# From bank robber to law professor **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139 "2017-04-24T14:23:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/1 "2017-04-24T14:23:00Z")
Quite a story - glad he’s been able to turn his life around so well, and so helpfully for others: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/04/21/bank-robber-turned-georgetown-law-professor-is-just-getting-started-on-his-goals/?hpid=hp\_hp-top-table-main\_georgetown1100am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm\_term=.87c263a6eee9](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/04/21/bank-robber-turned-georgetown-law-professor-is-just-getting-started-on-his-goals/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_georgetown1100am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.87c263a6eee9) ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/2 "2017-04-24T15:18:51Z")
It is not surprising that the individual did it. It is surprising that our society let him. Any more, it’s a one-strike-you’re-out mentality. Where I live, you can’t even lease an apartment with a felony conviction. Expunging convictions are the new golden eggs being gathered by lawyers. The law convicts with the right hand and expunges with the left, in a growth industry. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/3 "2017-04-24T15:49:46Z")
That’s a great story. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/4 "2017-04-24T16:51:01Z")
Off-topic, but one has to wonder what the judge’s parents were thinking. Your last name is Kopf and you name your son Richard? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/5 "2017-04-24T19:19:29Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > It is not surprising that the individual did it. It is surprising that our society let him. Any more, it’s a one-strike-you’re-out mentality. > > Where I live, you can’t even lease an apartment with a felony conviction. Expunging convictions are the new golden eggs being gathered by lawyers. The law convicts with the right hand and expunges with the left, in a growth industry. One strike? He robbed 5 banks. 5 is an out in any game. StG ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/6 "2017-04-25T12:56:30Z")
It is an amazing story. Being able to draft a successful cert petition to the Supreme Court without any legal training is remarkable. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/7 "2017-04-25T14:13:07Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > One strike? He robbed 5 banks. 5 is an out in any game. > > StG The number is a trivial detail. Nowadays, you are out after ANY strikes. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-bank-robber-to-law-professor/785139/8 "2017-04-25T14:15:35Z")
Well, no bank robberies are good, but five looks a lot worse than one if you otherwise have some redeeming characteristics to be considered at sentencing.