• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Maryland man gets 10 years for theft of 10 cigarette packs

JacksinPA

JacksinPA

Supporting Member
DP Veteran
Monthly Donator
Joined
Dec 3, 2017
Messages
26,290
Reaction score
16,771
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Progressive
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
 
JacksinPA said:
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
Click to expand...

Don't do the crime if you don't want the time.

News outlets report 36-year-old John Edward Lowe was sentenced Thursday. He was convicted in November of robbery and second-degree assault in the crime. The Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office says it asked for a sentence above the three to seven years recommended by guidelines due to Lowe's public safety risk.
Click to expand...
 
JacksinPA said:
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
Click to expand...


Well, he was initially charged with:

"... armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft, false imprisonment and firearm charges. ..."


He'll probably get out after 5 years ... with good behaviour.

What is "false imprisonment"?
 
JacksinPA said:
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
Click to expand...


He was convicted in November of robbery and second-degree assault in the crime.
 
bongsaway said:
That sounds pretty heartless considering as it currently stands cohen got three years for his antics.
Click to expand...

Cohen made a good plea deal which apparently this violent moron did not.
 
Last edited:
Barnacle said:
Well, he was initially charged with:

"... armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft, false imprisonment and firearm charges. ..."


He'll probably get out after 5 years ... with good behaviour.

What is "false imprisonment"?
Click to expand...

Try The Google: False imprisonment occurs when a person is restricted in their personal movement within any area without justification or consent. Actual physical restraint is not necessary for false imprisonment to occur. ... Under common law, false imprisonment is both a felony and a tort.

The Google is very useful in answering questions of all kinds.
 
JacksinPA said:
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
Click to expand...

It seems the headlines forgot to mention that the man was sentenced to 10 years for second degree assault. Sloppy reporting may be the result of lowered standards, shoddy course materials, and otherwise problematic educational qualities and standards in modern degenerate government institutes of higher learning.
 
He was not jailed for the theft of ten packs of smokes. It was the violence and intimidation
 
The use of violence makes this sentence reasonable. If he had just shop lifted the cigs without assaulting anyone then I would be board with condemning the sentence.
 
Skeptic Bob said:
The use of violence makes this sentence reasonable. If he had just shop lifted the cigs without assaulting anyone then I would be board with condemning the sentence.
Click to expand...

Going to agree with this.

People do stupid ****. There are too many people that, some time in their life, have shop-lifted, or have otherwise done something that they are not proud of, and I'm not interesting in hammering in nails with a sledgehammer, and nor do I want to live in a society where the government punishes it's citizens harshly for mild offenses, but armed robbery is so much more different than simple shop-lifting. Once a person shows a willingness and a habit of using violent means, then Indicates that this might be someone that should be seperated from the rest of society.
 
JacksinPA said:
https://www.apnews.com/a4649a4466be42118bfd532a3fba6d21

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 10 packs of cigarettes from a Wicomico County gas station.
==============================================================
Fitting that I watched a DVD of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado last night. The Mikado's main objective: to let the punishment fit the crime. I wonder if 1 year per pack of cancer sticks will teach this guy a lesson.
Click to expand...

This appears to be verbal assault, attempted theft of money, and theft of less that $100 of product....I could get to 30 days, up to 90 for an extensive criminal record.

Clearly ten years is abuse.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Don't do the crime if you don't want the time.
Click to expand...

i haven't done the crime but still the time seems to be a disproportionate sentence
 
Barnacle said:
Well, he was initially charged with:

"... armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft, false imprisonment and firearm charges. ..."


He'll probably get out after 5 years ... with good behaviour.

What is "false imprisonment"?
Click to expand...

that makes this seem more appropriate
 
The articles on this are all over the place. ie, some only refer to "robbery and second-degree assault" as the convictions, but another (bit of a joke site) says, "He was initially arrested on first and second degree assault charges, robbery, armed robbery, theft and various gun charges including illegal possession and use of a firearm in a felony."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...n-gets-10-years-theft-10-cigarette-packs.html

But it doesn't mention whether he was convicted or acquitted on those charges, whether they were dismissed before trial or whether he separately pled guilty to the other chargers or what.

Now, it's been a while since I touched federal stuff but it would still seem that even if you are acquitted of a charge at federal trial but convicted on another, the judge can still sentence you based on the conduct corresponding to the charge you were acquitted of (an oversimplification). Seems unfair, but the law around federal sentencing is kind of all over the place. Seems like a reasonable summary, at least as far as I skimmed.

Can I be sentenced for a crime I am found not guilty of? - Burnham & Gorokhov, PLLC



At any rate, if that's federally constitutional, it would have to violate a state constitution (or law) for it not to be allowed in that state. I'm not going to spend the time sorting out what exactly happened here, but it sounds like the sentence reflects conduct that he was not convicted of but for which evidence was presented at trial, and the judge took that into consideration.
 
Last edited:
Barnacle said:
What is "false imprisonment"?
Click to expand...

If I come into your home or place of business, or anywhere where you have a legal right to be, and keep you and hold you there against your will, especially if you're either armed or you threaten physical violence, that's false imprisonment.
If I MOVE you to another location against your will, that's kidnapping.
 
Checkerboard Strangler said:
If I come into your home or place of business, or anywhere where you have a legal right to be, and keep you and hold you there against your will, especially if you're either armed or you threaten physical violence, that's false imprisonment.
If I MOVE you to another location against your will, that's kidnapping.
Click to expand...


Thanks, but post #7 was already very helpful in advising me to Google ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom