10+ years in prison for killing a tree

[Orleander]

original charges of first degree criminal mischief

Is it overboard or justified?

update

...In May of 2011, Updyke was indicted on two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, a felony charge; two counts of desecrating a venerated object, a misdemeanor charge; and two counts of unlawful damage, vandalism or theft of property from a farm animal or crop facility, a felony charge...

This retired state police officer put enough poison in the ground that it can still be found there up to 5 yrs later

 

[kwhilborn]

He was a Police Officer. They should double it for that.

Give me a ticket eh?

 

[Buddha12]

I would have given him the AX!! LOL

 

[Saturnine Pariah]

Ax? Why not a chainsaw!

 

[Tiassa]

Brief Notes

There are no chainsaws that I know of in college football rivalries. There are, however, axes. It's a lightweight pun.

But we have to remember that these are historic trees of great significance. And we also have to remember that the only reason this guy was charged in the first place was that he was stupid enough to call into a sports radio show, using his real name, and brag about it.

Ten years is probably excessive compared to the sentences one can get for vehicular homicide. The minimum for aggravated vehicular manslaughter in Alabama is two years; the maximum is twenty. One could reasonably kill another driving with a .2 BAC and get seven years.

But, still, for the stupidity alone, it's tempting to say that ten years is fair for the Toomer's Corner poisoning.

 

[Buddha12]

If he got 10 he is eligable in 5 for early release and if he does keep his nose clean and out of trouble that could be reduced even further.

 

[rodereve]

Yeah, it's excessive, but he will definitely get released early imo. The stupid things people do....