Ravens running back Lewis sentenced to four months

[kumquatq3]

stay in school kidsLINK

[Laozi]

Ya whats funny is our criminal "justice" system let him choose when he wanted to go to jail

[Dakoth]

This shows how truly pathetic our legal system is. If you are famous you have your own set of rules, and penatlies that normal america doesn't get. It happens with all of them Robert Downy Jr., Michael Irvin, Darryl Strawberry, the list goes on.

[Volourn]

You guys should actually know your stuff before whining.

 

 

"Explaining the short sentence, the judge said the government didn't have a strong case and noted the only witness against Lewis was an informant with a lengthy criminal record.

 

Evans said she was also giving Lewis ``credit for stepping up to the bar'' and admitting his guilt."

 

 

That expalins the relatively short sentence.

 

Also, 'normal people' DO often get to choose when they go to prison. This is often the case for those with short sentences. It's not unique to athletes and other celebrities.

 

Don't make things up. Thanks.

[Plooby]

Really, Volo? An ordinary person can pick WHEN they want to go to jail? I had never heard of that. You learn somrthing neew every day, I guess.

[Volourn]

"Really, Volo? An ordinary person can pick WHEN they want to go to jail? I had never heard of that. You learn somrthing neew every day, I guess."

 

Not always. depends on the situation. Things to consider are the nature of the crime, length of sentence, the threat to society the represent (obviously no murderers get to do this).

 

I've seen relatives (yes, I got jailbirds I'm related to :D) who were able to do this before with certain limits.

[Laozi]

You guys should actually know your stuff before whining.

 

 

"Explaining the short sentence, the judge said the government didn't have a strong case and noted the only witness against Lewis was an informant with a lengthy criminal record.

 

Evans said she was also giving Lewis ``credit for stepping up to the bar'' and admitting his guilt."

 

 

That expalins the relatively short sentence.

 

Also, 'normal people' DO often get to choose when they go to prison. This is often the case for those with short sentences. It's not unique to athletes and other celebrities.

 

Don't make things up. Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Well seeing as I was in jail for pocession of marijuana and they didn't try to get me with intent to distribute and because it didn't go across state lines they it wasn't a federal matter, it was a relatively small time deal. I choose to do the 100 days in jail so I wouldn't have to pay the state to put me on a years probation. Never did they extend me any such courtisies as to serve the time at my earliest convience. And we are not talking about anything like felony charges with the intent to distribute(brokering a cocaine deal is considered attempting to distribute) of one of the most addictive substances on the planet. A substance inwhich if a man on the street gets caught with a couple of grams is charged with a felony and if anything like the amount he was dealing with (kilos) would be put in prision for years. Volourn plain and simple, you know little about these things other then the name of the party involved, so why don't you go and make uninformed statements about other things then this.

[Volourn]

"Well seeing as I was in jail for pocession of marijuana and they didn't try to get me with intent to distribute and because it didn't go across state lines they it wasn't a federal matter, it was a relatively small time deal. I choose to do the 100 days in jail so I wouldn't have to pay the state to put me on a years probation. Never did they extend me any such courtisies as to serve the time at my earliest convience. And we are not talking about anything like felony charges with the intent to distribute(brokering a cocaine deal is considered attempting to distribute) of one of the most addictive substances on the planet. A substance inwhich if a man on the street gets caught with a couple of grams is charged with a felony and if anything like the amount he was dealing with (kilos) would be put in prision for years. Volourn plain and simple, you know little about these things other then the name of the party involved, so why don't you go and make uninformed statements about other things then this."?

 

I cna't speak for your situation; but I know fullw ell that the court will, if given a good reason, may be persuaded to allow one to server any jail time at a certain time.

 

This has nothing to do with who it is. They being famous is not really an issue here unless you make it an issue. Last I checked, the fmaily members in question were/are not famous so i doubt they got the deal because of that.

 

As for the fours months only thing; I cna't really disagree or agree with it sicne I'm not involved but the judge who made the decision explained why the decision was made the way it was.

 

My main target was 'he got off easy 'cause he was famous'. That's bullocks and unless you can prove that the judge in question was somehow biased in Lewis' favour I simply won't buy it. Period.

[213374U]

Usually famous people can afford better lawyers, too. That might have something to do with it.

[Laozi]

Once again you are certainly ignorant, the simple fact that they went to trial during the season and ended up getting a deal done, something they rarely do in drug and drug trafficing cases unless you are able to provide testimony against someone higher up on the "food chain", that allowed him to finish the season, and if they had made it too the superbowl show preference. Mind you this is cocaine, and if you haven't noticed before there is definitely a different standard for the rich and influencial in american justice, saying anything any different is out right a lie. Its true you don't have to be a celebrity to obtain this alternative level of justice, just to be able to afford the right level of representation

[Dakoth]

I like how Volo said I know nothing but doesn't understand were I come from. Take your pick Volo of my relatives and they are either police or corrections officers. While there are altenative methods of sentencing, weekend incarceration, house arrest and of course probation they except for probation are rarely given esecially in drug cases. Most normal people facing those odds goes to jail hands down without a say when he goes. As for the judge having said what he did about the informant ha what a crock of **** as most of the cases start with or turn informants to get at bigger fish.(Which they are then used as witnesses, why because they have first the first hand knowledge)

 

Basically the judge said I don't belive you talked to Lewis on the phone, or delivered to him before, because you sell drugs.

 

R00fles!

[Volourn]

"Usually famous people can afford better lawyers, too. That might have something to do with it. "

 

This probably does help.

 

 

"Its true you don't have to be a celebrity to obtain this alternative level of justice, just to be able to afford the right level of representation"

 

Gamje over. I win. Youa dmit you don't need to be a celebrity. Neitehr did I say that it was common practice for deals like this to be amde; but the point is that it DOES happen and you don't need to be a celebrity either.

 

 

Dakoth: Prove to me that the judge's decision wa sbased on Lewis' celebrity status than maybe I'll believe you.

[Dakoth]

First there was the strange statement that the witness was a criminal so he couldn't be used or trusted when we know this happens all the time. Even a man with money and a good law team would face a hard time if it was levied against them. If you doubt the scrutiny this case would be under and the circus it could turn into just look at the crap going on in the Michael Jackson case. Oh thats right everyone is allowed to moonwalk on the car that brought them to court.

 

 

Mandatory Minimum Sentences

 

In 1986 Congress enacted mandatory minimum sentencing laws, which force judges to deliver fixed sentences to individuals convicted of a crime, regardless of culpability or other mitigating factors. Federal mandatory drug sentences are determined based on three factors: the type of drug, weight of the drug mixture (or alleged weight in conspiracy cases), and the number of prior convictions. Judges are unable to consider other important factors such as the offender's role, motivation, and the likelihood of recidivism. Only by providing the prosecutor with "substantial assistance", (information that aids the government in prosecuting other offenders) may defendants reduce their mandatory sentences. This creates huge incentives for people charged with drug offenses to provide false information in order to receive a shorter sentence.

 

Although Congress intended mandatory sentences to target "king pins" and managers in drug distribution networks, the U.S. Sentencing Commission reports that only 5.5 percent of all federal crack cocaine defendants and 11 percent of federal drug defendants are high-level drug dealers. This is because the most culpable defendants are also the defendants who are in the best position to provide prosecutors with enough information to obtain sentence reductions - the only way to reduce a mandatory sentence. Low-level offenders, such as drug mules or street dealers, often end up serving longer sentences because they have little or no information to provide the government.

 

The U.S. Sentencing Commission and the Department of Justice have both concluded that mandatory sentencing fails to deter crime. Furthermore, mandatory minimums have worsened racial and gender disparities and have contributed greatly toward prison overcrowding. Mandatory minimum sentencing is costly and unjust. Mandatory sentencing does not eliminate sentencing disparities; instead it shifts decision-making authority from judges to prosecutors, who operate without accountability. Mandatory minimums fail to punish high-level dealers. Finally, mandatory sentences are responsible for sending record numbers of women and people of color to prison.

 

Copyright

[Volourn]

All that, and you have yet to prove it was his celebrity that got him off relatively easy. I'll continue waiting; but I wont be holding breath.

 

Good luck.

[Dakoth]

Since you seemed to miss the whole point of the post. He would have fell under distribution charges with a manditory minimum sentence of 5 yaers. The important word is manditory the only thing that gets a lighter sentence is if you turn informant as pointed out in the earlier quoted article. He did not do that and still git a lighter sentence for his part. Not only that but there were things said that had he not been in the public spotlight would have never been a concern such as.

 

Prosecutors agreed to drop more serious drug conspiracy and attempted cocaine possession charges.

 

I have yet to see a prosecuter do this for a normal person unless they were turning states witness.

 

Evans said she was also giving Lewis ``credit for stepping up to the bar'' and admitting his guilt.

 

I have yet to see a judge give an shorter than minimum term to any normal person for those same thing, and a lot of people admit their guilt hoping for that exact thing.

 

So please tell me how he was treated like everyone else again, and remember in the US there are manditory minimum sentences that must be served if convicted on drug charges.

[Laozi]

I would just give up, the light of truth rarely shines in Volourn's world

[Volourn]

It does when I'm given hard evidence. I have yet to see it proven beyond all reasonable doubt that the judge went 'easy" on Lewis because of his celebrity status. Give me proof, and I might believe. Until then, it's just some crybabies whining about how they never get the breaks. You are besmriching the judge's repuation (to all 4 of us reading this thread, r00fles!); but give 0 proof to back up your accusation. Keep trying. I need the entertainment.

[Laozi]

Your blind faith would probaly be better spent in other arenas but if you so believe in our criminal justice system, then who am I to argue. Theres a sufficient amount of "evidence" to see he's getting of lightly, and then theres sort of just an expectation that unless a celebrtiy commits murder, or treason, then they can expect a certain level justice. I mean if there wasn't then how else could there be white-collar prisons? One man committs fraud, he goes to federal prison, another who commits it through manipulating stocks, goes to a prison with a golf course. The greatest irony is that everyones tax dollars pay for the prison, but only a certain class gets to ues it

[Volourn]

"Your blind faith would probaly be better spent in other arenas but if you so believe in our criminal justice system, then who am I to argue."

 

Huh? Talk about a nonsenical reply. I say I want proof of the judge's bias and that somehow make it seem that I beleive the Justice System is perfect?

 

Believe me, there's lots of things wrong with the Justice System. This judge, so far, isn't one of 'em. At least not in this case.