rather than a disturbed kid with some suspicious items carried in his vehicle.
Don’t kill the messenger and resort to ad hominen attacks. I am just pointing out a path that an open mind should consider investigating. Ponder it at for awhile and you’ll begin to see why we’re currently in such a sad state of affairs lately, economically and socially.
Still At Moms, a disturbed kid with some suspicious items in his car? I’d agree with that. But add, following her for 15-20 minutes while wearing a black ski mask.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions, I don’t have all the facts, he could have been raising funds for Philmont and Eagle Scouts camp.
Lube, gloves, knife and rope in the car; camping? I don’t know about you but I don’t have ONE of those items in my car, let alone all of them.
What if the mom wasn’t as aware as she was and today’s news said she died of stab wounds following a rape?
First off Eric is not in high school he has also graduated.and there had to be a bigger story to this.
Anony, the story opens with the line BVN grad…
First of all, Paul, charging a defendant is the BEGINNING of the judicial process, not the end. Let’s see how both cases are resolved before we decide whether justice has been served.
Second, the Kaplan kid was charged with three misdemeanors. Bond (bail) is not some sort of pre-punishment, but merely a way to ensure the defendant’s presence in court and prevent their flight. And there are many things for a judge to consider, including past criminal history, family ties to the community, etc.
Like it or not, the kid was charged with misdemeanors. Since the Eighth Amendment specifically prohibits excessive bail, what is the appropriate bond for a misdemeanor charge? Now granted, you and I can probably surmise what the kid was up to, but he still didn’t do it, thank God. And thank God we don’t live in a country that throws people in jail for what they might have done.
Now, to the Columbia case. What was the bond set for Miss Booth? That’s an important bit of information that a good editor would have required you to get before you compared the two cases. You also say she was booked on “suspicion” of felony damage to property, whatever that means. Has she been formally charged yet, or what?
Please also note that Miss Mastain is not the only “victim” here. Every student that purchased a yearbook had their yearbook ruined by a childish prank. The sticker idea is a good one, and the appropriate punishment might be for Miss Booth to put in all those stickers herself (if practical) and/or to pay for having it done.
Bottom line, though, is that she ruined $41,000 worth of yearbooks. Had she taken a ball bat to, say, your house while you were on vacation and did $41,000 worth of damage, would you be in such a forgiving mood?
But again, let’s see how this plays out before we make judgments. My guess is that, if Miss Booth has a clean record, this will get pled down to a misdemeanor with restitution and her record will be expunged. If her parents pony up for a good lawyer.
Good points, Irish guy. My interest was more charge-for-charge and I didnt look at her bail, if any, but will follow up on it. Thanks for well reasoned, constructive comments.
I looked it up online.
She was arrested, then released without being charged. Yet. So there is no bond because there are no charges. Yet.
And according to some sources, Miss Mastain isn’t quite as forgiving as it sounds. Yes, she realizes it was a prank, and she seems to have her head on pretty straight, but she also said a lot of other people would have been devastated, so she understands the seriousness of what Miss Booth did.
Irish Guy, you make some good points, but I am not buying into the analogy of 41K with a baseball bat and 41K with the yearbook.
“Bottom line, though, is that she ruined $41,000 worth of yearbooks. Had she taken a ball bat to, say, your house while you were on vacation and did $41,000 worth of damage, would you be in such a forgiving mood?”
But the law can’t look at it that way. $41,000 in damage is $41,000 in damage.
I don’t know what the felony threshhold for criminal damage to property is in Missouri, but even if they reduce it to the cost of the stickers and the hours it took in labor to put them in, then you still might reach it.
And remember, no charges have been filed. Yet. Prosecutors always start with the biggest number, then work their way down.
OK, good points.
Here is the deal, and I realise that it is prima facie and the details are still yet to be determined.
This fu*kin kid is dangerous and, although it is my opinion, which counts for zilch, he will kill and or rape at some point.
While you are technically right about everything you say as far as I can determine (Balbonis ?), there is zero doubt, that anyone reading these accusations and the facts as assembled to this point, wants any of their daughters within a galaxy of this weirdo.
If I found this kid anywhere near my daughter, we would interact.
Balancing the letter of the law when faced with percieved threats of such an abbhorent nature bends decency and common sense to individual will.
Either way, the results, in my opinion again, will be unpleasant for all concerned.
+1
I have known Eric for a long time and am just mortified as well as confused as to what is going on. Just the other day he stopped on his way out of a parking lot to jump start my car.
I know he is a good kid, and I just hope some how this isn’t what it seems. It is just so frustrating I don’t even know how to react. He was one heck of a Boy Scout and his parents and himself are some of the nicest people I know.
John, Id like to think the same. Would you be open to talking to me in more detail tomorrow? If so, you can find me at paulwilsonkc@gmail.com.
I’d be interested in your thoughts and will be doing a follow up or two depending on how the case progresses.
They said the same nice things about Bundy and Gacey too.
Such nice boys.
Ted Bundy was a bright, charming individual, classy, educated, well mannered. Well read, well traveled, race car driver (thank god not NASCAR… that was for you SD….) and had many friends.
Things usually went very well between he and the ladies, till the second or third date……..
Oh, so now we’ve decided he’s Ted Bundy, Bob Berdella and Charles Manson all wrapped up in one person.
Sheesh!
Watch a lot of Nancy Grace? She would also like to dispense with the formality and expense of trials and juries and all those other complications between a defendant and the gallows.
You are so confident in the “good intentions” of this kid let him live down the street from your wife and daughters.
The point is just because a kid does certain good things doesn’t mean he isn’t evil. The people above were sighting examples to support that fact. Apparently that went right over your head Irishguy.
Nobody is saying he is necessarily all that. It is just being pointed out that because he is talented and seems nice on the surface does not mean he is harmless either. It is fairly obvious from his actions that he was up to something. How far he would have gone if he’d had the chance is something we don’t know.
Some of my relatives were into antiques and knew Bob Berdella. They thought he seemed a little eccentric but nice. They were shocked about what he did. Some of these creeps are able to compartmentalize their lives somehow. There is a version of them that only their victims ever see. They sometimes even fool their own families.
Well John you just might not know him as well as you think.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Another woman has come forward saying she too was followed by an 18-year-old accused Monday of stalking an Overland Park woman.
Nice catch Dave.
Hmm….so this is what 4chan does when it leaves the house
4chan?
Don’t click on it wilsun… don’t click on it for your sanity.
beats going to
http://www.lemonparty.org
when you are fed up with all the bitterness in politics today
Just read that the little f**ktard pleaded non-guilty to stalking her. Unreal.
Well, Clemente, he has that right. And, by what the Kansas Stalking law looks like, he may get off! It requires a “course of conduct”, which is defined as two or more events. He did this…..count with me, ONCE. And, it doesnt appear they were left with anything else to charge him with, which is sad. His intent was clear, this just may be one of those times where you wish the law was written different, it just isnt. In that case, my thoughts are with girl #2 as Im afraid she may be out there. He had a pretty serious “date kit” with him.
What really makes you ill is if it ever does happen, they had him on this, but he walked. Thats just one of the risks of having the freedoms we do.
Another victim has come forward that he was in fact the one that had followed her out of a McDonalds and into a JCrew store in Town Center. He watched her for over 2 hours and the police ended up confirming it was him from video surveillance. We also had an incident at our office building in the same area back in March. There was a young man hiding in the woman’s bathroom stalls and peeking over to watch us use the toilet. A few of the woman actually saw him but he ran before he could be caught. Turns out he would run, then go back into the bathroom fifteen min later after the traffic and buzz would die down, then do it all over again. One of the females who actually saw him just identified him when we showed her a picture of Eric. Now for those of you people that are going to read this then pick it apart….Yes, I said this happened back in March of this year. Yes he was still in school in March. The days that he did it…..He was on Spring Break. This kid is sick and if it wasn’t for the woman using her instincts, she would be dead. He has been doing this for a while now and I guarantee that he will become successful if he isnt stopped. This is where the mental illness awareness comes into play with this country. We need to start taking it more seriously.
parkers, I wrote another 3 stories on the progress of this case. Feel free to contact me if you have additional information, I’d be glad to talk to you. If you know any of the girls personally involved in the Spring Break alledged incidents, I would like to talk to them as well.
Thanks.