Punishment disproportionate to the crime?
Posted by Kirk M on 21 Feb 2007 | Tagged as: The News
I read a news story today in the Google News roundup about a women whose husband is currently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq that came into some trouble with the law down in Virginia. Seems she was cutoff twice in traffic (three kids in the car along with sister-in-law(?), 6 months pregnant in passenger seat an having early contractions—story differs) lost her temper and chucked a McDonalds cup full of ice at the offending car. To wit:
STAFFORD, Va. (AP) - A woman who hurled a McDonald’s cup of ice into a car that cut her off in traffic was sentenced to probation instead of prison Wednesday. Jessica Hall, 25, could have gotten two years behind bars after being convicted last month of maliciously throwing a missile - the cup of ice - into an occupied vehicle in what was dubbed the “McMissile” case. No one was injured in the incident last July on Interstate 95. Hall thanked Judge Frank A. Hoss Jr. and wept after he put her on probation for five years. She has been in jail since Jan. 4.
Now I don’t know about you but this seems to be a bit disproportionate to the crime. I’m not saying she shouldn’t be brought to task for hurling an object into another car but in the other like articles I read state that the woman had absolutely no priors, squeaky clean record and yet they threw her behind bars for over a month for tossing a cup of ice at a driver who cut her off twice. Perhaps I’m somewhat oversensitive to what a woman who’s husband is in the service (especially combat) goes through everyday but I have to wonder if things got out of hand just a tad. In case your wondering, I’m a veteran and male. I also have to wonder who was taking care of the kids? And as much as I try not to—I wonder if her skin color had been white, would she have spent anytime in jail at all? And by the way—My skin is white.
No offense here. I’m just thinkin’.
Possibly Related Matter
No Comments »
