UNBELIEVABLE … Limestone County, AL Judge James Woodroof Suspended Sentence of Austin Clem Convicted of Forcible & 2nd Degree Rape from 20 Years to No Prison Time Sentence

If there was ever a story that needed to be categorized as WTF, it is the following one …

JUSTICE? 25 year old Austin Clem had been previously convicted raping a minor Courtney Andrews. The abuse started when she was 13, saying she kept quiet for years because of threats at the hands of her rapist. Clem had sexually abused her at age 13, then raped her twice at age 14 and once at age 18. Austin Clem now faced the sentencing for his crimes, or so everyone thought.  Initially, Limestone County, Alabama Judge James Woodroof handed down a jail terms of 20 years for forcible rape and 10 years each for two second-degree rape charges to run concurrently. Then Judge James Woodroof did the unthinkable. The judge suspended those sentences and instead gave Clem three community corrections sentences of two years plus three years of supervised probation, to be carried out concurrently. Austin Clem must register as a sex offender, but if he follows all the ridiculous suspended sentence guidelines, this rapist will stay out of prison. According to reports at CNN, not only was the victim stunned, so to was the rapist’s defense attorney.

I’m still baffled,” the victim, Courtney Andrews, told CNN. She came forward publicly to express her outrage over Wednesday’s sentencing. “I don’t know how any of this is possible.”

The defense for Austin Clem, 25, was also caught off guard at first.

“Frankly, I think the judge’s sentence was surprising to most everyone in the courtroom,” said Clem’s attorney, Dan Totten.

What the hell was this judge thinking, suspending a sentence from 20 years to 6 years probation and no prison time for forcible and two counts of 2nd degree rape? UNREAL!!! Get this, the lawyer for Clem is actually considering appealing the conviction. It’s not bad enough this POS does not have to serve time in prison, he is whining that the slap on the wrist given is like house arrest. Poor baby.

The lawyer says Clem is considering an appeal on the conviction. He has 30 days from the sentencing to do so.

As the sentence stands, the requirements for community corrections are so stringent that they are in effect a form of house arrest, Totten said.

“It sets a bar so high, I don’t know of a lot of people who could abide by these limitations,” he said.

The county’s district attorney, Brian Jones is “reviewing available options to set aside this sentence and to achieve a sentence that gives justice to our victim.”

Boston Gangster James “Whitey” Bulger Sentenced to Two Life Sentences Plus 5 Years in Prison

BYE, BYE WHITEY …

James Joseph “Whitey” Bulger, the former organized crime figure from South Boston, Massachusetts and head of the Winter Hill Gang was dressed in his orange prison jump suit as he was sentenced today to two life sentences in prison plus five years by a federal judge. Ha, because after 2 life sentences, those extra 5 years just put the cherry on the sundae. The 84 year old Bulger was convicted earlier this year of charges that he participated in 11 murders, drug trafficking, racketeering, money laundering, extortion, and pretty much every crime that took place in South Boston. Good riddance, this man will spend the rest of his life in a cage.

James “Whitey” Bulger … Then and Now

Notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger was sentenced today to two life sentences in prison plus five years by a federal judge who cited the lives that Bulger wrecked as he rampaged for decades through the city’s underworld under the protection of corrupt FBI agents.

The testimony of human suffering that you and your associates inflicted on others was at times agonizing to hear and painful to watch,” said US District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who recited, one by one, the names of the people Bulger murdered.

“The scope, the callousness, the depravity of your crimes, are almost unfathomable,” she said in the stillness of a courtroom filled with teary-eyed relatives of the killer’s victims.

Bulger, 84, was convicted earlier this year of charges that he participated in 11 murders, drug trafficking, racketeering, money laundering, extortion, and other crimes. Bulger fled Boston shortly before his 1995 racketeering indictment. One of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted — along with Osama bin Laden — he eluded a worldwide manhunt until he was captured in June 2011 in Santa Monica, Calif.

The Outlaw and the Lawman from 2001

For those of you not familiar with Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger, the VIDEO below is a good watch. “Whitey” Bulger,
one of the most noted legendary Boston crime bosses, who was the inspiration to the movie, The Departed.”

75 Year Old James Parham Pleads Guilty In Drug, Prostitution Sweep in Senior Citizen Housing Complex in Englewood, NJ

PIMPING AIN’T EASY, ESPECIALLY AT 75 …

Hmm, didn’t we see this in a Soprano’s episode? 75 year old James Parham has please guilty to possession of drugs and providing prostitutes to some of his younger neighbors in the building.In April, 2013,  James Parham and Cheryl Chaney, 66, were arrested on suspicion of running a prostitution ring out of the Tibbs building and possessing cocaine. Parham was evicted from his apartment at the Tibbs building, who was already in the process of being evicted in a matter unrelated to his recent arrest, said Housing Authority Attorney Terrence Corriston. Who says you have to retire at age 65? Good grief.

James Parham, 75, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a nuisance for purposes of engaging in unlawful conduct. Parham allegedly admitted providing prostitutes — mostly young women with crack cocaine habits — to some of his younger neighbors in the building, police said. As part of the Oct. 17 plea, Parham can never return to the senior building at 111 West St. He also is barred from living in any building owned by the Englewood Housing Authority and must pay more than $1,500 in fines.

The sting operation that ensnared Parham, his 66-year-old neighbor and a school crossing guard made national headlines and became joke fodder for late-night comedians. Englewood police have maintained 24-hour patrols in the lower-income senior building since late April that residents say have kept out vagrants and other unwelcome guests. The two women who also were arrested in the sweep pleaded guilty to similar charges in August.

Former Texas District Attorney Ken Anderson Gets 10 Jail Sentence For Prosecutorial Misconduct for Withholding Evidence that Sent Michael Morton to Prison for 25 Years for Murdering his Wife

Hmm, a sentence for 10 days vs. 25 years or 9125 days … doesn’t quite seem like justice, does it?

The NY Times has an interesting editorial regarding prosecutor misconduct. Now although we have always been a victim’s rights advocate and pretty much side against defense attorneys, their sleazy tactics, and their even worse clients, it has to be said that to maintain justice and our legal system prosecutors need to be help to a high standard. Thus we are presented with the situation where former Williamson County, TX District Attorney Ken Anderson was found guilty of prosecutor misconduct. Anderson “intentionally” failed to turn over evidence, even after the judge had ordered so, of a transcript of a phone conversation revealing that the Mortons’ 3 year old son had described his mother’s killer as a “monster” who was not his father. Michael Morton was found guilty of beating his wife to death and sentenced to life in prison. However, in 2010 DNA testing confirmed that Morton was not the killer, but not after he spent almost 25 years in prison. However, for his act of “prosecutorial misconduct” that sent a man to prison for nearly 25 years, Anderson got 10 days in jail. HUH? I guess the public can take solace in the fact that he can never practice law again, but 10 days, really?

For what may be the first time on record, a former prosecutor in Texas is going to jail for failing to turn over exculpatory evidence in a murder trial. The 10-day jail sentence for the prosecutor, Ken Anderson, is insultingly short — the victim of his misconduct, Michael Morton, spent nearly 25 years in prison. But because prosecutors are so rarely held accountable for their misconduct, the sentence is remarkable nonetheless.

In 1987, Mr. Morton was convicted of beating to death his wife, Christine, and sentenced to life in prison. He maintained his innocence, and in 2010 DNA testing confirmed that he was not the killer.

Even before a Texas court vacated Mr. Morton’s conviction, his lawyers alleged that Mr. Anderson, the prosecutor in his case, had deliberately withheld evidence that would have exonerated him. During Mr. Morton’s trial, the judge had ordered Mr. Anderson to turn over any such evidence and received only a few documents in return. In fact, Mr. Anderson possessed many documents he did not turn over, including a transcript of a phone conversation revealing that the Mortons’ 3-year-old son had described his mother’s killer as a “monster” who was not his father.

The sentence for form DA Ken Anderson.

Anderson resigned his office of district judge in September, a job he’d held since leaving his post as Williamson County’s top prosecutor in 2002. Faced with a civil lawsuit and criminal charges stemming from the Morton case, he accepted a deal to satisfy both issues Friday.

As part of the deal signed off on by District Judge Kelly Moore, Anderson pleaded no contest to a 1987 criminal contempt of court charge for lying about evidence that could have cleared Morton. He’s ordered to serve 10 days in jail, pay a $500 fine and complete 500 hours of community service over the next five year.

Anderson has also volunteered to resign from the state bar and give up his ability to practice law. As a result of the deal, he will not be charged with any criminal offense.

As we said above, it is important for prosecutors to be held to a high standard, our legal justice system counts on it. Unfortunately prosecutorial misconduct occurs far too often as some DA’s lose sight of legal ethics to a must win at all cost. Just recently during the George Zimmerman murder trial in the death of Trayvon Martin, we saw that the defense, Mark O’Mare and Don West, were accusing the prosecution of withholding evidence.

Daily Commentary – Wednesday, October 16, 2013 – Ex-San Diego Mayor Bob Filner Pleads Guilty to One Charge of False Imprisonment & Two Counts of Battery

• Disgraced Bob Filner pleaded guilty to charges involving 3 women; one charge of false imprisonment and two misdemeanor counts of battery. “Filthy” Filner finally resigned effective August 30, 2013, even though back in July he did not believe he was guilty of any sexual harassment of woman. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Listen to the podcast below.

Under the plea agreement, Filner will not serve any time behind bars but will spend three months in home confinement, give up most of his mayoral pension and promise never to run for office again.

Filner will also undergo treatment as “directed by a mental health professional” during his three years of probation.