Paul Hodgkins sentencing — the first felony sentencing in the Capitol investigation — is now underway. pic.twitter.com/8nXFApX6kA
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) July 19, 2021
And just a reminder of what case this is:Judge Moss: There is no existing benchmark for the court to apply. This is the first felony sentencing for the Capitol attack. This case defies comparison to any garden-variety obstruction cases.
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) July 19, 2021
It is NOT this "case":People are generally comparing it to the sentencing guidelines in their heart. The truth is there is little to compare it to — 1/6 is unique — but it doesn’t surprise me for a first-time offender who didn’t personally use violence. https://t.co/1DvSpvDmwq
— HatIsNotIntoCoups (@Popehat) July 19, 2021
There are over 500 cases coming: each one is an individual case. This is not a "corporate" (and not in the sense of "corporation") crime where we can charge all 500 defendants with the same offense. This is not “kill ‘em all, let God sort ‘em out.” Each case has to be charged and presented individually. This guy was not charged with violent overthrow of the government. He was charged, basically, with trespassing. He wasn’t charged with any act of violence. He was charged with being where he shouldn’t have been. We don’t kill people for that. We don’t bury people under the jail for that.8 months for trying to violently overthrow our government 🙄 https://t.co/4kVVarLGTx
— Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) July 19, 2021
Other people will face sedition charges, or more serious charges for acts of violence. But not all 500+ people are all guilty of the same serious crime.
Perspective, people. Or you’re gonna have blood pressure problems before this is all over. Some people in this are very bad actors. Some of them were just useful idiots. He’s going to jail. Take the win. There are going to be a lot of them.
I'd have liked to see him get at least the 15 months. I'll take your advice on the blood pressure, I've pretty much given up listening to the MSNBC pirates on Youtube because of that. I get worked up enough reading the news. Cut my sodium intake, too.
ReplyDeleteMoss is an Obama appointment, a Yalie. I like to keep track of who appointed who, sometimes that seems relevant.
Trial judges face review by higher courts . They are usually quite aware of that. The Supremes face no review from anyone. They are also quite aware of that. Judges get reversed for being too harsh; seldom for being too lenient.
DeleteGotta admit, I still have problems with people being put in jail. I think we do it too freely, to control (“punish”) those we simply disagree with. Which is not the same as saying this guy should walk.
When my brother was going to a Quaker meeting one of the ladies who ran a prisoner visitation program asked him to visit someone who was from the same town we were in. He asked who, she gave him the name and he said it would be a mistake that he'd had run-ins with him as a little brat on the school bus and he doubted he'd take it well. I'd had trouble with the little punk too, I wasn't as nice, I said if she'd asked me I'd have said prison was probably the right place for him. Though I'd have to reconsider now that I've converted.
DeleteI think the insurrection was dangerous enough and violent enough that punishment strong enough to deter is required. If there aren't some pretty stiff sentences handed down I'll think it's entirely relevant to compare what they got to what People of Color got for similar or even lesser offenses. It's one of the things I worry about that the sentences white judges hand down to white terrorists and insurrectionists will make that question legitimate.