And Justice for All - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cmac2012 · #1 10-31-2005, 03:49 PM

I read a sad story in the SF Chron ta other day. A 16 year old girl was convicted of murder and served 30 years. She says her 23 year old boyfriend was the real killer, and he persuaded her to confess because, since she was a minor, she would get a light sentence.

The guy had previous offenses, she had none. He testified against her and got out after four years. In 1998, the parole board granted her a release. Governor Pete Wilson had 30 days to veto it. After 29 days she figured she was good to go but Wilson found some reason to veto the release after 29 and 1/2 days.

The fact that a court would believe that a 16 year old girl had committed the crime and not her 23 year old, criminal boyfriend is a little troubling to begin with. I can see a punk like that, trying to impress his young squeeze that he's a tough guy and is going to provide for her, somehow.

But then for Wilson, a Republican, to pull a last minute trick like that is purt near cruel and unusual punishment. Democrat Gray Davis, who followed Wilson, was no better -- the guy was paranoid about seeming to be soft on crime, so he allowed no paroles (well maybe one no-brainer, I forget exactly) during his tenure, denying even several that cried out for common sense leniency.

Schwarzenegger has been way better than both of them.

Meanwhile, the girl's parents are aged, and would like to have her help as much as she wants to give it. Fortunately she was released recently, in poor health and badly overweight. Eating is one of the few pleasures in stir. Don't ask me how I know.

Full story at:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/27/BAGHGFEEJV1.DTL

boneheaddoctor · #2 10-31-2005, 03:53 PM

I'm a firm believer in convicted criminals serving their entire terms.....particularly violent criminals.

She confessed adn there was enough evidence to convict her....any ploy now gets the boyfriend off scott free....(Double jeaprody) I think she needs to serve her full term....there is every motive to lie right now....

cmac2012 · #3 10-31-2005, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

I'm a firm believer in convicted criminals serving their entire terms.....particularly violent criminals.

She confessed adn there was enough evidence to convict her....any ploy now gets the boyfriend off scott free....(Double jeaprody) I think she needs to serve her full term....there is every motive to lie right now....

Did you read the story?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was one these blinded by dumb-love teenage girls who lied to protect her boyfriend.

The lady probably never was a danger to anybody -- the boyfriend is already off, 26 years ago. What do you mean he gets off scot free?

Doctor, this is more of your highly efficient knee-jerking. Courts make mistakes -- often crowded, short on time -- and you get some pudgy, unnatractive teen-age girl hanging with the wrong crowd, people don't exert a lot of effort.

Society will be better served having this woman perform a function -- helping her parents to stay in their home and off the dole -- rather than paying to keep her locked up in some mockery of justice.

Read the damn story, exercise your brain cells instead of your quadraceps (good for jerking the knee upwardly).

Kuan · #4 10-31-2005, 04:54 PM

You would think that a 16 year old girl would crack under pressure. You gotta give her credit; even SF's finest couldn't find any holes in her story.

koop · #5 10-31-2005, 05:24 PM

our criminal justice system is a joke. Fortunatly it is in the process of bankrupting state governments so at some point sentencing laws will be revisited.

Hey, she got lucky though, she didn't get caught in the trend of sentencing juvi's to life without parole. Those kids really get screwed. The ones that get a death penalty get all kinds of review and legal aid. Get life without and all your 16yo gets to do is ride out a 50-60 year sentence.

boneheaddoctor · #6 10-31-2005, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Did you read the story?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was one these blinded by dumb-love teenage girls who lied to protect her boyfriend.

The lady probably never was a danger to anybody -- the boyfriend is already off, 26 years ago. What do you mean he gets off scot free?

Doctor, this is more of your highly efficient knee-jerking. Courts make mistakes -- often crowded, short on time -- and you get some pudgy, unnatractive teen-age girl hanging with the wrong crowd, people don't exert a lot of effort.

Society will be better served having this woman perform a function -- helping her parents to stay in their home and off the dole -- rather than paying to keep her locked up in some mockery of justice.

Read the damn story, exercise your brain cells instead of your quadraceps (good for jerking the knee upwardly).

Dumb 16 year old girl?...........She managed to get convicted by trial...she isn't all that innocent, She fears spending years in jail now and wants to chage her toon because she relizes nobody bought her poor little duped girl story. There are a lot of 16 year olds in this country that deserve to get the electric chair...

MTI · #7 10-31-2005, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Dumb 16 year old girl?...........She managed to get convicted by trial...she isn't all that innocent, She fears spending years in jail now and wants to chage her toon because she relizes nobody bought her poor little duped girl story. There are a lot of 16 year olds in this country that deserve to get the electric chair...

BHD, doesn't bother to read articles . . . too many details, like getting "convicted by trial" when she confessed (must have been a very quick trial) and "fears spending years in jail" which could be an issue since it's clear from the story that she's been released . . . too many details.

boneheaddoctor · #8 10-31-2005, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

BHD, doesn't bother to read articles . . . too many details, like getting "convicted by trial" when she confessed (must have been a very quick trial) and "fears spending years in jail" which could be an issue since it's clear from the story that she's been released . . . too many details.

Confessing a fellony still goes to trial.........its not traffic court.

MTI · #9 10-31-2005, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Confessing a fellony still goes to trial.........its not traffic court.

You are correct sir!

Lorrie Sue McClary was incarcerated for 30 years on a seven-years-to-life sentence. Only 16 years old at the time of the incident for which she was convicted, Lorrie Sue confessed to robbing and killing an older woman. Her boyfriend then testified against her at her first trial in exchange for a lesser sentence; he was released after serving four years in prison for the same crime. Although Lorrie Sue was granted a second trial at which her co-defendant took the stand and admitted that he had personally killed the victim, Lorrie Sue was convicted a second time of first degree felony murder.

boneheaddoctor · #10 10-31-2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

You are correct sir!

Lorrie Sue McClary was incarcerated for 30 years on a seven-years-to-life sentence. Only 16 years old at the time of the incident for which she was convicted, Lorrie Sue confessed to robbing and killing an older woman. Her boyfriend then testified against her at her first trial in exchange for a lesser sentence; he was released after serving four years in prison for the same crime. Although Lorrie Sue was granted a second trial at which her co-defendant took the stand and admitted that he had personally killed the victim, Lorrie Sue was convicted a second time of first degree felony murder.

Just like a getaway driver being charged with murder even if he never entered the bank where his cohorts commited a murder during the robbery...

I pays to be carefull who you hang out with.

MikeTangas · #11 10-31-2005, 07:42 PM

I believe that is called "being an accessory to..." and yes you can be convicted and sentenced as if you had done the actual deed. Since boyfriend "testified" on a plea deal (plea deals often suck for the vicitms or victims survivors) trying him again would constitute double jeopardy. About the only thing that could be done is charging boyfriend with perjury, unfortunately that has a statute of limitations.

cmac2012 · #12 10-31-2005, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Just like a getaway driver being charged with murder even if he never entered the bank where his cohorts commited a murder during the robbery...

I pays to be carefull who you hang out with.

I don't believe I said I thought the girl should have been let go with a stern talking to.

All sorts of studies conclude that the teenage brain is different than an adult brain. Still forming. Teenagers are capable of enormously foolish behavior. I can't buy the idea that keeping this lady in jail for 30 years makes anyone safer. Specially with the boyfriend recanting his story.

Ya'ever heard the phrase the banality of evil? Banal means commonplace, boring. I've read of many instances in courts where council was uninterested or asleep. It frequently gets to the point where police and prosecutors are happy to be done with a case and put the perp in jail.

The main reason this caught my eye was Gov. Wilson in '98 waiting til the 11th hour and 3 quarters to decide that he was going to over-rule her parole. I mean that's cold. A gov. should have people paying attention to that stuff so they can move within a week or two. In this case, the son of the victim was requesting leniency, so it's not like there were family members tearing their garments and insisting that the lady do life.

Kuan · #13 10-31-2005, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Teenagers are capable of enormously foolish behavior.

You're kidding!

cmac2012 · #14 10-31-2005, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuan

You would think that a 16 year old girl would crack under pressure. You gotta give her credit; even SF's finest couldn't find any holes in her story.

If she was present at the crime, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to say "I done it."

I've read many cases of bizarre "confessions" taken by officers who were in a hurry to collar someone. I'm sure many officers are better than this, but you read about boneheaded errors often enough to believe it can happen.

Besides, SF's finest have a really bad reputation for solving murders.

boneheaddoctor · #15 10-31-2005, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I don't believe I said I thought the girl should have been let go with a stern talking to.

All sorts of studies conclude that the teenage brain is different than an adult brain. Still forming. Teenagers are capable of enormously foolish behavior. I can't buy the idea that keeping this lady in jail for 30 years makes anyone safer. Specially with the boyfriend recanting his story.

Ya'ever heard the phrase the banality of evil? Banal means commonplace, boring. I've read of many instances in courts where council was uninterested or asleep. It frequently gets to the point where police and prosecutors are happy to be done with a case and put the perp in jail.

The main reason this caught my eye was Gov. Wilson in '98 waiting til the 11th hour and 3 quarters to decide that he was going to over-rule her parole. I mean that's cold. A gov. should have people paying attention to that stuff so they can move within a week or two. In this case, the son of the victim was requesting leniency, so it's not like there were family members tearing their garments and insisting that the lady do life.

When a teenager is involved in the taking of a life...I say tough.....as long as that life is lost there is payment to be made. When premeditiated murder is involved I believe there should be manditory capital punishment....regardless of age....

The victims family will never have their family member back....and I have no sympathy for the criminal who had such low regard for others in the first place.

This wasn't an accident......and that makes all the difference.