Posted on 11/20/2006 11:40:52 AM PST by Wiggins
LOS ANGELES — An elderly man who killed 10 people and injured more than 70 others when he drove through an outdoor farmers market was sentenced Monday to probation by a judge who said he believed the crime deserved imprisonment but the defendant was too ill.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I hope you forgive her that it was a Democrat White House at the time. :)
Not me--I was brought up to respect my very very elderly elders. Ann, the younger (96) sister, was still reading her copy of "The Nation" with great enjoyment. I had to resist the temptation to hide it and replace it with a copy of "American Spectator".
Are you saying it couldn't be an accident? Or are you saying that even if it was an accident, the driver should be punished? Maybe he should be executed? Maybe anybody involved in such a terrible accident should be executed, as well?
One more example why drivers over 70 should have to requalify every year.
It is a big deal. It is also an accident. What purpose is punishment of this guy supposed to serve? To keep other people from having accidents?
Punishment by outcome is what Soviet courts did. Justice is considering the motivations.
It might be justice to send this guy to prison but you get there by talking about his intentions, capabilities and choices. Not the body count.
A jury of his peers convicted Weller of 10 counts of manslaughter with gross negligence, not for having an "accident." By law, the sentence could have been prison time. The judge opted otherwise.
Read post #67 and read it carefully. Also, keep these visual images firmly in mind: A dead body across your windshield and another beneath your tires.
"the people will rise up and take care of business".
I suppose it used to be that way. Sadly, today it is even impossible to get people to rise up and vote. About 40 - 50 % of eligible voters never even bother. I find it hard to believe that these same people will see assuring justice in sentencing as anything that concerns them at all.
What, like it isn't obviously tragic and traumatic? Of course it is. I don't get your point.
My point is about pretending that there can be "justice" in a situation such as this. Sometimes justice is just out of reach. What do you want, life in prison? Whoopeee... maybe a whole couple of years. Death penalty? Likewise, this man's life is largely behind him, and no amount of bloodthirst on behalf of "justice" will take that away either.
Maybe the punishment should be visited on his children instead? At least they might live long enough to be able to suffer long enough to satisfy our need for revenge.
Those are all your words, your hysteria. I pointed out facts.
Yeah, I'm just hysterical. That 'splains it. LOL.
In Arizona, I have had the "pleasure" of providing care to a man who raped and murdered a 7 year old in our community because our hospital has the "prison contract". This was for two cataract surgeries and a prostate resection. Why should he be able to see when his victim is dead and her family suffers daily, I don't know.
Images of damage and death are always ugly. In this case, the judge was right.
Amen to you!!!!!!!!
What the devil is a "control knob"? A gear shift?
I think Digger has the answer in post #74.
"Oh Magoo, You've Done It Again!"
Excellent story. I think you're right, it is often easier if it comes from someone outside the family, especially somebody who's sort of an authority figure. Otherwise I think it can often become a contest of wills which the elderly person feels he can't afford to lose.
A 2004 article says, Indiana dropped a road test requirement for older drivers in 1998 after its Bureau of Motor Vehicles decided it didn't have the authority to single out older Hoosiers.
It's anyone's guess what the requirements were prior.
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