Legal / Justice question

[Mom70x7]

Ok, all you legal-type people . . .

(and everyone else with an opinion  )

The soldier who was just handed a 110 year sentence . . . with the possibility of parole in 10 years???

I absolutely do NOT want to discuss the crime and the justification of the sentence.

I'm just curious why the lengthy sentence and the short time (by comparison) for parole eligibility. What's the logic? Is it because it's military?

I haven't checked (don't know how to check), but I thought most people had to serve 1/2 their sentence, or a long time, before they came up for parole.

What's the relationship? Does it change for different crimes?

[Rudy Taylor]

There's nothing more exasperating than judicial sentences. We see so many crimes where defendants are "let go" with a slap on the wrist, then comes along something like this and it appears they threw the book at him.

In many cases, judges' hands are legally tied because of lawmakers, at both state and federal levels, who  write legislation requiring certain sentences. Judges generally hate these laws because it takes the common sense out of judicating. What may appear to be a horrid crime when reported in the headlines may be one with sidebar facts that would justify a lighter sentence. For instance, a Florida man recently was handed a 65-year sentence for raping a 15-year-old girl. Sounds logical to us, right.  But the guy was actually her boyfriend. My own grandmother was 13 when she married my grandpa who was 19. So, you can see where I'm going here.

It's still perplexing to follow these criminal cases and see the silly and inconsistent sentencing from judges at all levels. I'm sure if you asked them, they would have their side, too. In the meantime, it's OK to be upset.  It's our system and Americans  deserve better.

[flo]

too many times the sentence does not fit the crime.  And many times depends in what state the crime was committed.  Many Many of our laws need to be changed.  There are places where you get a harsher punishment for writing a hot check than you do for abusing your children.  In the case of the 15 year old, I'm sure it was her parents that reported this and reported it as a rape and the girl, being a minor, had no say in the matter.  In my book that is not justice.  Another reason why they hollar we need new jails and prisons because of overcrowding.  Ask me, I can help them solve that problem.  But they won't so it's up to us to try to get some of these ridiculous laws changed.  In Dec. of 1995 (three months after I lost my husband) I got a call to rush to Garnett.  My father had been severely beaten and left for dead.  The guilty party's girlfriend noticed blood all over him when he came home and called the law and asked them to check on Dad.  They broke in the door, got Dad to the hospital and before either my sister or I could get there, he was lifewatched to Olathe.  Spent many days in ICU and finally into acute care.  Dad was 75 at the time and 5"10" tall.  The guy that beat him up was 6"4" tall and 27 yrs old.  Know what he was charged with?  Aggravated robbery.  He did some prison time because he had a previous record.  I wanted him charged with attempted murder, couldn't do it because of the statutes.  little justice for my father losing one eye and taking months to heal.  Now I gotta get on the road.

[Diane Amberg]

 Since some of you were interested in the Jesse Spielman case, with the 110 year sentence, I checked our paper. Since that dumb yahoo was from Chambersburg Pa., our papers carried it. The long sentence stemmed from so many years per count and there were 7 counts. He was able to plea bargain, because it was "guilt by association." He was just a lookout and didn't lay hands on anyone. He could be up for parole in 10 years, but that doesn't mean he will be let go. Actually that's pretty stiff. He should have known better and did nothing to stop the event from happening. They have little respect for women over there, but that doesn't mean our guys should take advantage of it. 

[kdfrawg]

Amen.

[MarineMom]

thankfully most of our guys over there are law abiding hardworking young men and women who are doing the best they can unlike like the few bad apples that get all the headlines

[kdfrawg]

I am consistently amazed by what a couple of bums can do, as well. We've had some crimes, and some scandal, in Iraq and a big deal has been made of all of them. I'm not saying that they should hide them; they shouldn't. But given the number of service personnel in-theater and the number of days served there, it has been a small percentage of a single percent.

But it is the bad that gets reported, not only there, but everywhere. If you pick a city the size of our forces in the war zone, it is also a relatively small number of people committing the crimes. But that is what you hear about. The more bizarre the crime (and the closer to sex it is) the more reporting it will get. I believe that is wrong, but there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

The point is, the crimes committed by service personnel are certainly no more than, and probably less than, their civilian counterparts. In both groups, the good is almost unanimously ignored. Yes, put the bad ones in the paper. Yes, punish them for their crimes, whether civilian or military. But don't just tell me about the few bad ones. Tell me about the vast majority of good ones, too.

[Rudy Taylor]

Well said, brother Kermit.