Guy Blows Teammate Away and Only Get 35 Years?

[MylesKnight]

Dotson gets 35 years (http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=ap-playerdeath&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Well, I normally stay away from any sort of serious conversation when it comes to FOFC (this is my fun site), but I had to say something about this..

How is it that someone can shoot somebody in cold blood, claim they were having mental issues, and not end up either in the gas chamber or in prison for the rest of their life?

35 years? This guy will be living amongst the rest of us some day down the road? Geez.

Whatever happened to an eye for an eye? (or something even remotely similar to that).

[miami_fan]

Dotson gets 35 years (http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=ap-playerdeath&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Well, I normally stay away from any sort of serious conversation when it comes to FOFC (this is my fun site), but I had to say something about this..

How is it that someone can shoot somebody in cold blood, claim they were having mental issues, and not end up either in the gas chamber or in prison for the rest of their life?

35 years? This guy will be living amongst the rest of us some day down the road? Geez.

Whatever happened to an eye for an eye? (or something even remotely similar to that).

Plea bargin?

[Samdari]

FYI - 35 years in prison is generally regarded as severe punishment.

[Ksyrup]

Since he pleaded, he had to get something in exchange for not going to trial, didn't he? And I've seen far lesser sentences for something similar, so it's not like he's getting off lightly.

[MylesKnight]

I'm going to say this and then I will leave it alone...

IMHO, if you do that kind of thing to someone you don't deserve to ever see the light of day again as a free human being.

Why should he live and have a chance in life? The kid that he did that do surely won't have that opportunity.

Murder is a pretty darn serious thing and should be handled accordingly.

[cartman]

I'm not 100% certain, but I think he was charged with 2nd degree murder, not 1st degree murder. I am certain that there wasn't a plea bargain, he volunteered to plead guilty without first trying to get a deal from the prosecution.

[Ksyrup]

You take a risk by going to trial, though. What if the jury somehow found that he acted in self-defense and let him off? Then what? 35 years would look pretty damn good, wouldn't it? It's not like the prosecution had the iron-clad choice of 35 years versus life in prison/death row and just decided to take the 35 years because they didn't feel like going to court. Nothing is a sure thing.

[Ksyrup]

I'm not 100% certain, but I think he was charged with 2nd degree murder, not 1st degree murder. I am certain that there wasn't a plea bargain, he volunteered to plead guilty without first trying to get a deal from the prosecution.
And if that's the case, you take what you can get. They obviously didn't feel like they had enough evidence to charge him with 1st degree murder.

[Raiders Army]

I'm going to say this and then I will leave it alone...

IMHO, if you do that kind of thing to someone you don't deserve to ever see the light of day again as a free human being.

Why should he live and have a chance in life? The kid that he did that do surely won't have that opportunity.

Murder is a pretty darn serious thing and should be handled accordingly.
I agree, but I don't think I would be all-inclusive. What if it were a man who killed someone who raped his daughter? Or what if that someone killed his daughter?

[BigJohn&TheLions]

I agree, but I don't think I would be all-inclusive. What if it were a man who killed someone who raped his daughter? Or what if that someone killed his daughter?

Well, if that person was a famous freak he would be found not guilty, then the jury could get their cd's signed!

[Samdari]

I'm going to say this and then I will leave it alone...

IMHO, if you do that kind of thing to someone you don't deserve to ever see the light of day again as a free human being.

Why should he live and have a chance in life? The kid that he did that do surely won't have that opportunity.

Murder is a pretty darn serious thing and should be handled accordingly.

If everyone who was convicted of murder in the country got the death penalty, the legal fees would cripple the country.

[Joe]

I was expecting 10 years max.

[panerd]

Dotson gets 35 years (http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=ap-playerdeath&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Well, I normally stay away from any sort of serious conversation when it comes to FOFC (this is my fun site), but I had to say something about this..

How is it that someone can shoot somebody in cold blood, claim they were having mental issues, and not end up either in the gas chamber or in prison for the rest of their life?

35 years? This guy will be living amongst the rest of us some day down the road? Geez.

Whatever happened to an eye for an eye? (or something even remotely similar to that).

If it was a federal case, then it might be because they need room to hold the man the sentenced to 55 years for selling marijuana last winter. But that crime probably is 157% worse than murder. :confused:

[JonInMiddleGA]

Although I'm open to somone finding better/more current statistics, it appears that this guy actually got slammed pretty hard.

According to this report from the DOJ
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/scscf02.pdf
State Court Sentencing of Convicted Felons, 2002 -- Statistical Tables (Table 1.2)

The mean sentence for murder (incl. negligent homicide) in state courts across the US was 225 months, a bit under 20 years.

[MylesKnight]

In this particular circumstance, the murderer seemed to have killed in cold blood. That is what I am getting at. And if you kill someone in that way, do you deserve to ever be free again? I don't believe so...

How our justice system works (and I use that word very loosely) is almost comical. Hell, this guy may end up doing less time than the black man who stole the old white lady's tv in N.C. did. Now that's justice.

[judicial clerk]

Are you saying that the Texas criminal justice system is too easy on convicts?

[Joe]

Are you saying that the Texas criminal justice system is too easy on convicts?


Of course it is! Texas should have at least twice the executions they have now.

[Raven Hawk]

Everytime I skim the threads, this one catches may attention:

"Guy Blows Teammate . . . "

And I think WTF? And have to read it.

I've said my peace. Go about your business.

[cthomer5000]

Exact opposite with me. I think this is the first time in ten tries i didn't stop reading after seeing "Guy Blows Teammate."

[Deattribution]

Tell him he got off lightly in about 25-30 years and see what his answer is... That's alotta time.

[timmynausea]

The Guy Blows Teammate thing threw me as well. I thought 35 years was pretty steep for that.

[ISiddiqui]

Well it IS Texas.