[jack22]

The facts are it never happened! Why show remorse for something you didn't do?

[marktwain]

Exactly. The sentences today are much like those in socialist regimes, in that it is your attitude, and how you "cooperated" that is more important than the crime. Prosecutors and judges have an interest in punishing anyone who doesn't plea and stands for a jury trial. Those that do reduce their power. Why do you think that the vast majority of people arrested plea to a lesser charge? Offering a plea bargain is in fact a form of coertion in the judicial system. Plea bargains should be banned, and we should pay for then necessary courts and judges to handle the additional load.

[sawsalimb]

I remember something being posted here when the original story took place about the BB-gun incident,but not the details-can anyone provide a link or URL?

[FF578]

In Pennsylvania the Max number is what matters. I know it confuses many people.

In Pennsylvania you must serve 85% of the MAX number on your sentence.

If you get sentenced to 3-20 Years, it is the same as getting sentence 5-20 Years. You still must serve 85% of the 20 Years.

In addition Pennsylvania is one of only 3 or 4 states with no "Good Time" For example, in most other states you get 1.5 days for every day served. Some states make it 2 days for every day served as long as you are "Good" in prison.

Pennsylvania, Utah and one or two other states have no "Good Time".

What your sentence is, is your sentence.

I do know that you must serve 85% of the Max number of your sentence. So the 20 years is what matters. In essence he was given an 17 or 18 year sentence.

[A.J.Armitage]

It never happened? I haven't seen this before, so if you could summarize what the story is, why it never happened, why he got convicted anyway, ect it would be helpful. Even if it did happen, what sort of property damage are we talking about? TPing his house, setting something on fire, or what?

[Consort]

We don't have a Justice System; we have a legal system.

[fire_eye]

My understanding is that in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts, there is a MANDATORY MINIMUM one year jail sentence for possession of a SINGLE ROUND of ammunition without a "License" (and that in fact this can be construed to apply to possession of a SINGLE BB SHOT) - but NO mandatory minimum for murder.

There was at least one case of a kid from out of state having a couple of shotgun shells rolling around the floor of his car when he got stopped by the Mass. Gestapo for a traffic violation (probably atonal horn quality or uneven windshield wiper parking angle or taillight spectral emissions not matching) - and ended up doing a year in jail.

But in the mind of liberals (oops... oxymoron, there...) the guy with the shotgun shells is a MURDERER, where as the guy who cut his children up with an axe is "Sick" and it's just his "Cry for "Help"...

[brat]

"Factors that argue for leniency or stiffer terms must be weighed."

Usually based on who your daddy is and how much cash you have.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I've been looking for something like this, an opportunity for GW to bring attention to liberal judges run amok. You put those two sentances next to each other, and everyone gets it. Here is how GW could start a political firestorm against liberal judges:

Any kid who shoots a BB gun with an air power so light it doesn't even break the skin should get a pardon by GW Bush, along with a stiff warning to all children that if they ever lose their freedom over a minor BB wound, they won't be pardoned for a full week!

They are certainly soft enough on real gun shots. Three bullets and the guy is sentanced for five. Darn good thing it wasn't three BBs. Great day in the morning.

[gunnedah]

Fact of the matter the Justice System in America should be spelled JUST-US because the only people protected by it are the rich and powerful the ordinary citizen cannot afford to participate in it and even if you do it is still a good old boy system designed for lawyers and the rich.
I worked in the system for 30 years and most people including lawyers fear the judges and know they will or may have to come before them again and will not stand up and be counted even if they wanted to.
Most legislators are the same and through fear and intimidation we have dictators who sat upon their throwns and treat the general population along with the victims of crimes like dirt.
I was recently involved in a case where I have spent 8 years of my life fighting an injustice and in the middle of my case before the South Carolina Supreme Court the attorney representing me was stopped in the middle of his presentation so the Chief JUST-US could aknowledge some of her friends and aquaintences and give what I would consider a politicial spiel about some changes they were making in the system and how good they always trested her when she was in Charleston.I have been in and out of court in my years from my occupation as a police officer and this doesnt surprise me but my wife happened to be in attendance and it really shocked her.So folks if you are average or ordinary or a victim of crime you may even end up being a victim of the JUST-US System. I know from personel expeirence.
I hate to admit it but if I were younger and hadnt been treated like dirt by the system I probably wouldnt be saying this.I have always feared judges and over the years have seen a few of them treat the general populace like dirt and ridicule them. I have also seen the powerful and political handled with kid gloves,taken to special or different areas from where their crimes happened so the watered down sentence would not be as noticeable.
At 63 years of age and retired I am no longer intimidate however I still have a fear because I knwow the system is quite capable of still getting to me and my family.But there are worse things than death,sometimes death may even be a relief.Americas System of Just-US stinks and there is a price to pay.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Someone quoted your remark, "The facts are it never happened!" and asked if this was genuine. I've been meaning to ask, was this just hypothetical?