Free Vali

College days can be a time for fanciful play and practical jokes--as both The Crimson and our rival the Harvard Lampoon, a semi-secret Sorrento Square organization that used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine--can both attest. Thus it came as no surprise when Lampoon editor Vali D. Chandrasekaran '03 attempted to break into the Crimson Jan. 2, continuing the two publications' long-standing tradition of petty thievery and mischief.

It is not unusual that a member of the Sorrento Square bastion of mediocrity might muddle the Crimson's address--targeting 12 Plympton Street instead of 14. But the results of Chandrasekaran's failed attempt compel us to cast aside the rivalry and underscore the significance of his legal predicament.

When Chandrasekaran broke into the English Language Center (ELC) by mistake, humor suddenly took a very serious turn. After being arrested by Cambridge police, Chandrasekaran was charged with nighttime breaking and entering, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

We are horrified by the prospect that an age-old rivalry could potentially ruin a student's career. The crime committed was nothing more than a harmless prank, and it is sobering to think that this small mistake could bring a student a felony conviction and 20 years in jail. A short prison term could still have disastrous consequences--not even a Poonster deserves such severe punishment.

While Chandrasekaran's actions may have demonstrated a lack of judgment, his behavior certainly does not warrant jail time. He is no hardened criminal and represents no further menace to society. Most likely, the scare of facing a possible 20-year jail term will prevent him from ever repeating his offense.

Legally, the Crimson has little influence over this case. However, while decisions regarding his prosecution lie with the English Language Center and ultimately with the district attorney, we implore those responsible for administering justice to be lenient. No action occurs in a vacuum, and Chandrasekaran's crime ought to be considered with the mitigating circumstance that his mischievous actions were nothing more than typical college pranks. Chandrasekaran should pay any damages incurred by the ELC because of the crime, and he should be released. He has certainly already learned his lesson, and undergraduates have been warned by his example. Nothing would be gained by pursuing this matter any further.