Posted on 12/11/2004 8:17:34 AM PST by RGSpincich
Ruth Christine sentence stands
JOHN SOWELL, jsowell@newsreview.info December 9, 2004
The result wasn't any different for Ruth Christine than for her husband.
On Wednesday, Douglas County Circuit Judge William Lasswell denied a motion seeking to shorten the 7 1/2-year sentence Christine was given for her role in the 2001 armed kidnapping of her children at a rest area near Myrtle Creek.
As he ruled Nov. 26 in a similar hearing for Christine's husband, Brian, Lasswell found there was no legal basis for reducing the sentence.
Both of the Christines were convicted of six counts of robbery, custodial interference and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Brian Christine received an extra five years for the use of a .357 Magnum revolver in taking the children from the custody of state social workers during a rest stop.
Ruth Christine, 31, told Lasswell she had been a model prisoner during her incarceration at the Coffee Creek Correctional Institution in Wilsonville. She said she had completed classes on anger management and other life improvement skills. While in prison, she has been working as a telephone operator for the state Driver & Motor Vehicle Services.
On Aug. 1, 2001, the Christines followed a van carrying their three young daughters home after a supervised visit with their parents. The children had been placed into protective custody following an anonymous complaint the youngsters were malnourished. At the time, the family was living in a converted school bus near Grants Pass.
At the rest area, Brian Christine pulled a gun on the two caseworkers and fled with the children in the state-owned van. The vehicle was abandoned a few miles away and the Christines took off for Montana with the help of a friend.
Brian Christine was later apprehended after being pulled over for speeding. The rest of the family was discovered outside Missoula, Mont.
Ruth Christine told Lasswell on Wednesday that her actions the day the children were kidnapped were based on her desire to be reunited with her family.
"No actions deviated from this one singular objective," she said. "I'm not saying I didn't break any laws and shouldn't receive punishment. However, we're not only talking about laws but people's lives."
Christine asked to have her sentence reduced to three years or less. She also sought to be released from post-prison supervision, which will take place in her native Great Britain, where she will be deported when she leaves prison.
As he did when Brian Christine appeared before Lasswell, prosecutor Rick Wesenberg complimented Ruth Christine on her presentation. He also saluted her for her conduct in prison. However, he said the law did not provide any option for having Christine's sentence reduced.
"There really isn't anything to adjust on her sentence," Wesenberg said.
* You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@newsreview.info.
In spite of overwhelming evidence to corroborate the child abuse charges against them, Sieradzki advised the Christines to fight the system, not to cooperate with child services and to reject counseling. Sieradzki had a long history of disputes with local officials and latched onto the Christines to promote his own agenda.
The Christines took his advice and spent a full year being celebrities in the anarchist circles of Grants Pass society. Rather than go through counseling and get reunited with their kids, the Christines and Sieradzki picketed the court house, missed court hearings and refused supervised visitation.
Seeing no hope to rehabilitate the Christines, the State of Oregon started proceedings to terminate their parental rights. It was only then that the Christines requested a supervised visit. It was a setup to plan the gunpoint abduction.
The rest is history, Sieradzki was here for a while (befriended by your friendly neighborhood Demidog, both have since been banned) as "lightstream", lying about the facts of the child abuse case. He lectured posters here on personal responsibility and ethics. Weeks after the Christines were sentenced, Sieradzki filed Chapter 7 bankrutcy in Oregon federal court, skipped out on over $80k in debt and moved to Hawaii. There, he is an art dealer on the big island.
Brian and Ruth Christine do time, Sieradzki goes surfing on his creditors’ dime. You can run but you can't hide, Sieradzki.
I remember some of those threads. It is my recollection that there were other posters joining in the rants.
And remember the wonderful attorney Edgar Steele? He could be counted on to show up whenever some nutjob was making a claim against the government. I'm sure he must still be peddling his stuff somewhere.
In the beginning there was a pretty even split among posters. The Christine supporters in Grants Pass had flooded the internet with misinformation. Support for the Christines evaporated quickly as the actual facts came out concerning the child abuse and neglect.
A Christine thread will not be the same without Lightstream, demidog, myneself, etc.. A lot more rational but not as much fun.
What ever happened to Roscoe? Haven't seen him post here in a while.
That's what I've been wondering. Might have something to do with the California recall election. A lot of friction back then.
Roscoe?
Not surprised to hear that. Seems I recall he even threatened a lawsuit here.
That's right, he threatened me. Said I made untrue statements about the case. So in the interest of accuracy I must correct my earlier post on the bankruptcy. He filed in Hawaii, not Oregon, and the amount he skipped on was $159k not $80k. No large medical bills just a coordinated effort to bilk the credit card companies.
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