Sometimes life is very, very strange: http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/30/inmate.tattoo.ap/index.html
Basically, Anthony Ray Stockelman abducted, molested, and murdered a fourth grade girl named Katlyn “Katie” Collman. He was put into a prison where the girl’s cousin, Jared Harris, is doing time for armed burgulary. Jared forcibly tatooed Anthony Ray’s forehead with “KATIE’S REVENGE” in retaliation for what the killer did.
Makes me feel a little warm on the inside. (Though, of course, I recognize the fact that it has to have repercussions)
It’s not that I think prison abuse isn’t a big deal, but you really can’t allow a prison inmate access to another prison inmate directly responsible for killing the first inmate’s family member. That’s just poor planning.
I must say that if I were locked up with someone who had brutally assaulted and killed a relative of mine, I might be inclined to shiv them in their sleep.
In my opinion, this guy got off pretty easy.
I have never had a tatoo. How much time does it take to do?
A shiv to the ribs would have been quicker.
Yes, but would have resulted in a murder charge.
This gets you maybe a little more time and maybe another parole cycle. And given how society feels about people who molest and kill children, may not even get you that.
Sometimes you have to wonder - poor planning or someone figuring life in prison wasn’t enough?
What was done to the guy’s forehead probably took 20 minutes tops. Perhaps a lot less. It’s not art, even by scratcher standards.
As a general principle, I object to extra-judicial punishments, particularly those meted out against one prisoner by another prisoner in the same correctional facility. But, damn, it’s hard for me not to cheer on the guy handing out the retaliatory ink.
Sounds like something on “Oz”.
Makes me think of the forehead tattoos on criminals in “Snow Crash.”
The article isn’t very long and it’s pretty clear on that point. They didn’t know he was Katie’s cousin and the guy who made the tattoo didn’t even know Katie all that well. Do you really think that they can keep track of what prisoners have great grand parents in common with victims of other prisoners? Please.
One does have to appreciate the fact that he correctly included the apostrophe. Not bad for a convicted robber.
That’s pretty funny. I don’t think what Harris did should be legal by any stretch of the imagination, but if I was in charge of meting out punishment in this particular case I’d be inclined to assign him, say, an extra shift in the kitchen without pay.
For the curious, here’s a pic:
The story is that even hardened criminal still have a soft spot for little children, girls in particular and take a very dim view of anyone who does them violence. Doesn’t take much to encourage them to make an example of them. A daily reminder of their stupidy or lack of common sense.
In other words violence begets violence and you reap what you sow.
He should have tattooed it in mirror-writing.
For those of you who think this story is warm, funny, or poetic justice: you need to examine your concepts of humanity, IMHO.
I dont see why. He didnt cripple or rape the guy…he just made sure that everyone will know what he did, which honestly doesnt seem like that bad an idea to me. I dont find it at all warm or funny, and I would even support some punishment for the tattooer.
But it doesn`t seem even a little inhumane to me. It seems like an entirely appropriate punishment for a criminal.
So you would be OK with it if our courts were able to order branding as part of a sentence?
Read some decent treatises on ethics, morality, religion, and sociology.
He maimed the guy. That’s something we (meaning society) considers to be a bad thing.
There are court records and offenders’ registries to accomplish that aim.
How decent of you.
Our law does not permit the maiming of someone for a punishment.
Agreed. What sort of society lets inmates become judge and jury? The prison screwed up.
A good finish would have been leaving the offender’s detached genitals in his mouth. A tatoo is easy retribution, given the crime.