On crimes and sentencing Paul Shanley got 12-15 years

[dsc]

A person selling 155 grams of crack also gets fifteen years. 155 grams of crack has a street value of 17,250. I am no expert on crack but that hardly sounds like the second coming of Paublo Escobar. While these may sound like unconnected things, they aren't. Every cell which is used to incarcerate minor drug dealers for upteen years is a cell which can't be used to incarcerate the likes of Shanley. I admit to thinking drugs should be legal but even those who don't think that should be disturbed that a low level seller of crack gets the same amount of time in jail as the rapist of a child. How many crack addicts did Shanley help create by his behavior?

figures on drug sentencing

http://www.ndsn.org/march95/crack.html

On edit corrected title and added this link for the sentence in Shandley's case

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6969993 /

One last edit

Shanley will be eligable for parole in 8 years, there is no parole in the federal system. Thus the crack dealer is all but assured of a longer sentence.

edit shandley = shanley

[Bluzmann57]

1. Screw Shanley

He's a friggin' child rapist and should have gotten a stiffer sentence. And as you pointed out, federal crimes usually have stiffer sentencing than most state crimes. Case in point-a guy around here who not only killed his wife but cut up her body and threw parts in the river got 20 years for second degree murder due to Iowa law, but a former world champion boxer from here got 25 years on federal cocaine charges. The murderer is currently out free and clear and the boxer will be in prison until he is at least 62 years old. Very unjust if you ask me.

[dsc]

2. Bingo

But for his age I would be more outraged about Shanley's sentence than I am. Given his age it is likely a defacto life sentence.

[glaeken777]

12. um, it's a death sentence.

Unlike coke fiends, child rapists are marked men in prison... or didn't you know?

Need further proof? John F'in Geoghan, folks.

[autorank]

3. Too bad it wasn't Colorado. You can get death for rape.

Well, isn't this something, a founding member of NAMBLA (most vile organization in the Western world) gets 15 years for serial child molestation and possibility of parole in 8 years. Oh, too bad it wasn't in my state, VA, there is no parole in VA. I don't know how the judge can look at himself in the mirror.

[dsc]

4. actually he was only tried for one victim

so he isn't legally a serial pedeophile (though he indeed is one). Also he could have gotten life and probably did get a defacto life sentence. It is the 30 year olds who get a similar sentence who really are getting off light. BTW how does Colorado get away with a DP for rape? I thought that only murders could qualify due to Supreme Court case law.

[autorank]

5. They should keep trying him for all the offenses.

Kobe Bryant faced a possible death sentence on CO for the accusations he faced. I don't know if the get away with it. Court actions like this are just terrible for the specific victims and all other victims who hear about it. The mild sentence causes people to question the seriousness of the crime. I'm sure they went after this one instance to make sure they got him and got him quickly. He will have a very difficult time in prison.

[dsc]

6. statute of limitations problems

and witness problems are what caused them to use only the one victim. Many abused kids become addicts and criminals and thus aren't the best witnesses. That is what happened to many of Shanley's victims.

[autorank]

10. No doubt. I always wondered why they didn't use RICO to go after

NAMBLA. Strange isn't it?

[dsc]

11. My guess is a lack of profit

I think one of the elements of RICO is money. Otherwise it might be worth a shot.

[autorank]

13. Wish you were right. RICO was broadly expanded. Take a look.

Which raises the question, why didn't the Feds go after them and why didn't the lawyers do the same. I can't imagine that NAMBLA & members were without resources or connection to resources (through the "loose knit group of people" language below). My understanding is that Shanley was an early member of this august group. When it's a Clinton hummer, it's fair game but "Gannon" and NAMBLA seem to be verboten. There has been a lot of local law enforcement activity on child abuse but they have to take a ration of nonsense from the False Memory Foundation folks who claim accusers have bad memories.

RICO stuff:
--------------------------
Section 1962(c) prohibits any defendant person from operating or managing an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity. So long as a civil RICO plaintiff is injured by reason of the defendant's operation or management of the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering, the plaintiff is entitled to treble damages, attorneys' fees and costs under section 1964(c) (commonly referred to as RICO's civil liability provision)

To establish liability under any subsection of section 1962, a plaintiff must allege the existence of an enterprise. As noted above, an enterprise may be an illegitimate enterprise, such as a Mafia family, or a wholly legitimate enterprise, such as a corporation. United States v. Turkette, 452 U.S. 576, 580-81 (1981). Although an enterprise can be a legal entity, such as a partnership, corporation or association, it can also be an individual or simply a relatively loose-knit group people or legal entities. These latter groups are referred to as "association-in-fact" enterprises under the statute. 18 U.S.C. § 1961(4).

http://www.ricoact.com/ricoact/nutshell.asp

[dsc]

14. It sounds like they could be covered

I have no idea.

[Bluebear]

7. Just FYI it's Shanley

His time in prison will not be a happy one. Another Mass. priest was murdered in jail last year.

The deeper tragedy is that Cardinal Bernard Law skated from his culpability. He shuffled around paedophile priests for years and covered the whole thing up...and was rewarded with a cushy post in the Vatican.

Good post.

[dsc]

9. thanks

I fixed the error and agree that Law should be rotting in a cell not serving at one of the most beautiful churches on earth.

[LSdemocrat]

8. Plus a kid got a 30 YEAR sentence for a crime committed when he was TWELVE

What the hell is wrong with this country?

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/02/15/zoloft.trial/index.html

[dsc]

15. kick