[Miss Marple]

What part of the fact that this is the LAW do you not understand? It has nothing to do with how I feel, nor how YOU feel. It is codified in the federal sentencing guidelines, and the judge MUST follow them.

[dwilli]

My point is no matter what the federal sentencing guidelines mandate, it is sill to put this 60 year old woman behind bars when the government could be spending her
money on foolish projects.

The guidelines are simply there to prevent judges from
dealing under the table. The pardon and lighter sentence
market used to be quite profitable for crooked court officers.

[Devil_Anse]

A federal judge can do a downward departure, giving her less jail time than the Guidelines.

I won't comment on whether or not she deserves the time. But I must say, her ex-husband is hardly the person to be pointing fingers at her regarding honesty--after he cheated on her with one of her assistants.