Judge Gives Man 60 Years In Prison For Driving With Suspended License (xpost from GD)

[KamaAina]

Not The Onion!

http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/11/judge-gives-man-60-years-in-prison-for-driving-with-suspended-license/#

Florida judge Matthew Destry is being called out for handing down a bizarrely harsh sentence to a young man who stood before him for a crime as minor as driving with a suspended license.

A petition to remove Judge Destry from the bench has been launched by the victim’s family.

They explain that Herbert Smith was sentenced to 60 years in prison for nothing more than a violation of probation due to a drivers license suspension charge.

The sentencing judge, Matthew Destry, presides over the Broward County Clerk of Courts.

Notice anything?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Honestly, I thought this was the Onion.

This is sick.

[SummerSnow]

2. racist through and through

[randys1]

3. u huh

[KamaAina]

6. Neither do some of the libs (?).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027396720#post23

[randys1]

7. If the source is crap then we do need to get a better one.

It is easy for some to instantly dismiss this type of thing because, you know, racism is dead in America.

[KamaAina]

9. Kind of Blue posted the original petition below.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. DU ... sighhhh.

[onemaskdivided]

12. It would be great if we would stop reducing the size of the support group with the term racism.

It would be great if we would stop reducing the size of the support group with the term racism.
THIS SITUATION IS POLITICAL.
Think about who profits most from racism. Not the people-We are stronger united.
The politicians profit. They make money by dividing us to conquer us.
They cannot win the individual so they conquer us in groups.
Throwing people in jail perpetuates another group (of black, white, & brown people) that the politicians
conquer at the poles.
The system is designed to create rule breakers, by implementing policy that forces people to break laws in order to have a descent life. Then they finger point campaign, until we chose a side like we would a team. Pretty soon we are doing their dirty work.

Let's bond together.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

[Number23]

4. Only 60 years!? What a lightweight! Hang 'im, I say! He must serve as a warning to other

black people who think they have the right to do something just because it's minor, it doesn't hurt a soul and it's what EVERY OTHER PERSON in the world has done at least once at some point in their lives.

[NV Whino]

5. Gosh, I dunno. All I see is black and white.

[Kind of Blue]

8. Here's the petition to remove Destry

https://www.change.org/p/howard-c-foreman-remove-judge-matthew-destry-from-the-bench-for-illegally-sentencing-people-of-color

[longship]

10. Note:

Title should be:

Felon with history of multiple violent crimes on parole who was caught with a weapon and driving on suspended license goes back to prison.

But this guy has a rather long rap sheet, was on parole, and was found in possession of a weapon (which alone revokes ones parole in pretty much all 50 states), and drives with a suspended license (which also likely is a parole revoking offense).

However, the question: Is 60 years an appropriate sentence? is certainly appropriate here. Especially if this judge has a history.

I support this appeal, however he was definitely not sentenced to 60 years for only driving on a suspended license. He has a significant rap sheet including multiple armed robberies and was on parole.

Just thought I'd flesh the situation out.

But yes, he likely deserves an appeal.

[Shrike47]

13. Mr. Smith was given 60 years (suspended) for violating probation on several felonies.

He flagrantly violated his probation not only by driving while suspended, but by failing to report to his p.o., associating with known felons, being found in possession of stolen property (his history includes convictions for robbery, burglary, etc), put photos of himself with guns on the internet, and generally blowing off the court entirely.

If you were the judge, what would you do with this guy? If it's your name he had forged, would you want his probation continued? If he had robbed you, would you want him walking around with no supervision?

I repeat, what would you do? 60 years does seem excessive, but the statutory sentencing guideline for his crimes is apparently 13 years. Would you be OK with that?

[Travis_0004]

14. He was on probation for strong arm robbery, grand theft, burglery

I'll be honest. Those crimes should never result in probation, in my opinion. But Mr. Smith agreed to a plea deal. Any guess which judge signed off on the plea deal. It was the same judge, Matthew Destry.

So at least in the past, I think Judge Destry has shown great leniency to smith. I don't agree with 60 years, but the article is misleading. Nobody was sentenced to 60 years for driving on a suspended license.

He was sentenced to 60 years for multiple felonies.