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I'm not American, but I don't understand, how did this man get those 6 years added in a tribunal? Did he go to court? I mean what kind of legal people put this

by jokoon 9y ago

I'm not American, but I don't understand, how did this man get those 6 years added in a tribunal? Did he go to court? I mean what kind of legal people put this guy in jail for that? I mean did anybody blink on it? Sure the law is a problem, but I don't see what motivations the justice system can have to apply the law like that, can somebody explain it to me?

mcheshier 9y ago
It's difficult to tell from the article. Unfortunately in the USA the poor don't have the same ability to defend themselves as the rich, and it often skews along racial lines. We also have repeat offender laws that can catch up reformed criminals as well as repeat ones.
- Clubber 9y ago
  I would say most of the middle class doesn't have the ability to legally defend themselves either. They might be able to, but it's financially catastrophic. You can pay a lawyer to plea for you, but if it goes to trial, it could be in the 10s of thousands. It all depends on how long the prosecutor can draw out the trial. Also keep in mind while this is going on, you've probably been fired, so you don't have any income to pay for it, so it depends on how much you have saved. (You probably won't get a loan with no job). https://www.thumbtack.com/p/criminal-defense-attorney-cost https://www.thumbtack.com/p/criminal-defense-attorney-cost
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
Clubber 9y ago
>I don't see what motivations the justice system can have to apply the law like that, can somebody explain it to me? They're chasing statistics to make themselves and their departments look better. If you can't measure the important things, the important things become what you can measure.
ringaroundthetx 9y ago
Oh you understand, getting sent to the Gulag was more democratic than what poor Americans deal with.
_ph_ 9y ago
Well, that is the problem with the system. There are many vague laws but with this one, not only certain policemen try hard to apply it to people, but they also get supported by the judges. It shouldn't be hard to distinguish between the original knives banned by the law and a broken pocket knife. That people get punished for just owning a broken pocket knife makes it look very intentional.

by jokoon 9y ago

mcheshier 9y ago

It's difficult to tell from the article. Unfortunately in the USA the poor don't have the same ability to defend themselves as the rich, and it often skews along racial lines. We also have repeat offender laws that can catch up reformed criminals as well as repeat ones.

Clubber 9y ago
I would say most of the middle class doesn't have the ability to legally defend themselves either. They might be able to, but it's financially catastrophic. You can pay a lawyer to plea for you, but if it goes to trial, it could be in the 10s of thousands. It all depends on how long the prosecutor can draw out the trial. Also keep in mind while this is going on, you've probably been fired, so you don't have any income to pay for it, so it depends on how much you have saved. (You probably won't get a loan with no job). https://www.thumbtack.com/p/criminal-defense-attorney-cost https://www.thumbtack.com/p/criminal-defense-attorney-cost

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

Clubber 9y ago

>I don't see what motivations the justice system can have to apply the law like that, can somebody explain it to me? They're chasing statistics to make themselves and their departments look better. If you can't measure the important things, the important things become what you can measure.

ringaroundthetx 9y ago

Oh you understand, getting sent to the Gulag was more democratic than what poor Americans deal with.

_ph_ 9y ago

Well, that is the problem with the system. There are many vague laws but with this one, not only certain policemen try hard to apply it to people, but they also get supported by the judges. It shouldn't be hard to distinguish between the original knives banned by the law and a broken pocket knife. That people get punished for just owning a broken pocket knife makes it look very intentional.