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04-13-2006, 07:20 AM #1Eternal Member
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Criminals using cash to negotiate less jail time?
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...274582&k=18414
You may recall 2 years ago of a thread here talking about Louise Russo - a (then) 44 year old mother of 3 who was the unfortunate recipient of a stray bullet during a botched gang-style driveby shooting. The bullet hit her spine paralyzing her for life.
Yesterday, they announced the sentence for the 5 defendants involved in the shooting. The sentences ranged from 3 to 12 years. And on top of the jail terms, the 5 men are to personally pay Louise Russo $2 Million as restitution.
This story leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. In spite of the fact that Mr. Justice David Watt rejected any suggestion that the financial payout resulted in "softer sentences", I don't believe him. Crown Prosecutor Donna Armstrong even said that the deal was the result of "lengthy and involved negotiations" between the Crown and defence. What does that tell you? Negotiations?? Last time I checked, that meant offering something to get something back in return.
This whole thing just smacks of corruption, and ultimately, in lack of justice for this poor woman Louise Russo.
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04-13-2006, 07:26 AM #2Web Hosting Master
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Was there adaquate evidents to completely convict all of them?
Sarcasm, the 6th Ponyman of the Apocalypse.
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04-13-2006, 07:28 AM #3
Putting them in prison for life won't help Louise, but if "the 5 men are to personally pay Louise Russo $2 Million as restitution" would surely be a help to her and her carers, no?
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04-13-2006, 07:40 AM #4Eternal Member
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Yes, there was ample evidence to convict them. And yes, financial restitution of $2 Mil will surely go a lot farther than the maximum $25,000 that she received from the government funded Victim Compensation Fund. But it really rubs me the wrong way to think that these criminals got leaner sentences by buying their way out. IMO, the 2 issues are mutually exclusive. The payout should have never been part of the "negotiations" when determining jail term.
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04-13-2006, 07:49 AM #5Web Hosting Master
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But what's best for the victim though? And how many more years would they have gotten? I don't know about Canada, but in the US that's about the right setence for that kind of crime. In a perfect world we would all want them to rot in jail for life and the victim be adaquately taken care of, but that's a perfect world. The $2M is really gonna go a long way for the victim, esp if the government doesn't tax the hell out of it.
Sarcasm, the 6th Ponyman of the Apocalypse.
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04-13-2006, 07:52 AM #6Eternal Member
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I agree. But my point is that they should have gotten maximun (unnegotiated jail term), and then still be forced to pay financial restitution. The issue I have with this is that the payout likely reduced their jail time.
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04-13-2006, 07:55 AM #7Web Hosting Master
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I have a feeling the money turned up mysteriously after they signed the papers though. They've been trying to get all of OJ's money for what, more than a decade now? I think he still got a ton hidden somewhere, and the dude's a high profile case. It'll be a miracle if you could collect more than $100,000 from them unwillingly. I'm assuming there were something like escrow that was set up and the deal being contingence on the money actually coming though.
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04-13-2006, 07:57 AM #8Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by vitoJean-Pierre Abboud / I'm the TekGURU
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04-13-2006, 07:59 AM #9Originally Posted by vito
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04-13-2006, 08:01 AM #10Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by anon-e-mouseJean-Pierre Abboud / I'm the TekGURU
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04-13-2006, 08:08 AM #11Web Hosting Master
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How will they work to get that money though? They might just go rob a bank.
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04-13-2006, 08:11 AM #12Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by FluffyTiggerJean-Pierre Abboud / I'm the TekGURU
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04-13-2006, 08:14 AM #13Eternal Member
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Originally Posted by anon-e-mouse
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04-13-2006, 08:19 AM #14Eternal Member
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Additional comment: If I ran the country, they would get the following sentence:
- Maximum (unnegotiated) jail term
- All personal assets seized. Half goes to Mrs. Russo, the other half goes into the province's Victim Compensation Fund to help other victims.
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04-13-2006, 08:22 AM #15Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by J-P
In the US, our inmates make like less than $20 a day and it cost us at least $30,000/yr to keep them in a minimum security prison.Sarcasm, the 6th Ponyman of the Apocalypse.
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04-13-2006, 08:24 AM #16
But Mrs Russo wasn't their target. So I am not sure why you are hell bent on maximum jail terms for an "accidental" infliction of severe injury. Had she died even, the one who actually fired the shot would have been up for (wo)manslaughter only. I am not sure what that sentence is worth over there, but over here it aint much.
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04-13-2006, 08:39 AM #17Eternal Member
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Originally Posted by anon-e-mouse
It goes without saying that I do not condone any attempts to murder someone. But if you're going to "whack" someone mob-style for some unpaid gambling debt, then find him, take him into some alley, and do your thing. Instead, they chose to do a driveby. Spraying a sandwich shop with bullets demonstrates an obvious and blatent disregard for human life in general. They (should) know full well that firing a slew of bullets at a shop in midday while driving by in a car will very likely hit some innocent bystanders. This is unconscienable and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
I really feel for this woman, particularly given my circumstances of late. For 4 months, I have been immobile. Since I broke my ankle just before Xmas, I have been in a cast and have had to get around on crutches. It has severely compromised my way of life, and performing daily tasks (that we all otherwise take for granted) has been difficult if not impossible. By comparison, I can only imagine what this poor woman will have to endure for the rest of her life.
My heart bleeds for her. Ergo my draconian and severe suggestions for punishment.
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04-13-2006, 08:54 AM #18Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by anon-e-mouse
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04-13-2006, 10:00 AM #19Web Hosting Master
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And they say Americans are desensitized to violence...
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04-13-2006, 11:13 AM #20Performing Magic in the Cloud
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Money talks and people listen. It's the only true universal language.
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04-13-2006, 02:04 PM #21Web Hosting Master
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Vito,
The thing is if they weren't paying her directly they'd be trying to get in with someone higher up whose corrupt. Money talks. It's a sad, sad situation that even officials (or victims in this weird case) would accept the same for a 'lesser sentence'.
Originally Posted by anon-e-mouse
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04-14-2006, 01:45 AM #22Home Theater Enthusiast
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Originally Posted by anon-e-mouse
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04-14-2006, 01:56 AM #23Web Hosting Master
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Originally Posted by vito