Sharpe James guilty on all charges

Maybe one day (0.00 / 0)

he'll go to prison.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 17:57:29 PM UTC

I agree, but gun makes for bad example (0.00 / 0)

Sticking a gun in someone's face is worse than using a ball-point pen. But James should be treated the same as anyone else who steals a large amount of money without a violent confrontation. Such as someone who orgainzed and participated in looting a jewelry store when it was closed. And that probably means he should be locked up as we speak.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 18:32:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I disagree (0.00 / 0)

at least someone who robs another in person has the guts to do it face to face.  James, and his corrupt weasle-pals, don't have that much manhood.  They hide in their offices and rob us as surely as if they had a gun in our face, but without the personal danger to themselves.  If anything, they are worse than a petty thug.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 19:46:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

What about other threats with a gun? (0.00 / 0)

I'd consider any credible, immediate threat to take someone's life, regardless of it's for the purpose of robbery, worse than theft. Do you disagree with that?

I'm guessing you do disagree, or possibly hadn't thought about it. Because if the threat of murder isn't worse than theft, I don't see how the combination of the threat and theft can be worse than theft alone.

OK, I guess I do. James is worse than other thieves in that he betrayed the public trust, such as it is. But I disagree if you say that that's worse than threatening someone's life.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 19:57:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

When you rob someone with a pen (4.00 / 1)

you rob them of their life, too.  How many people have lost homes or have not been able to afford them because of the corruption tax implemented by James?

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 20:29:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thurman Is Right... (0.00 / 0)

Far more cumulative pain, suffering and damage is done by white collar crimes and political corruption than by all the armed robbers, muggers and murderers.

In a just world, crimes committed by "the pen" could/should be punished even more harshly than those committed by one on one violence.

An armed mugger who pistol whips their victim is a criminal who needs to be jailed, yes...no one disputes that.

A corporate executive who implements a policy that poisons millions of children and results in a small percentage of them dying in the short run and a larger per centage becoming ill or disabled or having shorter lifespans is gulity of a crime against humanity and deserves life imprisonment.

I don't believe in the death penalty.  If I did I would use it in the second instance.

People who take an oath of office and betray that oath are far more of a cumulative threat to our local/state/national security than any individual murderer.

From my perspective, any politician or public official (this includes cops) found guilty of taking a bribe or of abusing/corrupting their office in any way should be hit with a MINIMUM of ten years imprisonment for a first offense....and there should be no parole for these criminals and they should not be allowed to do their time in segregated pleasant country club.

And the higher the office, the longer the sentence.

As it is, most of the corporate types who lie and cheat and steal get off scot free and the corporation just pays a big fine or pays money to the victims or just goes out of business.   The actual human beings who made the decisions hardly ever go to jail.

I could go on at great length here, but I'll spare y'all a "treatise".

Think about it.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 21:24:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We mostly agree (0.00 / 0)

The corporate executive deserves to be convicted of multiple counts voluntary manslaughter (or whatever her/his state's equivalent) is, and spend the rest of her/his life in prison.

Strictly financial crime, whether done by the powerful or not, is less egregious than crime that more directly causes physical damage.

And yes, using the power of the state to commit crimes is a large aggravating factor. But the amount of money that James has been convicted of stealing does not measure up to a credible threat with a gun in my book.

I suspect that James did in fact steal enough so that it might surpass the crime of our theoretical mugger. But you punish people for what they've been convicted of, not what you suspect they did.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 22:10:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Remember they got Capone for tax evasion (0.00 / 0)

Very rarely does an evil man get convicted of their most offensive crime.  Do you think these land deals are the worst or only think Sharpe James did?  Do you think having a no-show job was the worst think Wayne Bryant did?

No, but according to our legal system, it is the only thing we could"get them for".  

Be happy these two criminals are no longer in office.  

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by: AreYouWithMe? @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 22:56:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Corruption Tax (0.00 / 0)

is costing everyone dearly.  Politicians who steal from constituents by their corrupt dealings leave less money to pay for things like the general welfare of the community.  That hurts us all in so many ways.  
Those who participate in Pay to Play are just as guilty.  BlueBergen, I'm looking in your general direction.....

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Thu Apr 17, 2008 at 13:06:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

In any case (0.00 / 0)

In any case, I think I won't be the only one who feels the way I do. So I think your newspaper column, though essentially right, could have persuaded more people with an different example.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 19:58:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks for the feedback n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Thurman Hart @ Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 20:30:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]