and, doggone it, people like me!
Posted on 01/06/2006 6:30:56 AM PST by NYer
Claiming he no longer believes in punishment, a Vermont judge issued a 60-day sentence to a man who confessed to repeatedly raping a girl over a four-year period, beginning when she was 7 years old.
Judge Edward Cashman disagreed with prosecutors who thought Mark Hulett, 34, of Williston, Vt., deserved eight to 20 years in prison, reported WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vt.
Cashman said he's more concerned now about rehabilitation.
"The one message I want to get through is that anger doesn't solve anything. It just corrodes your soul," Cashman told a packed Burlington courtroom made up mostly of people related to the victim.
Prior to the decision, Chittenden Deputy Prosecutor Nicole Andreson argued punishment "is a valid purpose."
"The state recognizes that the court may not agree or subscribe to that method of sentencing but the state does," she said, according to the Burlington TV station. "The state thinks that it is a very important factor for the court to consider."
Cashman said he wants to make sure Hulett gets sex-offender treatment.
Under Department of Corrections classification, however, Hulett is considered a low-risk for re-offense, which means he doesn't qualify for in-prison treatment.
Cashman, therefore, issued a 60-day sentence and ordered Hulett to complete sex-treatment when he gets out or face a possible life sentence.
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 to the people in the court, WCAX reported.
Members of the victim's family were outraged.
"I don't like it," the victim's mother told the TV station, in tears. "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."
The law's only a decade old. The USSC ruled rape isn't a capitol offense but only because it's considered unequal to punish rape with execution. However child rape being more heinous is so far ok per the USSC but there are challenges. There is at least one person in jail for it here. Florida has a similar law.
So? What's the big deal?
Mohammed himself (that's right! Moe #1) married a six year old when he was over 50. I grant you, Aisha (you thought that was African like Kwanzaa, right?) was a supple woman of 9 before the marraige was consummated.
/s off
and, doggone it, people like me!
To a 'true' liberal, such as this judge, there is no such thing as right and wrong. Of course a judge, who does not or will not make judgments, is an oxymoron.
PLENTY of them vote Democrat and support Bernie Sanders. You are known by the company you keep. You affect THEIR bottom line, and MAYBE they'll come around. Notice how quickly Loew's, Wal-Mart, Target and others came around to "Merry Christmas" when pressure was applied. The same works here. Vermonters want to embrace this nonsense? Then they can do it WITHOUT my money. (...and I live nearby.)
Not at all. I would hope that you would always to be welcome to spend your money in any way you please.
I'd hate to be the one listening to and reading his messages the last day.
Rush just mentioned this story at the end of his show. Good.
Life sentences, death sentences or even castration may indeed have merit, but those are not options the judge was faced with. He was faced with a short sentence or a long sentence and decided that long sentences don't work.
True, it is the same with judges who give 600 years, three death penalties and double secret probation.
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 to the people in the court, WCAX reported.
Perhaps the judges words lose something in print. I first heard this in a video on FOX News where you could see his demeanor and hear his inflections. He sounded defensive and his words reflect an emotional personalisation of the subject. I think he is projecting the perp's identity onto his own.
Maybe he was just personalizing his role as judge in reaction to the criticism (kind of strange since he said this during sentencing not after) but after seeing and hearing him spew this crapola I'd give 100 to 1 odds he does little kids.
This guy should be closely watched for more than his judicial conduct.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.