Woman kills young arab that snatched her purse; Dutch public opinion deeply divided.

[Zebra]

@Maastricht

Today, the court made a verdict.

The judge said that manslaughter could not be proven, but reckless driving could.
For reckless driving, the judge sentenced Germaine to 180 hours of community service. Remember that the initial DA’s demand was 2,5 years in prison!

The woman’s driving licence is also revoked for 2,5 years.

There hasn’t been much of an outrage yet at this mild sentence, which is surprising.

Gee did the judge at least actually slap her wrists?

[Maastricht]

@Zebra

Gee did the judge at least actually slap her wrists?

It is an absurdedly mild sentence, no? And here is the kicker: she actually has made an appeal. She believes she shouldn’t have been punished at all.

I’m hoping for a heavier sentence on appeal.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@Maastricht

It is an absurdedly mild sentence, no? And here is the kicker: she actually has made an appeal. She believes she shouldn’t have been punished at all.

I’m hoping for a heavier sentence on appeal.

Literally, like having a car dropped on her, perhaps?

[Scoundrel_Swanswater]

@Maastricht

It is an absurdedly mild sentence, no? And here is the kicker: she actually has made an appeal. She believes she shouldn’t have been punished at all.

I’m hoping for a heavier sentence on appeal.

I was absolutely disgusted that Rita Verdonk also showed up at the trial to gain some political gain from it.
She is trying to become the new Pim Fortuyn, only more right-wing and batshit crazy.

[Malacandra]

@MacTech

Agreed, the thief made a voluntary decision to steal, and must deal with the consequences, it matters not what Invisible Sky Pixie he chose to believe in, scumbags are scumbags, their irrational beliefs should have no bearing on the natter

It’s amazing how you can drag things around to dissing on religion if you really want to. :rolleyes:

[Maastricht]

@Scoundrel Swanswater

I was absolutely disgusted that Rita Verdonk also showed up at the trial to gain some political gain from it.

You and me both. (For the foreigners: Rita Verdonk is one of the more populistic politicians, and she is squarely in the “Germaine should get a medal”-camp).

But Rita may have done Germaine a grave disservice; if Germaines case does go on appeal, it is likely the judge may want to express independence of the justice system from politics by giving Germaine a heavier sentence.

[Maastricht]

@Really Not All That Bright

Literally, like having a car dropped on her, perhaps?

Please no! Then we would get another trial on the tax-payers dime, discussing if the dropped car on Germaine was just intended to give her a friendly warning nudge, or perhaps meant to trip her so a cop could take her in, or that the car was dropped on her with lethal intent.

[Acsenray]

@Maastricht

I’m not sure, but yes, it is against Dutch law to give out the full name of any suspect in public media.

I can understand that with regard to suspects. But this is a person who actually was charged with a crime and put on trial. It doesn’t make sense to me that her identity would be hidden from the public.

And the other guy is dead. He no longer has an identity to protect.

And even after a conviction, public media are still reticient in giving out names.

I find this astonishing.

I’m also curious about the fact that her sentence could be increased on appeal. In the United States, it could be reduced on appeal, but not increased.