Victim's Photo Part Of Man's Sentence, with lettering that says 'I'm sorry I killed you'

[The Straight Story]

Victim's Photo Part Of Man's Sentence


BARTOW, Fla. -- A man who pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide will have to display a large picture of his victim in his home after serving two years in prison, a judge has ordered.

After getting out of prison, Arthur Pierce, 31, will have to prominently display a photograph at least 2 feet wide of his victim, 17-year-old Chelsi Gregory, wherever he is living. Circuit Judge Robert Doyel said below the photograph must be "respectful lettering that says: 'I'm sorry I killed you."'

Pierce's probation officer will also be allowed to search his residence at any time. If he does not have the photograph displayed, it will be considered a probation violation, Doyel said. An advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Elizabeth Sheetz, requested the photograph be part of Pierce's sentence, according to The Ledger of Lakeland.


Pierce and his cousin Christopher Pierce, 27, were racing on a busy street on the afternoon of March 24, 2005 when they caused the accident that killed Gregory. Witnesses told police Arthur Pierce was swerving in and out of traffic and driving at speeds of about 120 mph, in a 45 mph zone, when his Cadillac collided with a pickup in which Gregory was a passenger.

The prosecutor in the case said alcohol was also a factor, the paper reported.

http://www.local6.com/news/11363189/detail.html

[youngdem]

1. What about a scarlet letter or armband?

[TheMadMonk]

5. What about a sentence that matches the crime?

If I blindfolded myself, picked up a length of 2 by 4 and started swinging at random, caving in someone's skull, I'd go for manslaughter and probably do serious time for my studied recklessness.

Guzzle a dozen beers, get in a car, and floor it whilst making obscene gestures at the tosser I left at the lights choking on burnt rubber and barrel into a crowd:- No problem it was a motor vehicle accident. Hold out your hand. <SLAP>


THE MOTOR CAR IS NOT A FUCKING RIGHT.

[youngdem]

9. seems a cruel and/or unusual sentance to me

If the guy is at risk of forgetting the crime and potentially repeating the mistake (in the opinion of the court) then keep him locked up.

I am completely opposed to public humiliation as part of any sentence. It is cruel, and all it does is further ruin the life of the convicted, and it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to succeed for many convicts, as their neighbors and fellow citizens won't ever give them a fair shot at redemption because the facts of his/her previous crime are constantly being broadcast as reminders.

If you think someone needs more punishment, fine....keep em locked up, make him have community service etc. But these unusual sentances from judges really push the limits on what is constitutional or appropriate.

Killing someone while drunk driving is murder. Just keep the asshole locked up.

[partylessinOhio]

2. That is beyond the pale and will accomplish nothing for the victim.

Who thought it up, Karen Hughes?

Justice is crying.

[MADem]

4. Well, the victim is dead, so that's kinda moot, anyway. NT

[MADem]

3. It's not like the idiot killed the kid deliberately, but that said, the sentence is odd.

And there are plenty of ways to display that picture "prominently" and never see it. Lots of people only use their dining rooms on holidays. Some people have a formal parlor they never use. He could also put it in "his" bedroom, and sleep in another one.

What's "prominently" anyway???

One person's "prominently" is another person's "hidden away" -- it all depends on what part of the house you use.

Although the sentence is light, the family of the deceased can sue civilly and maybe get a Ron Goldman judgement--now THAT, to me, is a better way of handling the horrible situation. Some serious blood money, on top of a sentence.

[TheMadMonk]

6. No it wasn't deliberate. The bloke just did not give a fuck...

for the consequences of his actions.

Murderers at least have a reason for what they do. And to them it's a valid one whatever the rest of us might think.)

This kind of thing is a case of "I'm gonna fuckin' do what I wanna fucking do."

And THAT is the beginning and the end of their thinking.

Once upon a time "accidental suicide" (or a pissed off rellie) took care of such problems, but now the world is "made safe" for such cretins at the expense of the innocents unlucky enough to be in their vicinity when they decide it's time to do what they wanna.

Personally I'd make the bastard wear a tabbard displaying the picture front and back, for a few years, at any time he is in the presence of another person. Nor would it have to be an actual representation, a silhouette is all that's necessary, since the message being conveyed is: "This is a person who kills because he's too stupid to think even a few seconds into the future."

[kiahzero]

7. How about we just brand 24601 into his flesh?

I lost my uncle 5 months ago to a negligent driver who really should have known better (and may have escaped criminal charges due to personal connections), and I can't drum up the level of hate towards him that you have towards this man.

Once upon a time "accidental suicide" (or a pissed off rellie) took care of such problems, but now the world is "made safe" for such cretins at the expense of the innocents unlucky enough to be in their vicinity when they decide it's time to do what they wanna.

Perhaps I'm just not understanding what you're saying, but it really reads like you're advocating murdering the perpetrator here.

[TheMadMonk]

8. Perhaps a "generic" set of lash scars.

To say that the bearer is a stupid self centered arsehole.

Personally I haven't lost anyone. However I do see the innumerable news reports of selfish arseholes who do what they wanna do because they wanna do it and kill or maim others through their actions. If it happens without the aid of a motor vehicle, the idiot generally gets something like what should be coming to him, but with a motor vehicle everything changes.

The nutsac full of testosterone, the skin full of liquor and the demonstrable lack of mental acuity somehow become largely irrelevant when encased in a ton or more of inanimate metal. It's an "accident". Forget about the premeditated drinking, the deliberate metaphorical display of one's wedding tackle, and the blatant lack of forethought. It's an accident and punishing the perp after the fact is not going to bring the victim(s) back to life. Just knowing they've killed someone is punishment enough.

I just had an argument with my boss, who used to be a long haul truckie, today. He quite freely admitted that his driving at 50% over the speed limit and replacing sleep with "speed" to double his income took precedence over the carload of kids he "MIGHT" have find himself parked on top of one day. AND he said that the attitude was rife in the industry. When the worst that "might" happen to him is a year or two on the bench, and a possible short stint in jail he's perfectly willing to bet a couple of grand against someone else's life. And the same mindset seems to apply to just about anyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, and usually for a much smaller return, such as not having to wait 1/2 an hour and shell out $30 for a cab.

So as far as I'm concerned, if that's the price they're willing to place on my child's life, then if they lose their "bet" their life is worth the price of the bullet that they so richly deserve.


By "accidental suicide" I meant that the idiots took themselves out through the exercise of their stupidity. The pissed off rellie comes from a time where communities were small enough that such "personalised" justice was allowed to pass if the general consensus was that it was deserved. (Yes I know that abuses and mistakes happened, but the same continues to happen when everything is properly official. Shit happens.)

[MADem]

10. Well, I think the prison sentence was just too short. But I also think, if you are going to let

someone out, you let them out. Probation might be a method of transitioning the person back into society, but if you're going to continue to "punish" then keep them in jail. Coming up with bullshit "creative justice" is just that, bullshit. It won't bring the kid back, it likely won't make the guy think. and all it does is make the "justice system" (or the clowns behind it) feel righteous to no good end.

Keep 'em in jail, if they need more punishing.

This is more about freeing a bed up in the prison than anything else. Justice "on the cheap."