I think its safe to say that celebrities whether sports figures or actors are quite often given special treatment by district attorneys, judges and the like. One might say: “because they can afford the slickest or powerful attorneys.” I feel that if I, or any of you without celebrity status could afford to pay to engage the same attorneys, we wouldn’t get close to the “light” sentences meted out. If you agree with me on the above points, why would a judge bend over backwards to give light sentences (i.e. community service) to these people and give others hard time. And why does the DA so reluctant to initiate proceedings? (I’m not sure this is the right terminology but you know what I mean.
Don’t ever say 288 in polite company. Its just two gross!
A good question, but probably more suited for Great Debates. I don’t see any ‘factual’ answer to this OP, only people’s opinions.
“Penises don’t belong in the mouth, girls and boys. You’ve got the wrong hole there. Just like you wouldn’t shove pizza up your nose.”
-From the Brother Jed flyer-
Squee: I didn’t know where to put the OP. Its a question that can be answered with perhaps with some validity by attorneys…people deeply involved with the justice system. It seems too important to put it in the “meaningless discussions” category and I don’t know if it meets the criteria of “The Great Debate”. And I don’t want to put it in the Pit… but wherever the moderator puts it is okay with me, I just want to hear some opinions. This coddling of the well-knowns takes place far too frequently.
Don’t ever say 288 in polite company. Its just two gross!
I can think of plenty of celebrities that have been given jail time. So I guess I’d first ask you – prove your point. Who are you thinking of? We had a thread a while back that decried the light sentence (probation) being given to a popular band’s guitar player for possession of marijuana.
It was then pointed out that her sentence was exactly what the sentencing guidelines called for in the case of a first offense, which hers was.
So part of what you’re seeing may simply be the press reporting celebrity sentences no matter what they are, and only reporting other sentences when they involve more serious crimes.
Unquestionably, the caliber of representation does enter into it. If you can afford a great attorney, and $4,500 per hour for the expert testimony of the most prominent toxicologist in the country, you are going to have a better chance of kicking a charge.
Finally, for whatever it’s worth - do you suppose that Ricky Martin would have the same experience in county jail serving ten days for drunk driving than, say, you would To the extent that any favoritism goes on, I suggest, it stems from judicial notice that, through no fault of hiw own, the celebrity will be more harshly punished than the average joe, through the same incareration.
Although Ricky might meet someone special - so who knows?
On community service: As an example, Bobcat Golthwait received a fine and community service for setting the chairs on fire on The Tonight Show. He fulfilled that requirement by doing public service announcements. I’d say the general population is more likely to listen to a PSA from an established celebrity than from Joe Baggadonuts, and judges take that into account.
This post brought to you by the US Department of Overprotective Paternalism.
So the judge says: “You want a divorce. That will cost you $20,000 in legal fees. Now, you may argue that you don’t have $20,000 in legal fees, but let me tell you, that’s the cost, and a Rockerfeller could not get it for less. This is not a country where there is one law for the rich and another for the poor.”
Huh? Not sure I follow you on this one. RM’s ten days in jail are worse than mine? Setting the side philosophical arguments concerning comparative utility, I would think that in many ways the opposite would be true.
[ul][li]RM gets free publicity. I get indignant stares at the next PTA meeting.[/li][li]RM looses a couple weeks of his time. I loose whatever vacation I had accrued or more likely, my entire job. Not too many places are willing to give extended leaves of absence for such a thing. Finding a job / paying my bills on my release will be a much greater challenge for me.[/li][li]RM still has a fan base and people to keep him in touch with the outside world. I get shipped off to Ohio, far from family and friends.[/li][li]RM jokes aside, I suspect (no evidence to offer here, of course) that his celebrity would follow him into prison. Though it might be reason for some to single him out, it would also be reason for many to befriend him. I’d have to bend over… well, not exactly backwards, to make friends. You get the point. Evan if I am not abused per se, I don’t see myself having it easier because I am anonymous. Didn’t Tyson get into a bit of trouble because inmates / guards were asking for his autograph?[/li][li]The indignities and conditions we experience will be roughly the same. Though RM may be used to nicer sheets and fluffier pillows, on his release he will be able to recuperate somewhere. Most of us will get out and begin a desperate search for a job.[/ul][/li]
Sure, there are a lot of generalizations in the above list and plenty of exceptions. However, the basic point stands: A celeb (on average) will have an easier time making the transition from incarceration to freedom, and will have much greater resources within a prison. Of course, most bets are off regarding such crimes as pedophilia, but stands for many offences i.e. drug related crimes.
I am sorry that this is off topic (I would agree that most of the difference comes from the ability to afford a better defense and general star-struckedness of human jurists) and also apologize if the quoted point was a joke / sarcasm. It is Monday, and I am still coffeeless.
Thanks for listening,
Rhythmdvl
Once in a while you can get shown the light
in the strangest of places
if you look at it right…
This was a big issue with the whole Halle Berry car crash hit-and-run thing. The police didn’t arrest her or do anything right away other than keep an eye on her in her Malibu home, while they investigated.
While I think it’s bullshit that she fled the scene of a serious traffic accident that she caused, I think one might argue that her being there might cause greater harm. That is, on-lookers might swarm her for autographs, or attack her as an ‘asshole’ celebrity who MUST be on drugs/ drunk to have caused the crash. Meanwhile, this menagerie of idiot third party people would block the street, preventing emergency crews from getting to the scene quickly. And it being L.A., you’d also have a thousand phony lawsuits erupt overnight along the lines of “Yeah judge, after Halle Berry hit that woman’s car, she flung her door open, and tried to beat the crap out of me, when I rushed to her aid to try to help her” or other fake stuff.