Celebrating a life sentence

[Tiassa]

Source: CNN.com
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/10/26/prison.sendoff.ap/index.html
Title: "Judge throws party, hands down life sentence"
Date: October 26, 2004

A judge threw a party complete with balloons, streamers and a cake to welcome a former fugitive back to her court -- and sentence him to life in prison.

"You just made my day when I heard you had finally come home," Criminal Courts Judge Faith Johnson told Billy Wayne Williams, who had been convicted in absentia of aggravated assault after he disappeared a year ago. "We're so excited to see you, we're throwing a party for you."

Williams, 53, was accused of choking his girlfriend until she was unconscious. He failed to appear for his trial last November and was not captured until Thursday.

CNN.com

Williams' life sentence does not appear to be based solely on his flight from justice, but also a long record with the law. Nonetheless, I'm curious: While this kind of display might be satisfying, is it appropriate?
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Notes:

Associated Press. "Judge throws party, hands down life sentence". CNN.com, October 26, 2004. See http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/10/26/prison.sendoff.ap/index.html
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[Arditezza]

It is inappropriate because it shows bias by a judge against a specific defendant. If she threw a party for everyone that she sentenced to life in prison, that would be a little different.

However, I don't think that anyone should celebrate any sentence. Punishment in prison is not intended to be for revenge, but for keeping the criminal from harming another being. I don't believe that rehabilitation works for violent offenders, and I don't believe in "justice for the family" either. The only thing that prison effectively handles is the access the offender has to innocent victims. As for the family of the victims, or the victims... they need to come to terms with what happened, forgive or find closure and move on. Sentencing someone to spend the rest of their lives with little to no rights at all, is not a reason to rejoice because it is a sign that we have failed.

 

[Dreamwalker]

I agree with that.

 

[Bells]

Williams' life sentence does not appear to be based solely on his flight from justice, but also a long record with the law. Nonetheless, I'm curious: While this kind of display might be satisfying, is it appropriate?

Satisfying for whom exactly? The victim and her family may not agree that a party be thrown in this man's honour, even if it is for his sentencing. I wonder who paid for the party. The Judge or the taxpayers?

And no, it is completely inappropriate. The Judge's actions could indicate bias, giving William grounds to appeal his sentence.

 

[Tiassa]

Like I said. Might.

Some folks do enjoy a chance to mock the object of their scorn, which I think was the point of this party. I keep waiting for something else to occur to me, but in the meantime there's no point in recycling Arditezza's post: it speaks well enough. My version would just be longer and needlessly abstract.

 

[robtex]

Tissa you revealed something that is not that uncommon. I was a state employee for a while and saw things down here in Texas that were just as flagerant. I met defense lawyers who spent a considerable amount of time trying to keep certain clients out of certain courts because the judge did have a noticable bias to them.

Than I realized something. There is no way for them not to have a bias of some sort. Weather it be against the defendant, the plainiff, any of the lawyers involved or the penalty range for the crime the accused is standing trial for.

It would be like asking me to lighten up on my gun control soapbox or President Bush to keep God out of his speeches. It just isn't reality.

One of the biggest protections is the penalty range. That for the accused crime there is an absolute max and absolute minimum punishment allowed by law. It can't be circumnavigated. In this case, Williams skipped out on them and there is no denying that and whatever penalty he got tacked on was probably in the appropiate penalty range.

The appeal process, which as I understand must have new evidence in light of the first prosecution can get some trials into another courtroom

I remember reading 12 years ago about Dee Morris a lawyer that fought the KKK in Alabama (and maybe Georgia?) from the Southern Poverty Law Center in the 1970,s. He was having trouble with crimminal cases because the judges in the rural areas were either KKK members or sympathisers. He instead sued the KKK in civil court over murder cases. I remember in his book Klanwatch, he sued and won money for a mother whos child was hung from a tree by the klan. He stated in the book he just couldn't get crimminal convictions.

I am not familar with change of venue law other than it is can be used to get a high profile case out of a particular city but maybe it could be expanded to get a case out of a particular court.

All local judges have to be elected every so many years. The best thing you can do your for your local area is vote as simple as that sounds. Do a google search for the incumbant and others and see what you find. If I googled that for the dallas judge i would be strongly inclinded to vote for the opponet(s).

within the context of your article presented it was very unprofessional irregardless of how sure the case was. While it does not mean Williams should be let off the hook it certainly shows a high level or arrogance and disregard for the public who put that judge into office.