Why I'll never support the death penalty...

[Lew]

They let Paris go home. The 45 days (which she wasn't even going to serve that) was too much for her; what did she make it, 2 days or something?

I've had clients do 90 days on a probation violation. Sometimes they had legitimate medical concerns, most of the time they were faking it (as is Paris, I would be willing to bet). The judge would have no sympathy for them. No one wanted to hear their sad-sack story.

Now look, as much as I dislike Paris Hilton, I understand why they had to give her isolation. I mean, you throw into gen pop, next thing you know they tear her apart like a pack of wolves. Not that I would be sad, but the county would get sued big-time.

But even in isolation, it wasn't going to be a picnic for her. Even if it was for only 45 days.

And they let her go.

What kind of message does that send to the other inmates in jail? They sit there and read the "equal protection" clause and they want to know why they have to stay in jail no matter what, when Paris Hilton gets out after a couple of days because it was too tough for her.

They feel (rightfully so) that the system discriminates based on class.

If the State of California had executed her, I would gladly flip-flop on the death penalty and become the biggest supporter of it you can imagine. Somemthing tells me I won't be flip-flopping anytime soon.

[Sluggo]

Lew - Did you ever hear the expression "money talks"????????????
I am mad as hell about this!!!!!! [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]mad.gif[/img]

[Lew]

Sluggo-

I dealt with proscutors who did not negotiate on DUIs no matter what. I also dealt with prosecutors who would let you "buy" your way out of a DUI via a very high fine.

And I have thought about the policy considerations in both examples, and I can understand each point of view. The argument of the prosecutors who will take the higher fine goes something like this- DUI is a crime that exists across the board, people commit DUI from all races, ages, classes, etc.

OK in society, you have people who have worked hard and tried to make something of themself. You also have deadbeat derelicts who have done nothing with their lives. By allowing a person who actually works for a living to "buy" their way out, it's a way for society to "reward", if you will, their lifestyle. In other words, a person who works for a living has a lot to lose by getting a DUI on their record. The deadbeat has nothing to lose. So why not allow the person who works the opportunity to continue their lifestyle, while still "punishing" them by hitting their checkbook?

It is a powerful argument, I understand it, I'm not saying I am per se against it.

But.....

We pride ourselves on these ideas of "equality" and "freedom." And we're supposed to be a classless society (or, at least not as stratified as the class systems that are found throughout the world).

If Paris Doe violates her probation, she's going to serve 45 days (probably more) in jail; it doesn't matter if she's sick, it doesn't matter if it's cold in her cell, it doesn't matter if the food sucks. She's going in, she's going to serve, get over it.

But Paris Hilton violates her probation, serves 72 hours, and gets to go home.

I'm sure she did have to buy her way out. And I'm sure the county is all for it (more money for them, plus they don't have to put up with her sorry ass anymore).

But as for the rest of us....

And again, I can imagine if I had a client in that jail and I had to go visit her, and the first thing out of her mouth is "well, I'm sick, so when do I get to go home?" And where is the equal protection under law when I look at her and tell her unless she's about to lapse into a coma, she ain't goin' nowhere?

[cincygreg]

It's 40 days of house arrest unless a judge decides today that she must go back to the pokie.

A lot of celebs and "know persons" take the option of going to a "nicer" jail which costs them about $85 a day instead of going to regular jail.

45 days of no media coverage might be bigger punishment for her.

[Lew]

But that's just it, Greg- punishment is no deterrence at all if it's not really punishment.

Think about some of the things done by the robber barrons at Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, Global Crossing, etc. In my mind, far more "evil" than any street thug (I'm not exonerating the street thug, I'm just saying there's no way we'll ever know the damage caused by those a-holes). They did what they did because they presumed they would get away with it, but even if they were caught, there'd be no consqeuences.

Now, word gets around. You take these cats, you throw them into gen pop, you let them get violated on a daily basis......you'll see a change in their tune real quick.

And for the sake of argument, at least the robber barrons employed people and paid taxes. What, exactly, has Paris Hilton done to warrant such treatment?

She is the embodiment of the very worst of our society. I guess not her personally, but the fact that she warrants such attention.

I wish they'd send her to Gitmo for a few weeks.

[cincygreg]

Often times a persons celebrity does outweigh their "contibutions" or "accomplishments" but that does have as much to do with those who cover what they do as it does the person themselves.

I get your point Lew, and I understand it.

There's always going to be those who resent the attention as well as those who will continue to glorify it and those two factions will pretty much never meet halfway on anything LOL!

Hard to avoid sometimes, but I've always beleived that if you dont like it, you can turn it off or turn the page or change the station.
But, I guess we will have to wait and see what the judge says today.
I figured she would do her time in "club fed" (so to speak).

I also agree with you that some of the corporate criminals need to do some real hard time for what they've done to all those who worked for them and the families of those people as well.
Then again, I belive sex offenders should become cell-mates with people who have done the same thing but that have been "deprived" of it for a long long time.

[cincygreg]

Here Lew, this'll cheer ya up.

Pot on MySpace ...
Courtesy of

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. ? A teen arrested after police found his pictures of potted marijuana plants and drug paraphernalia posted on MySpace.com will serve 30 days in jail.

Moua Yang, 18, of Sheboygan, pleaded no contest Friday in Sheboygan County Circuit Court to felony marijuana manufacturing and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police monitoring for gang activity traced the information to him from the popular networking Web site. Authorities said a label on the picture of potted pot plants read: ?My Mary Jane thats growin in my closet right now.?

Authorities then found three potted marijuana plants in a basement closet at Yang?s residence, the criminal complaint said.

Police were monitoring another Web site when they saw that Yang had posted pictures of weapons and drug gear and had bragged about the plants in his house, the complaint said.

Yang was also placed on four years probation and had his driver?s license suspended for six months. Judge Terence Bourke also ordered him to pay a $233 fine and undergo counseling deemed appropriate by his probation agent.

[LanDroid]

Paris is back in jail now. All is right with our justice system. Let the executions resume...

[cincygreg]

Did I sense you trying to start the wave there Lan?!?!??! [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Sluggo]

Lew - I have been out of the city for the last three days. I wasn't ignoring you.
I heard that Hilton got sent back to jail but that is all I know.
Her sorry ass can rot in jail for all I care. She is a useless specimen of humanity, in my opinion. A rich one, who has done NOTHING to earn any of her money. A worthless rich bi tch. Now that is only my opinion.