Posted on 01/05/2006 7:49:15 AM PST by DaoPian
Burlington, Vermont -- January 4, 2005
There was outrage Wednesday when a Vermont judge handed out a 60-day jail sentence to a man who raped a little girl many,many times over a four-year span starting when she was seven.
The judge said he no longer believes in punishment and is more concerned about rehabilitation.
Prosecutors argued that confessed child-rapist Mark Hulett, 34, of Williston deserved at least eight years behind bars for repeatedly raping a littler girl countless times starting when she was seven.
But Judge Edward Cashman disagreed explaining that he no longer believes that punishment works.
"The one message I want to get through is that anger doesn't solve anything. It just corrodes your soul," said Judge Edward Cashman speaking to a packed Burlington courtroom. Most of the on-lookers were related to a young girl who was repeatedly raped by Mark Hulett who was in court to be sentenced.
The sex abuse started when the girl was seven and ended when she was ten. Prosecutors were seeking a sentence of eight to twenty years in prison, in part, as punishment.
"Punishment is a valid purpose," Chittenden Deputy Prosecutor Nicole Andreson argued to Judge Edward Cashman.
"The state recognizes that the court may not agree or subscribe to that method of sentencing but the state does. The state thinks that it is a very important factor for the court to consider," Andreson added.
But Judge Cashman explained that he is more concerned that Hulett receive sex offender treatment as rehabilitation. But under Department of Corrections classification, Hulett is considered a low-risk for re-offense so he does not qualify for in-prison treatment.So the judge sentenced him to just 60 days in prison and then Hulett must complete sex treatment when he gets out or face a possible life sentence.
Judge Cashman also also revealed that he once handed down stiff sentences when he first got on the bench 25 years ago, but he no longer believes in punishment.
"I discovered it accomplishes nothing of value;it doesn't make anything better;it costs us a lot of money; we create a lot of expectation, and we feed on anger,"Cashman explained to the people in the court.
The sentence outraged the victim's family who asked not to be identified.
"I don't like it," the victim's mother,in tears, told Channel 3. "He should pay for what he did to my baby and stop it here. She's not even home with me and he can be home for all this time, and do what he did in my house," she added.
Hulett -- who had been out on bail-- was taken away to start his sentence immediately.
Time for the parents to meter out their own brand of justice.
I wonder if Howard Dean appointed him...
Are judges regularly "elected" in Vermont....or is this guy there for life?
If you do a search for "edward cashman vermont" you get a ton of disgraceful behavior. Apparently he is a district judge and the same one that puts drunk drivers back on the street.
UVM campus police stopped a drunk driver that refused to take a breath test. His dishonor ruled the police could not stop him because he was not a student. Now he's off to continue to drink and drive. Letting criminals go seems to be a habit for that judge.
LOL....in a SANE world, that Might happen.
It would be appropriate if someone raped the judge for several years to see if his view on punishment came around again.
Call Bill O'Reilly!
I don't think punishment works, either, at least not on adults who are hardened and inured to a life of anti-social behavior. At least this monster's future victims would be safe for a few years while he's locked up, and there always is the chance that he could die in prison, ridding the world of one more predator.
Hell, even the 8 years the prosecutor wanted seems a little light.
Time to get a rope.
No kidding. He'd probably get more time for growing pot.
The judge named Edward Cashman should be removed as he has admitted he no longer has the fortitude to do his job as an officer of the state.
I'd like to punish him as much as I'd like to punish the perverted perp. Maybe more. Nah, on second thought, kill them both.
I agree. I did not think a judge could use his own personal opinion to make such a detour around State sentencing guidelines. I am not familiar with Vermont law but does a judge have this sort of discretion? Is he able to do this without modifying the original charge?
But worse of all, how the hell does one explain to a child that a judge has decided that her childhood,her innocence, her right to protection from predators is moot. How do you make this child feel safe?
The Judge may not believe in punishment but the law does.
I am also of the opinion that most experts have shown that rehabilition of sexual offenders DOES NOT WORK. The recidivism ( is that the right word?) is very high.
Thank God this judge did not have to sit and decide on the sentences of such monsters as Ted Bundy, Ken Bianchi, Jeffrey Dahmer, Arlene Wournos and John Gacy. But who knows who will appear before him in the future.
Mothers and Fathers in Vermont. Arm yourselves and do not rely on anyone else to protect your children.
Castration works. Proven method. No more victims.
Maybe the little girl this creep rapes in 61 days will be this corrupt judge's grand-daughter.
I suppose this judge would be willing to have this sexual offender stay in his grand daughters bed room during his rehabilitation, since he believes in it so much?
We have a system now in this country where justice is so often perverted that the People must reassert their will UPON the judiciary, not be docile slaves to its corruption.
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