January 07, 2006

Criminal Victims and Other Such Stupidity

I'm sorry to need to update you on the story I brought you here and here.  Where we left off was that this in-home childcare provider, April Rogers, had murdered a 6-month-old little boy left in her care.  She had tried to pin his injuries and subsequent death on a toddler in the daycare, but eventually got caught.  Following her arrest, it was revealed that she was also pregnant and used that as an excuse to attempt to reduce her bond, which was denied by the judge.  Her original plea was "not guilty" even though she admitted she had slammed this innocent 6-month-old's head repeatedly into the floor.  Her new plea?  Not responsible by reason of insanity. 

The former home day care operator charged in the death of a six-month old boy has changed her plea.

April Rogers initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of felony child abuse resulting in death.

She changed her plea to not responsible by reason of insanity.

She will be evaluated to determine whether depression was a factor. Investigators say Rogers admitted to shaking Alex Tay and slamming the baby's head against the floor.

The "not responsible by reason of insanity" plea is such a bullshit plea and in my mind shouldn't even exist.  Um, don't you think anyone who kills anyone is theoretically insane?  Do you think it is sane to kill your own parents (Menendez brothers)?  Do you think it's sane to stalk and murder dozens of women (Ted Bundy, I-5 killer, BTK killer)?  Do you think it's sane to murder men and eat them for dinner (Dahmer)?  Do you think it's sane to beat an innocent six-month-old child's head repeatedly into the floor until he is dead (Rogers)?  NO!  But if a person commits, and ADMITS, to any of these crimes, they are responsible and should be charged and sentenced accordingly.  If there is something wrong with a person's mental condition - Rogers' case suggests post-pardem, depression, and hormonal changes with her 4th pregnancy - I think it's much more prudent to protect others from the potential harm that person could induce versus slapping them in a hospital a few months and declaring them "cured" or "rehabilitated."

Just thinking about this case, and how it could potentially progress infuriates me because of the protection and leniency that tends to be shown to these "victim" criminals.  There's also this huge focus on "rehabilitation" for the criminal so he or she can go back into society.  Did you happen to read the story of the man who repeatedly raped a child for years and only got a sixty day sentence?

A sexual deviant who repeatedly abused a child over a four-year period got a slap on the wrist in a Vermont courtroom this week and will be free to walk the streets in as few as 60 days. That is an appalling and unacceptable outcome.

Mark Hulett of Williston admitted to assaulting the girl for years, beginning when she was only 6. Prosecutors wanted Hulett jailed for eight years, although he could have received life in prison. But when the Corrections Department refused to offer treatment to Hulett in jail, Judge Edward Cashman set the jail term at a minimum of 60 days -- with a clear emphasis on the shorter sentence and conditions that included treatment for his deviancy.

This judge placed the interests of the criminal ahead of the child.  This beast ruined this child's life by repeatedly raping her from the age of six to the age of ten and now this heathen could be walking the streets with the same child in as few as 2 months.  What does the judge have to say about his decision?

Cashman said he's more concerned now about rehabilitation.

"The one message I want to get through is that anger doesn't solve anything. It just corrodes your soul," Cashman told a packed Burlington courtroom made up mostly of people related to the victim.

How could you NOT be angry and want justice for a monster who willingly rapes a six year old and continues to do it for years?  But because there's some inkling of insanity or because he may be able to be rehabilitated we should be okay letting him hang out in jail for 60 days?  This girl was terrorized for FOUR YEARS already.  This judge has effectively sentenced her to a life of worrying that she'll see this man standing on the street before her each time she turns a corner.  And in the case of April Rogers, should she get some kind of reduced sentence, or time spent in a mental hospital, it could put her back into society sooner where she will have access to someone else's child, or even her own.

My thought?  If someone commits a crime such as these, they should be able to plea and be tried with pleas of guilty or not guilty.  If they are found guilty time should be served appropriate to the crime.  If part of that sentence is treatment for mental disorders, so be it.  But it shouldn't allow them to not take responsibility for the crime they committed and admitted to.  They should be held responsible and serve the time appropriate to the act.  After all, no one can bring little six-month-old Alex Tay back and no one can erase the harm caused to a young girl who was raped for four years.  BUT, justice should be delivered and criminals should be held responsible for the acts they commit.  No matter what.