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Every now and then, I watch the show The First 48. It follows real life detectives as they try to solve murder cases.
At the end of each episode, they show if there was a conviction and what the sentence was. I’m often alarmed when people plead guilty to murder and are sentenced to 10 or 15 years (which they most likely will only serve a portion).
In the episode I just watched, “Blind Alley”, a drug buy for cocaine goes bad. One guy suspects a person sets him up and shoots the unarmed person through the stomach and in the hand.
He pleads guilty to attempted murder, here is the result:
“Donnie Leonard subsequently pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Donal ‘Shantez’ Moulton and was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence.”
Yep, after pleading guilty to attempted murder for shooting an unarmed person following a drug deal, he serves zero time.
People moan and groan that law abiding people shouldn’t have guns to protect themselves while drug dealing thugs who actually shoot people aren’t given a single day in jail.
Guns aren’t what’s causing violence in America, our culture of acceptance of violence is the real issue.
So one TV episode you watched about one single guy was all the evidence you thought you needed for your sweeping claim that drug-dealing criminals aren't serving jail time?
So one TV episode you watched about one single guy was all the evidence you thought you needed for your sweeping claim that drug-dealing criminals aren't serving jail time?
If you pay attention, you’d know this is not an isolated event. People constantly get slaps on the wrist for violent behavior with weapons all the time.
If you pay attention, you’d know this is not an isolated event. People constantly get slaps on the wrist for violent behavior with weapons all the time.
Here locally, only gun killing in the last seven years. Bad drug deal. Dealer shoots the buyer through the hand in a motel room. When the buyer runs, dealer follows him and kills him in the parking lot. Only charged with manslaughter. (no drug charges) Why? Dealer was an informant. Happens all the time. Police informants get charged with lesser crimes and get short sentences. Seems like since he chased him down and killed him, should at least be second degree murder.
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I have seen the First 48 a couple of times, it's on one of the Sky Channels in the UK.
In terms of plea barganing isn't that usually done in relation to those who were accesories who are needed to give evidence against the real murderer.
In most systems you have aggravating and mitigating circumstances used by the circumstances and you generally get a lighter sentence if you do plead guilty but in terms of murder the crime is so serious that you are still often looking at a long sentence.
In some of the other US programmes I have watched, the Courts commute sentences in certain circumstances from the Death Penalty to whole life sentences if a guilty verdict is entered. I do think some of it depends on which state you are tried in, as the South seems a lot less leniant.
However murder can mean a lot of things from getting in to a fight and killing someone with a single punch, through to an armed shoot out right through to serial murders, so sentences are going to vary, and attempted murder is different to murder, as is manslaughter etc.
Last edited by Brave New World; 12-29-2017 at 10:06 AM..
The justice system is the problem. It's lost sight of its purpose and is more concerned about protecting the criminal than the victim. Probation and parole are the two most dangerous policies in the whole country.
Criminals let out of jail on them have killed more people than nuclear power, GMOs, pesticides, asbestos, PFOAs and PCBs combined.
A woman I know was terrorized when a parolee raped and killed a girl on her street. A week later, she was all off into GMO's again. Instead of demonstrating and organizing to fight parole, she was ranting about the science that has saved and improved millions of lives.
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