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Post by peano on Aug 7, 2020 1:41:04 GMT
For Stealing Hedge Clippers More Than 20 Years Ago I don't really have words right now. link
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MaryMary
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Post by MaryMary on Aug 7, 2020 1:55:42 GMT
Our criminal justice system is a giant crap sandwich. That is so ridiculous and infuriating.
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Post by lucyg on Aug 7, 2020 3:34:00 GMT
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Post by gillyp on Aug 7, 2020 7:45:01 GMT
I am beyond furious at reading that. Just based on reading the article, I am beyond furious at that injustice. What is WRONG with judges, not just in the US but elsewhere?
Just this week 3 teenage scumbags here got 16 and 13 years for killing a policeman in the most horrendous circumstances. They even laughed about it during their trial. Their sentence is less than that poor man’s in Louisiana. The impotence I feel at this leaves me speechless and furious.
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Post by AussieMeg on Aug 7, 2020 8:59:17 GMT
I am beyond furious at reading that. Just based on reading the article, I am beyond furious at that injustice. What is WRONG with judges, not just in the US but elsewhere? Just this week 3 teenage scumbags here got 16 and 13 years for killing a policeman in the most horrendous circumstances. They even laughed about it during their trial. Their sentence is less than that poor man’s in Louisiana. The impotence I feel at this leaves me speechless and furious. I don't know what makes me more angry - the completely excessive sentence for the Louisiana man, or the manifestly inadequate sentence for those teenagers.  |
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Post by gar on Aug 7, 2020 9:26:36 GMT
I am beyond furious at reading that. Just based on reading the article, I am beyond furious at that injustice. What is WRONG with judges, not just in the US but elsewhere? Just this week 3 teenage scumbags here got 16 and 13 years for killing a policeman in the most horrendous circumstances. They even laughed about it during their trial. Their sentence is less than that poor man’s in Louisiana. The impotence I feel at this leaves me speechless and furious. I don't know what makes me more angry - the completely excessive sentence for the Louisiana man, or the manifestly inadequate sentence for those teenagers. They’re equally disgusting and abhorrent 🤬 |
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Post by Bridget in MD on Aug 7, 2020 12:17:53 GMT
WTF? After reading Just Mercy, I see how it happens but it's still crazy when you SEE this bullshit get upheld.
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RosieKat
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Post by RosieKat on Aug 7, 2020 16:44:38 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...)
Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible.
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Post by catmom on Aug 7, 2020 16:52:25 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...) Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible. They said that was the reason that the sentence was lawful. But if you look at the previous crimes quoted below - other than the armed robbery 20 years prior his offences were minor. Meanwhile $500k has been spent keeping him incarcerated so far. “Bryant was convicted in 1979 for attempted armed robbery, in 1987 for possession of stolen things, attempted forgery of a check worth $150 in 1989 and for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling in 1992, all before his 1997 arrest for the failed attempt at stealing the hedge clippers.” |
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Post by papersilly on Aug 7, 2020 17:40:07 GMT
pure and simply wrong.
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Post by epeanymous on Aug 7, 2020 17:41:54 GMT
It is the kind of thing that is only possible when we view some people as not fully human.
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Aug 7, 2020 17:45:13 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...) Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible. If you google racial disparities+sentencing. Or three strikes law+ racism there is a lot of information about cases like these. Hope that helps Edited to add: Also research the “war on drugs” of the 80-90’s and the current opioid epidemic look to see how they differ. The justice system is one place you don’t have to look very hard to find the blatant racism. |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Aug 7, 2020 17:49:43 GMT
"Bryant was convicted in 1979 for attempted armed robbery, in 1987 for possession of stolen things, attempted forgery of a check worth $150 in 1989 and for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling in 1992, all before his 1997 arrest for the failed attempt at stealing the hedge clippers."
habitual offender, my eye.
1979, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1997. What a 'life of crime' he led, with YEARS- YEARS!! in between his (minor) infractions!!
Meanwhile, *actual* criminals are stealing from ALL of us (our government, big business, etc.) and WE LET THEM.
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Post by flanz on Aug 7, 2020 17:56:39 GMT
Could their racism be any more obvious??? I am beyond disgusted with this basket of deplorables!!!
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Post by gillyp on Aug 7, 2020 20:05:08 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...) Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible. I did consider that too as the sentencing seemed ludicrous but the only thing I could come up with was if he’d attacked someone with the clippers. If he’d paid for earlier crimes they should not be taken into account and there was nothing, NOTHING in those crimes that warranted a life sentence. (I’m not having a go at you!) |
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Post by snowsilver on Aug 7, 2020 20:33:48 GMT
I was horrified at this too! He's more than done his time. I was shocked at the decision to uphold.
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Post by gillyp on Aug 7, 2020 21:39:26 GMT
I was reading various reports of this because I’m still angry and was looking for who I could write to in protest when I found a petition in support of him. I don’t rate these things very much but it’s a start. chng.it/RJKfBVvCMQIf you scroll down there are details of how to contact the Governor’s office. |
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Aug 7, 2020 21:58:07 GMT
And yet a white boy who rapes a girl behind a dumpster gets 6 months.
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Post by busy on Aug 7, 2020 22:03:46 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...) Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible. I don’t care what someone’s criminal history is, the death sentence is never appropriate for anything but violent crimes. (I think it’s always wrong, personally, but to apply it in situations like this is absurd, shameful, and inhumane.) |
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Post by lucyg on Aug 8, 2020 18:40:32 GMT
(Playing devil's advocate here, not saying I think the sentence makes any sense...) Without researching further, I'm wondering if the severity of the sentence hinged on his several prior convictions for various crimes. It seems like there have to have been some kind of extenuating circumstances to make this even remotely defensible. I don’t care what someone’s criminal history is, the death sentence is never appropriate for anything but violent crimes. (I think it’s always wrong, personally, but to apply it in situations like this is absurd, shameful, and inhumane.) It’s a life sentence, not a death sentence. But some major changes need to be made to those Three Strikes laws, because this is ridiculous. I think we massaged ours in California awhile back, precisely because of cases like this. Also, crimsoncat05 ... although this sentence is way over the top, don’t dismiss his entire previous record as “minor infractions” ... his first arrest, long in the past, was for armed robbery, NOT a minor crime at all. |
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Post by busy on Aug 8, 2020 19:37:32 GMT
I don’t care what someone’s criminal history is, the death sentence is never appropriate for anything but violent crimes. (I think it’s always wrong, personally, but to apply it in situations like this is absurd, shameful, and inhumane.) It’s a life sentence, not a death sentence. But some major changes need to be made to those Three Strikes laws, because this is ridiculous. I think we massaged ours in California awhile back, precisely because of cases like this. Also, crimsoncat05 ... although this sentence is way over the top, don’t dismiss his entire previous record as “minor infractions” ... his first arrest, long in the past, was for armed robbery, NOT a minor crime at all. I swear I can read 😬 in my defense, I was operating on two hours of sleep. |
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Post by lucyg on Aug 8, 2020 20:32:14 GMT
It’s a life sentence, not a death sentence. But some major changes need to be made to those Three Strikes laws, because this is ridiculous. I think we massaged ours in California awhile back, precisely because of cases like this. Also, crimsoncat05 ... although this sentence is way over the top, don’t dismiss his entire previous record as “minor infractions” ... his first arrest, long in the past, was for armed robbery, NOT a minor crime at all. I swear I can read 😬 in my defense, I was operating on two hours of sleep.  |
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Aug 8, 2020 21:41:48 GMT
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Post by Really Red on Aug 8, 2020 23:34:47 GMT
While this appears to be a travesty of justice of the Supreme Court, it is not in this specific case.
One, the Supreme Court refused to review the case, they didn’t say that it was OK and two, the reason cases go into appeals is not to get a better decision, it’s because some letter of the law was not followed. So the supreme court of the state cannot review this because apparently every letter of the law was followed.
Maybe we think the law is wrong, and for the record I think the law is wrong and the sentence unreasonable, but we can’t fault the system for working correctly. We have to fight to change the laws. This is indeed a travesty of justice, but not because the Supreme Court refused to hear it.
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Post by gillyp on Aug 9, 2020 1:51:49 GMT
So it’s a political failing, not a judicial one?
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Olan
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Post by Olan on Aug 9, 2020 18:00:39 GMT
So it’s a political failing, not a judicial one? I think it intersects. Crazy thing is most prison systems and hell even PD’s couldn’t begin to function without the work of Black people. |
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Post by gillyp on Aug 9, 2020 21:27:12 GMT
So it’s a political failing, not a judicial one? I think it intersects. Crazy thing is most prison systems and hell even PD’s couldn’t begin to function without the work of Black people. Yes, I don’t doubt it. |
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