Joseph "Baby Face" Cardosa was officially reprimanded and reportedly faces suspension (link) for building a pistol & using it to threaten other students during an after-school program in Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA).
Some weeks ago, a school official witnessed Cardosa brandishing his pointed finger as a gun. That threatening incident elicited a verbal reprimand.
Barnstable schools Superintendent Mary Czajkowski noted in an interview with the Cape Cod Times that Cardosa (age 5) was given "at least five verbal reminders" and that such inappropriate behavior demands a prompt & proper response. "You need to educate students, and you need to educate parents."
Joseph was punished for using his
imagination, said George MacKoul, Cardosa's attorney.
Joseph Cardosa has no known relationship to the late Joseph Barboza, also of Massachusetts (right), a reputed contract killer for the Patriarca crime family.
While the original gun crafted by Cardosa was apparently destroyed, the Cape Cod Times published a photo of Cardosa brandishing another homemade replica, and posing familiarly with "Ma" Cruz.
At what age does gunplay stop being cute? Is it reasonable Joseph's family & their lawyer made this affair public, parading the mini-miscreant in front of TV, radio & newspaper reporters? By adding even more excitement & attention to guns, have those around Joseph done him harm? Will we be hearing more of Joseph "Baby Face" Cardosa as an antisocial element? Perhaps this is the start of a long & costly criminal career (Massachusetts is one of the 17 US states without capital punishment).
Thanks to photographer Christine Hochkeppel let's contemplate the brazen face of delinquency:
Some weeks ago, a school official witnessed Cardosa brandishing his pointed finger as a gun. That threatening incident elicited a verbal reprimand.
Barnstable schools Superintendent Mary Czajkowski noted in an interview with the Cape Cod Times that Cardosa (age 5) was given "at least five verbal reminders" and that such inappropriate behavior demands a prompt & proper response. "You need to educate students, and you need to educate parents."
Joseph was punished for using his
imagination, said George MacKoul, Cardosa's attorney. Joseph Cardosa has no known relationship to the late Joseph Barboza, also of Massachusetts (right), a reputed contract killer for the Patriarca crime family.
While the original gun crafted by Cardosa was apparently destroyed, the Cape Cod Times published a photo of Cardosa brandishing another homemade replica, and posing familiarly with "Ma" Cruz.
At what age does gunplay stop being cute? Is it reasonable Joseph's family & their lawyer made this affair public, parading the mini-miscreant in front of TV, radio & newspaper reporters? By adding even more excitement & attention to guns, have those around Joseph done him harm? Will we be hearing more of Joseph "Baby Face" Cardosa as an antisocial element? Perhaps this is the start of a long & costly criminal career (Massachusetts is one of the 17 US states without capital punishment).
Thanks to photographer Christine Hochkeppel let's contemplate the brazen face of delinquency:
