# Frodo is going to jail, man. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702 "2006-01-26T15:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/1 "2006-01-26T15:10:02Z")
Lessee… what could he be charged with? Include any other characters you want in this. **Frodo** Accepting stolen property Disturbing the peace Assault Public intoxication Harbouring a known fugitive Sedition Breaking and entering Tresspassing Posession of a controlled substance Manslaughter Resisting arrest ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/2 "2006-01-26T15:10:55Z")
Overacting ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/3 "2006-01-26T15:12:59Z")
Traveling under a false identity Unlawful detainer Attempted bribery ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/4 "2006-01-26T15:40:14Z")
**Gandalf** ; Trafficing a controlled substance (Pipeweed (yes, yes, i _know_ it’s really tobacco)) supplying tobacco products to underage Hobbits transporting high explosives across state lines/borders unlicenced discharge of Class A explosives unlicenced use of a **1920’s style Death-Ray** (in Massachusets) practicing Witchcraft/Sourcery transport of stolen property (the Preciousssss) transfer of ownership of stolen property (the Preciousssss) ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/5 "2006-01-26T15:49:17Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Sedition Hmm, this one strikes me as forced. I mean he wasn’t acting against the current governing body after all, he was acting against a hostile invading force. Defending your goverment from another isn’t sedition. It is war. And thus, many of the others would fall under wartime acts and not tried in a civilian court, it isn’t murder, it is war, certain casualties are necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/6 "2006-01-26T15:50:41Z")
Frodo: Unreported Income (the ring is pretty valuable, you know? and that mithril shirt is “Worth more than the value of the entire Shire”). Slavery: Kept Gollum tied up and forced him to work as a guide without compensation. This applies to Sam as well, but Sam clearly suffers from Stockholm syndrome to the point that he actually carries his “Master” up an erupting volcano instead of escaping from “servitude.” ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/7 "2006-01-26T16:15:02Z")
Did Frodo get an environmental impact study done before destroying Mt. Doom? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/8 "2006-01-26T16:22:06Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Hmm, this one strikes me as forced. I mean he wasn’t acting against the current governing body after all, he was acting against a hostile invading force. Defending your goverment from another isn’t sedition. It is war. > > And thus, many of the others would fall under wartime acts and not tried in a civilian court, it isn’t murder, it is war, certain casualties are necessary. POV A person might look upon his quest as being part of an illegal war based on manipulated intelligence. Just like LeMay would’ve been charged with war crimes had the USA lost WWII, Frodo would’ve had to face a tribunal after Sauron wins back control of ME (since it had been illegally wrested from him lo these many ages ago). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/9 "2006-01-26T16:24:15Z")
Wearing body armour is unlawful in some places. Public posession of a knife with blade length greater than 4 inches. Disturbing wild animals (that big spider thing) Wilful destruction of property (the ring). ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/10 "2006-01-26T16:30:00Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > – snip-- **Gandalf** ; > Trafficing a controlled substance (Pipeweed (yes, yes, i _know_ it’s really tobacco)) Oh really? How can you be sure? Is it ever referred to as tobacco? To my knowledge Pippin says, "_… The finest weed in all the shire…"_ He didn’t say tobacco… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/11 "2006-01-26T16:54:05Z")
Impersonating a member of the armed forces (pretending to be an orc soldier) Isn’t that classed as spying and punnishable by death penalty even under the Geneva convention? Disturbing several endangered species in their natural environment (Shelob, the Balrog, and the water tentacly guy in the lake). Flying without a license, sure he wasn’t qualified to fly one of them eagles. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/12 "2006-01-26T17:13:17Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Oh really? How can you be sure? Is it ever referred to as tobacco? To my knowledge Pippin says, "_… The finest weed in all the shire…"_ > > He didn’t say tobacco… 😉 i know, that was to stave off the pedants and rabid fanboys i think all of the other castmembers could be suspected of being Pervy Hobbit-Fanciers, but Sam will kill them if they try anything… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/13 "2006-01-26T17:13:40Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Hmm, this one strikes me as forced. I mean he wasn’t acting against the current governing body after all, he was acting against a hostile invading force. Defending your goverment from another isn’t sedition. It is war. > > And thus, many of the others would fall under wartime acts and not tried in a civilian court, it isn’t murder, it is war, certain casualties are necessary. You can argue any of these. But I think the sedition refers more to the scouring of the shire and sedition against Sharky and Lotho the pimple. Jim ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/14 "2006-01-26T17:15:24Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Oh really? How can you be sure? Is it ever referred to as tobacco? To my knowledge Pippin says, "_… The finest weed in all the shire…"_ > > He didn’t say tobacco… 😉 Tolkien talks about it being a relative of Tobacco in his letters. QtM could probably quote the letter. Jim rabid middle-aged fanboy ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/15 "2006-01-26T17:15:28Z")
Various violation of the Patriot Act, but hell, what _doesn’t_…? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/16 "2006-01-26T17:31:22Z")
I’m thinking he would just be held without trial as an enemy combatant. After all, he was not an agent of any known country… Zen Google ad For The Day: Prison Rape Elimination The Omni View is the only prison design that meets law #108-79 [www.RadialOmniView.com](http://www.RadialOmniView.com) ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/17 "2006-01-26T20:20:46Z")
Himura Kenshin - murder (he’s not known as the “thousand-man-slayer” for nothing…) - carrying a sword in public (repeatedly mentioned early in the comic, but I guess since he does get cushy with the local police they don’t bother to enforce it any more) - aiding and abetting known criminals (Sano, Megumi, Aoshi…) - property destruction (well, some of it wasn’t his fault, but he’s wrecked his share of stuff) …and just about the whole cast could sue him for emotional damages. (Especially Seta Soujirou, the poor kid… ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/18 "2006-01-26T20:25:24Z")
I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a lifeguard present in the Dead Marshes, so that’s at least an hour time-out, right there. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/19 "2006-01-26T20:33:51Z")
> [@dotchan](#): > > [stuff about other fictional works] I like your moxy! And the cut of your jib! Dopers, expand this to any other sc-fi/fant you have ideas on of legality of actions. Written, movie/tv, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702/20 "2006-01-26T20:52:48Z")
Guess we could always charge him with [mopery.](http://www.wordsmith.org/words/mopery.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frodo-is-going-to-jail-man/341702.md?page=2)