Judge Edward Cashman
Posted on 01/14/2006 6:19:28 AM PST by NYer
Judge Edward Cashman
Vermont's governor says more than 20,000 e-mails, phone calls and letters have poured into his office in response to a state judge's 60-day sentence for a child rapist who admitted abusing a young girl over a period of four years.
The "overwhelming majority" condemn District Court Judge Edward Cashman's light sentence for 34-year-old Mark Hulett, said Jason Gibbs, spokesman for Gov. Jim Douglas, in an interview with WorldNetDaily.
"The outrage that the vast majority of Vermonters have here is shared by fellow countrymen," said Gibbs, noting the many protests coming from across the nation.
The spokesman said the governor is "appalled" by the decision.
"He certainly is extremely disappointed and disgusted with the sentence itself," Gibbs said. "What is equally troubling is that the judge no longer believes in punishment. The governor says that if a criminal court judge no longer believes in punishment, he shouldn't be on the bench."
As WorldNetDaily reported Jan. 6, Cashman told a packed Burlington courtroom made up mostly of people related to the victim: "The one message I want to get through is that anger doesn't solve anything. It just corrodes your soul."
The judge said that when he began 25 years ago, he handed down tough sentences but now believes "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.
The judge said he wanted to ensure Hulett got sex-offender treatment, but under Department of Corrections classification, the convict was considered a low-risk for re-offense, which meant he didn't qualify for in-prison treatment. Cashman decided then to issue the minimum 60-day sentence and ordered Hulett to complete the treatment when he got out or face a possible life sentence.
This week, however, Human Services Secretary Michael Smith announced an order to reclassify Hulett, making him eligible for in-prison treatment.
Gibbs said this paves the way for Cashman to issue a new sentence. Prosecutors filed a motion based on the new order yesterday and await the judge's response.
The governor's spokesman said the issue of rehabilitation should not have been a hindrance to Cashman in the first place.
"He could have picked up the phone and called the governor and made that point," Gibbs said. "Treatment or lack of treatment is not an excuse not to punish someone for a heinous crime."
Gibbs said it's unlikely Cashman can be impeached, because the state's statute has a "very high standard."
A judge cannot be removed for a poor decision, he explained, but only for an egregious breach of the law or ethics.
The state's House of Representatives is considering a non-binding resolution urging Cashman to resign.
Gibbs said the speaker of the House has ordered the resolution to committee, but it's unclear whether it will come to the floor for a vote.
However, Cashman could be removed in one year when he faces his next retention hearings.
Vermont's judges are appointed by the governor and must face retention hearings every six years in which their performance is evaluated.
"So if he chooses not to resign now, he will have to face this issue again," Gibbs said.
The state's House Judiciary Committee took testimony this week on Hulett's sentence and planned also to hear from Corrections Department officials. In addition, the panel is considering legislation to require tougher sentences.
Republican state Sen. Wendy Wilton plans to introduce a bill based on "Jessica's law," a nationwide initiative for states that includes barring registered sex offenders from living near schools and parks and requiring them to wear satellite tracking devices.
The cornerstone of the measure, Wilton said, is a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence for aggravated sexual assault.
Cashman said in a statement "the negative comments sting."
"I am aware that the intensity of some public criticism may shorten my judicial career," he said. "To change my decision now, however, simply because of some negative sentiment, would be wrong.
"I owe it to the judiciary and to my own conscience to maintain a stand that I believe is the best possible option in a very difficult situation," he said.
---I live in Florida. what happens in Vermont has absolutely nothing to do with me. ---
Maybe this perp should seek "treatment" in Florida. I'm sure the judge would be amenable.
---I thought judges were supposed to be apolitical.---
No one is apolitical. In many states their is no charade bout political affiliation, not even for judges.
Perhaps the judge's grandaughter.
I don't know how this would play out in Vermont, but I would think there could be redress other than waiting for his review to come up (I think I got this right based on my memory).
What if the governor decides at that time that memories are short and this judge should be retained (or another governor is then in office)?
Dismayed bump.
I was referring to the political situation in Vermont.
The Governor, I am sure is overwrought with concern with what a Floridian thinks about his judicial problems.
But your point about the perp is cogent. I would think Vermont would have him bond to stay in the state, I least I hope so.
The judge certainly does not look very healthy. He has that 'look' that I have seen so many times on friends and relatives who were in their last days.
The good news is that Vermont is a lot closer than Thailand for those pedophiles considering a sex vacation destination. And those choosing Vermont will benefit the economy by keeping dollars within the country.
Yes that is what the judge said. This should piss people off even more. Now one more child must go through hell before this monster is punished. The judge just gave the animal a license to molest one more time.
I also live in Florida and completely disagree with you.
Once a convicted person completes the stipulations of their punishment, they are free to move across the country at will.
This guy could easily spend his 60 little days in prison, convince some psychologist they are "cured" and move anywhere in the country, including our state, to resume molesting children. Decisions like the ones this judge passed down has the potential to harm anyone in this country, regardless of what state they reside in.
I hope you are right. Justice must be served on way or another. I know if it were my child I be there to meet him when he walked out of prison.
Cashman's attitude is just what we would expect from a pervert who in his old age was feeling quite guilty and hypocritical for sending fellow perverts to prison his entire professional life. Not saying that he is a pervert, but it's exactly the kind of behavior we'd expect from one. I think someone (hello, FBI?) should carefully look at this guy's background.
I seem to recall a case from a few years back where a notorious child molester was released by some liberal Massachussets judge only to immediately take a bus across country to Montana where he got back back to the business of child molesting again. His spree ended when he was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of a young boy.
There's a good chance he wouldn't survive prison.
I know this case well. Nathaniel Bar-Jonah only did he kidnap and molest a 10 year old (Zachary Ramsay)- he butchered the child, kept his body is a freezer and served the child's "meat" to his neighbors during dinner parties.
He was allowed to move out of state to live with his mother, against the advice of psychologists in Mass who stated Jonah was still very much a threat. To make matter worse, the judge did not order Montana authorities be given the heads up this child molestor was heading to their state.
Prior to his release to Montana, Jonah had been convicted with the kidnapping of a 7 year old and three weeks prior to his release he had attacked another child.
If you have the stomach, you can google his name and read all of the news stories about this monster.
I appreciate how upset you are. I am, too. But, really, this crosses the line. Dragging innocent family members into the debate is a liberal tactic.
We need to be focusing our anger on the man. The judge. We also need to focus on the political machinery in Vermont, which is clearly looking for someway to make this go away, without their having to take the courageous (and correct) step of impeaching this judge.
Drive him from the Bench in disgrace.
One word: PSYCHOBABBLE
Relay access denied
A number of Vermont citizens agree with the sentence. A number of Vermont newspapers support it, as well. This has been SOP in Vermont since the moonbats took over years ago. Unfortunately for them, the alternative media, including the internet and talk radio, have dragged Vermont's sins out into the light, where they can be viewed by the entire nation.
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