The “rule of law” loving people don’t usually talk about judges cutting child molestors breaks. usually the rule of law people are taking about soft judges and screaming for mandatory sentencing laws, three strikes, life sentences, etc.
That’s nice that you’re willing to let judges do a little judging. Most people won’t. judges are more and more fearful of giving people–especially admitted child molestors–breaks. And legislators are tying judges hands by forcing jduges to impose mandatory sentences upon conviction, esp. in child molestation cases. That’s good that you’re open minded enough to understand that some child molestors shouldn’t be locked up.
make sure you let the lawyers know next time you’re on jury duty. when the judge asks if you’ll follow the law, as they always do when selecting a jury, stand up loud and proud and let them all know that you intend to follow the spirit as well as the written law, since it is the jurors, and not the judge, who decide the facts in a case in CA, and then take those facts and apply the law… and that if the written law and the “spirit” of the law, as you interpret the spirit to be, conflict, you’ll follow the spirit.
The judge just sentences on the crimes jurors just liek you find to be true! And with mandatory sentences, the ball is in your court to do the right thing!
And let me know how it works out!
My bet (if you say the above speech): defense keeps, prosecutor excuses…if you’re a minority, the defense will accuse the prosecutor of kicking you because you’re a minority and will try to force the judge to keep you. The defense will hope you’re a wacko who can be persuaded to overlook the written law to get to the spirit of the law and hopefully nullify a verdict. bet you didn’t realize you were such a crazy freewheelin’ “liberal wiener”!
