# Crime And Punishment In Ohio

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 4, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730 "2001-09-04T19:55:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730/1 "2001-09-04T19:55:07Z")

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This story appears in the **Daily Express** this morning:

'A motorist has been sentenced to listen to four hours of polka music for driving through Cambridge, Ohio, with his windows down and sound system blaring.

Judge John Nicholson ordered Alan Law to endure the tunes of Frankie Yankovic, who was big in the state before his death three years ago.

Law listened to the full four hours in a local police station and can now whistle the _Blue Skirt Waltz_ and _Who Stole The Kishka_.’  
I understand there is an expression in US law known as Cruel and Unusual punishment. This sentence is certainly unusual, but is it cruel? And if so, how cruel is it?

Based upon the premise that the judicial system can impose sentences varying from a nominal fine to the electric chair, or similar, where in the scale of punishment does Frankie Yankovic fit?

I have never heard the tunes of Mr. Yankovic, but then I am not greatly enamoured of the polka at the best of times.

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**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730/2 "2001-09-04T20:24:14Z")

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I heard about this on a local (Ohio) radio station. They included the comment that the guy who was sentenced found it kind of amusing but got the point.

In this sense the term “cruel” would be somewhat subjective, but if it happened to me I would feel better than to be out of pocket $150 or whatever the going rate is.

Wonder if he now speaks like the Schmenngii Brothers?

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**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730/3 "2001-09-05T18:26:40Z")

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I think they should have thrown in Rosanne singing **The Star Spangled Banner"** , but that would have been cruel.

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2001, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-and-punishment-in-ohio/79730/4 "2001-09-05T22:18:52Z")

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If you want to punish me you can play Rolf Harris singing ‘Stairway To Heaven’.