Post-Katrina Looters Get 15 Years For Alcohol Theft

[Roon]

KENNER, La. -- Three people convicted of hauling away liquor, wine and beer from a grocery store after Hurricane Katrina were sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison.

The judge said he wanted to send a message that looting would not be tolerated when he gave the maximum sentence to Coralnelle Little, 36, Rhonda McGowen, 42, and Paul C. Pearson, 36, all of Kenner.

A jury convicted the trio May 2 on a portion of the state's looting law that took effect two weeks before the Aug. 29 storm. The amended law set a three-year minimum sentence, and a maximum of 15 years in prison, for looting during a declared state of emergency.

They were convicted of attempting to leave the grocery with 27 bottles of liquor and wine, six cases of beer and one case of wine coolers, six days after Katrina made landfall.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9444847/detail.html

There's a poll too!

[Crazy Dave]

1. Only in America...

...where you see crooks that steal a six pack or someone caught with a marijuana joint get ten years or more versus many child rapists that frequently only get about two years and then probation.

[Elidor]

2. What a barbaric sentence

Wrong on so many levels. That judge is a callous asshole.

And 48% of the people who took the poll think it's a fair sentence??? This country is fucking whacked.

[LaurenG]

3. Jeebus H

Murderers get off with a lessor sentence.

May the judge be abandoned by the US government while stranded in the middle of a watery grave WITHOUT anything to make him feel better at all.

[NNadir]

4. And the Washington looters will get what sentence?

I don't approve of looting, of course, and I believe these guys should be punished, but the punishment should fit the crime.

I note that keeping these guys in prison is going to cost a lot of money.