Why is our justice system so screwed up? It seems that every time you open the paper and read about judges sentencing criminals, they either let them off incredibly easy or give it to them too rough. Why do we give so much power to judges?
Case in point, on Wednesday, the man who snuck out of the Twin Towers jail in July using a fake badge and a picture of Eddie Murphy’s head for his face discovered his fate. The judge hammered him with a 65-year-to-life-in-prison sentence.
It sounds ridiculous, but this was sentencing for the crimes he committed because he was in jail; he received two 25 year sentences for attempted murder and shooting a man six times over a drug dispute. The other 15 years came from previous convictions. Under the three-strikes law, I feel he got what he deserved. But if he got 65 years, that brings me to my next point.
Last spring, a popular teen movie actress, Rebecca Gayheart, hit and killed a little boy who was jaywalking. According to reports that I heard, the little boy was crossing the street and the car in front of Gayheart stopped for him.
Gayheart, in her rush, opted not to stop (not seeing the child) and made a mad dash around the car in front of her, hitting the boy head-on.
She was later charged with manslaughter and awaited sentencing until last week, when she received three years’ probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine and 750 hours of community service. She will also have to make a public-service announcement.
This was all she got for a sentence. So why is it that Gayheart, a beautiful, young actress from Hollywood gets off easy? I mean, she took a life! The boy’s family is going into the holiday season this year without a son to smother with gifts and spoil on Christmas morning.
This had to be a good day for Gayheart because $2,800 is nothing to her. And while she’s spending a mere 750 hours of her life working to help people in the community, the jail escapee is spending practically the rest of his life in jail.
I’m sure Gayheart’s attorney argued it was all a mistake and it wasn’t intentional, but sometimes mistakes happen and we all have to pay for our mistakes. If she were to put herself in the boy’s family’s shoes, she would realize what a big deal this really is and that there’s no bringing the boy back.
Thankfully, Gayheart will still face a wrongful-death suit from the boy’s parents. Since she didn’t get hammered this time around, I hope the judge decides to nail her at the civil trial, just like they did to O.J. Simpson.
As for the jail escapee, he is also awaiting a trial for escaping jail, and could get even more jail time. It won’t matter because in 65 years he’ll be dead anyway.
What I find humorous is that with all of the security that is boasted over at the L.A. jail, how was he able to sneak by all of those guards? I say if you are that good, you might deserve to stay out of jail for a while.
What I don’t find humorous is the fact that a celebrity can go out and kill someone and get away with absolutely no jail time. Not only is it not humorous, it is outright ridiculous. I really hope the judges begin to realize how blatantly prejudiced they are.
Meanwhile Gayheart will join the ranks of Robert Downey, Jr., Halle Berry, Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestly. Let us just hope the judge will grant the boy’s family with a big Christmas present from her in the form of a check.
Tim Tevault a sophomore journalism major, is arts and entertainment editor of the Campus Times. He can be reached by e-mail at zerotearx@aol.com.
