Jail him or Free him?

[Hilarity_N.Suze]

It looks like Missouri has come up with a much better and cheaper way to rehabilitate criminals. Instead of all the expense of prison guards, meals, security and all that, they can just tell criminals, “We’ll be coming to get you any day, be ready,” and then just watch them and see if they straighten up and become solid citizens or resort to more crime.

[Martin_Hyde]

@TriPolar

It seems likely that’s what happened, and if so it’s not that interesting a coincidence.

A news article actually confirms this, when they were processing his release from prison they found out he wasn’t actually in prison. As they dug into further they realized he’d never been incarcerated for the crime at all due to not being given a prison assignment or a date to report.

[TriPolar]

@Martin_Hyde

A news article actually confirms this, when they were processing his release from prison they found out he wasn’t actually in prison. As they dug into further they realized he’d never been incarcerated for the crime at all due to not being given a prison assignment or a date to report.

Saw him on CNN this morning, didn’t catch it all, but it sounds like the prison officials and some other department were arguing about whether he was ever in prison for a while. After figuring it out they had to appear to be doing something about it. Luckily the judge acted sensibly.

[handsomeharry]

@RickJay

This to my mind is the crux of the issue. He made himself available to the State of Missouri for incarceration for the last 13 years. They chose to have him serve his sentence in his house - perhaps by ineptitude more than design, but oh well. They had their chance and maybe he didn’t pay as much as they wanted, but that’s the fault of the State of Missouri.

I go with this. State fucks, they don’t get their pound of blood. Whoever forgot to do what was needed should be fired.

[computergeek]

One thing to consider, is the convicted person in the wrong somehow for not inquiring further about when they would be going to jail? It’s not like he fled, but isn’t it also wrong to have the sentence hang over your head and not look into it further?

[CarnalK]

@computergeek

One thing to consider, is the convicted person in the wrong somehow for not inquiring further about when they would be going to jail? It’s not like he fled, but isn’t it also wrong to have the sentence hang over your head and not look into it further?

I am not sure how reasonable it is to expect someone to actively get himself put in jail. Legally he’s responsible to follow court orders but I can’t imagine he’s legally required to remind the court to give those orders.

[TriPolar]

@computergeek

One thing to consider, is the convicted person in the wrong somehow for not inquiring further about when they would be going to jail? It’s not like he fled, but isn’t it also wrong to have the sentence hang over your head and not look into it further?

Why is that wrong? If nothing else, he was doing exactly as he was instructed.

[Learjeff]

@Esox_Lucius

Giving him parole

This, or since it’s nearly a year now already, let him off with time served.

@Just_Asking_Questions

But, what bothers me almost as much as the State’s complete ineptitude in jailing him, was that they sent a full SWAT raid to get him.

Yeah, no kidding! Someone should be pretty embarrassed about that.

@Just_Asking_Questions

I imagine the SWAT team briefing:
…

Thanks! I got a laugh out of that.

@chargerrich

I would think even the most ardent prosecutor could see the harm in jailing this man. Even 10 years probation - while probably harsh considering - would probably be acceptable to the man.

Tell that to the prosecutor in this case:
[url=Guy Loans His Car To His Roomie, Gets Life In Prison

@Stringbean

There was a time a knock on the door would do. A 5am armed raid decked out in military gear would make me feel a fool. That’s what fosters distrust of law enforcement: senseless shows of excessive force.

OK, but does that mean (as you said earlier) that the swat team should all resign in embarrassment? If you did your job to the best of your ability, but it turns out that your boss’s boss’s boss had given silly instructions, would you resign? Well, feel free, but don’t expect others to.

[foolsguinea]

@Iggy

The ruling is in.

The judge credited him with time served for the 4794 days between when he was convicted and when the SWAT team took him into custody. As a result he is a free man, though still with a conviction on his record.

The judge had praise for the defendant noting, “I believe continuing to incarcerate you serves no purpose, would be a waste of taxpayer dollars and punish a good man.”

@Hilarity_N.Suze

It looks like Missouri has come up with a much better and cheaper way to rehabilitate criminals. Instead of all the expense of prison guards, meals, security and all that, they can just tell criminals, “We’ll be coming to get you any day, be ready,” and then just watch them and see if they straighten up and become solid citizens or resort to more crime.

As a citizen of Missouri, I’m actually a little surprised.

I shouldn’t be; judges in this state aren’t known for being crazy. (I seem to recall some politicians trying to change the Missouri Plan for selecting judges to some kind of popular election, which might have led to a pool of judges as worthless as our state legislators. I believe it failed and probably for that reason.)

Then again, it apparently took ten months to get the man out. My cynicism just needs to be reined in a bit.