Scales of justice can swing wildly

Kytro · 11-05-2006, 06:37 AM

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

First came the poor man, barely 17 years old – too young to buy beer or vote, but an adult under the Texas penal code. He took part in a $2 stickup in which no one got hurt. He pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was put on 10 years of probation.

He broke the rules once, by smoking marijuana. A Dallas judge responded in the harshest possible way: He replaced the original sentence with a life term in prison.

There Tyrone Brown sits today, 16 years later, tattooed and angry and pondering self-destruction. "I've tried suicide a few times," he writes. "What am I to make of a life filled with failure, including failing to end my life?"

Now the flip side of the coin, also from Judge Keith Dean's court: A well-connected man pleaded guilty to murder – for shooting an unarmed prostitute in the back – and also got 10 years of probation.

The killer proceeded to break the rules by, among other things, smoking crack cocaine. He repeatedly failed drug tests. He was arrested for cocaine possession in Waco while driving a congressman's car, but prosecutors there didn't press charges.

Judge Dean has let this man stay free and, last year, exempted him from most of the usual conditions of probation. John Alexander "Alex" Wood no longer must submit to drug tests or refrain from owning a gun or even meet with a probation officer. He's simply supposed to obey the law and mail the court a postcard once a year that gives his current address.

A classic example of problems with how judges do what they do, bring personal (non professional) opinion into cases

Nonphixion · 11-05-2006, 10:04 AM

A well-connected man pleaded guilty to murder – for shooting an unarmed prostitute in the back – and also got 10 years of probation.

The killer proceeded to break the rules by, among other things, smoking crack cocaine. He repeatedly failed drug tests. He was arrested for cocaine possession in Waco while driving a congressman's car, but prosecutors there didn't press charges.

Well, it's Texas, you know Bush was their Executioner-In-Chief (highest capitol punishment rate in the United States ever). They haven't yet caught up to the civilized non-rascist/non-fundementalist world.

Scrum · 11-05-2006, 10:20 AM

Wow.

That's awful.

motivez · 11-05-2006, 05:34 PM

That's horrible.. and shameful.

He should be impeached and removed from office and then have charges brought against him if possible.

Stylerod · 11-05-2006, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Well, it's Texas, you know Bush was their Executioner-In-Chief (highest capitol punishment rate in the United States ever). They haven't yet caught up to the civilized non-rascist/non-fundementalist world.

WTF? Can there ever be a thread created where GWB isn't at fault? Holy crap....

Diesel66 · 11-05-2006, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Well, it's Texas, you know Bush was their Executioner-In-Chief (highest capitol punishment rate in the United States ever). They haven't yet caught up to the civilized non-rascist/non-fundementalist world.

False. They had the most executions because they are the second most populas state and have a lot of murders

Delaware and Oklahoma have higher rates of execution (x per population).

If you want to go executions divided people on death row, it is Virginia.