Posted on 05/03/2016 3:47:27 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Five years ago, Ukrainian national Roman Ostriakov was homeless in Genoa when he was caught stealing cheese and sausage worth less than $5, the Telegraph reports. He was fined $115 and sentenced to six months in jail in 2015, a sentence that he appealed. On Monday, the Italian Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
"The condition of the accused and the circumstances in which he obtained the merchandise show that he had taken the little amount of food he needed to overcome his immediate and essential requirement for nourishment," it ruled. "People should not be punished if, forced by need, they steal small quantities of food in order to meet the basic requirement of feeding themselves."
...
The ruling is "right and pertinent," Italiaglobale.it wrote in a piece. The decision is rooted in a concept that "informed the Western world for centuries — it is called humanity," it wrote, according to a BBC translation.
Ostriakov's appeal was based on different reasoning than that employed by the court. His lawyers argued that his sentence should only be reduced — from theft to attempted theft — because he was caught before he exited the store.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
What constitutes small?
What an insane, liberal world we all live in.
Then I am sure the judges will open up their homes and allow the “hungry” to take what they need.
The judge had no problems with the thief stealing from others. This should be a license to steal from the judge and his family.
Good question.
Less in value than the shopkeeper’s insurance deductible probably.
A lot of people will say, “why work?” Because the next logical step is to make squatting legal. Then public transit free, etc.
And now the Muslim “migrants” in Italy will line up single file, take that day’s meal from the store or restaurant, then leave without charges.
the main effect of this will be an end to stores where people can go in and grab stuff.
Pathetic but not surprising
Europe is beyond satire now.
As Europe circles the bowl, this stuff should be funny but it is just kinda sad.
But what if the person they stole the small amount of food from had just stolen that same food as their small portion for the day. Will stealing a second portion then be a crime?
Really, this decision helps solve nothing.
That was stupid to appeal. The homeless guy had it made with 3 squares and a bunk.
silly hungry person
if you want to steal and get away with it, you have to work for the government!
and open the floodgates! let everybody who is hungry, or who says they’re hungry free food! then see how long the grocery stores can stay open
So to protect the hungry who steal food we need to punish those who provide it by denying the producers protection under the law? Why even bother with a government if that’s the way it’s going to act?
Kind of like what we did when the BANKERS STOLE A TRILLION DOLLARS in the Mortgage Scams.
“People should not be punished if, forced by need, they steal LARGE quantities of MONEY in order to meet the basic requirement of BEING WEALTHY.”
It is just as illegal for a rich man to steal food as for a poor man to steal food. Such is the equity of the law. - Sounds like Les Miserables.
Anybody see Les Miserables?
The horrors that man suffered for stealing a loaf of bread was what was immeasurable. Never mind the ounces of bread.
I can’t figure out why being hungry or one’s children being hungry precludes ASKING someone for some food.
And who determines who is really hungry? Maybe the chump just thought, ok, today I won't eat, so I can qualify as hungry, then I can help myself to OPF. (Other people's food)
He would have had adequate free meals in jail too.
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