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Scales of Justice Too Often Tip in Favor of Criminals not Victims
Thursday, July 18, 2002
(10:42 AM)
The Daily Telegram

The Opinion Page



Lindh was never implicated in the death of Spann, but he was certainly a part of the Taliban prisoner uprising that ultimately ended with his death. Spann received a life sentence for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Lindh gets 20 years for plea bargaining with the Feds despite joining a terrorist organization currently at war with the United States.

It’s been said that crime doesn’t pay, but far too often our court system doesn’t make our criminals pay enough for their lawbreaking.

This week has given us too blatant examples of how much the scales of justice can tip in a criminal’s favor.

Nationally, John Walker Lindh was staring down life in prison for the treasonous act of fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Locally, Joseph M. LeGarde was charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, which could have carried a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.

In both cases, a guilty plea was rendered and ultimately the final penalty was substantially watered down.
(More: The Daily Telegram News Source)
2002 © The Daily Telegram.

Dan