• 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!

Teen Sentenced to Probation for Hate Crime Live Streamed on Facebook- Appropriate Sentence?

Was Brittany Covington's Sentence of 4 years probation appropriate for the crime she took part in?

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
truthatallcost said:
I'm not so sure anyone would be giving her a second chance, had she been white and committed the same crime against a black person. I also agree with ttwtt that her sentence shouldn't be about rehabilitating her, but rather about keeping her away from potential future victims.

Rehabilitating psychopaths is a losing proposition, and only a psychopath would kidnap a disabled man, torture him, live stream it, and then expect leniency.
Click to expand...

That's a hard statement to argue against because there's a lot of truth in that.

I typically, however, have a soft spot for youngsters and like to give them a second chance. If she slips up during her probation -- and four years is a long time -- her sentence will revert back to prison. I'm assuming, anyway. If she doesn't violate her probation, perhaps she can go on to lead a productive life.

What she did was horrifically wrong, and you may be right that they'd throw the book at a white teen who did it, but that, too, I think would be harsh.
 
truthatallcost said:
Was Covington's sentence of 4 years probation appropriate?
Click to expand...

I wasn't in the court room for this case, and I try to be careful not to rely rely too much on media reports as they are frequently sensationalist or otherwise misleading.
I recall another recent case where a couple of rednecks were given long sentences for making threats and brandishing weapons near a childrens party. Seemed a bit harsh seeing as nothing actually happened, but not having any more information I'm generally ok with it. However the perpetrators in this case decided to film themselves. They not only made threats and brandished weapons, they acted on those threats and used the weapons, and from what I read the crime did not stop because they let the victim go, but only because he was able to escape himself. As far as I'm concerned it should be treated as kidnapping and torture with no mitigating circumstances. There may have been intent to murder as well, but that would be hard to prove unless a body disposal kit was found at the scene or someone blabbed (plea bargain?).

I'm not in favor of the death penalty in peace time. Not because there aren't plenty of people who deserve to not exist, but because systemically, justice systems are imperfect. However, a lifetime sentence with the posibility of parole after 10 years or so (some people do change) would be fine with me. Also, unless there was a phenomenal explanation for the lenient sentence, I would also investigate the judge for various biases and have him disbarred and charged if pertinent.

Guess we'll have to see what happens with the rest of the assailants.
 
HowardBThiname said:
It's not racist. It's a fact. When you get to the point where you have to tiptoe around reality, you've lost your way. The fact is, the false narrative incited a number of blacks, but not intelligent ones -- those blacks were going about their lives and ignoring the ones who were acting out. The unthinking one (the reactionary ones) were the ones buying into the narrative and acting out like this girl did -- or in other unacceptable ways. Did you fail to see the news during that period? Is the group Black Lives Matter a racist group because it contains the word, "black?"

Start using your brain and quit being a lemming.
Click to expand...

This and other crime takes conscious thought (criminal intent). To assert that some blacks lack the ability to resist random felony violence or, in this case, using a human voodoo doll to exact some revenge against "white people" and/or the POTUS. This adult person, who happens to be black, confessed to committing a hate crime and aggravated battery. A felony conviction deserves a felony sentence.

You are implying, if not outright asserting, that some "unintelligent blacks" lack free will and thus equal criminal responsibility under the law for "normal" people. That form of racism, considering (unintelligent?) blacks as lacking the basic human trait of free will, or the ability of "normal" people to resist committing violent felonies. There was no evidence presented by you or others that this convicted felon lacked the basic intellect to be held criminally responsible for her actions - thus accepting her voluntary guilty plea. You seem to be offering her some sort of extremely racist "temporary insanity" defense simply because the self confessed perp was black.

The idea that violent and unthinking (criminally insane?) folks deserve probation because they happen to be black is racist to the extreme. The racism of having lower than basic human intelligence (free will?) expectations for (some?) blacks is perhaps its most harmful form.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
This and other crime takes conscious thought (criminal intent). To assert that some blacks lack the ability to resist random felony violence or, in this case, using a human voodoo doll to exact some revenge against "white people" and/or the POTUS. This adult person, who happens to be black, confessed to committing a hate crime and aggravated battery. A felony conviction deserves a felony sentence.

You are implying, if not outright asserting, that some "unintelligent blacks" lack free will and thus equal criminal responsibility under the law for "normal" people. That form of racism, considering (unintelligent?) blacks as lacking the basic human trait of free will, or the ability of "normal" people to resist committing violent felonies. There was no evidence presented by you or others that this convicted felon lacked the basic intellect to be held criminally responsible for her actions - thus accepting her voluntary guilty plea. You seem to be offering her some sort of extremely racist "temporary insanity" defense simply because the self confessed perp was black.

The idea that violent and unthinking (criminally insane?) folks deserve probation because they happen to be black is racist to the extreme. The racism of having lower than basic human intelligence (free will?) expectations for (some?) blacks is perhaps its most harmful form.
Click to expand...

What a steaming pile of race-baiting hogwash. I hope you feel better after you took that mental dump.

Are some blacks less intelligent than others? Of course. Just as some whites are less intelligent than others.
Are less intelligent people more likely to fall prey to sensationalism in the media? Of course. No matter what their race.
Are more intelligent people (of any race) more likely to seek peaceful solutions? Of course.

As far as your last paragraph -- you just pulled that right out of your ass, because I didn't advocate anything of the sort. I advocated giving teens a second chance, white or black or blue.

The only reason I can think of that you would jump off the cliff with these bogus accusations is that you actually feel them to be true, yourself. This entire post appears to be you -- projecting your racial insecurities outward.

Here's another little ditty for your racially insecure agenda -- I also feel as though the whites who take part in neo-nazi groups are less intelligent than the majority of other whites, yet I will still advocate that a teen who joins up with that mindset and commits a crime such as the black girl committed, be given a second chance.

Next time, engage your brain before post. :roll:
 
HowardBThiname said:
That's a hard statement to argue against because there's a lot of truth in that.

I typically, however, have a soft spot for youngsters and like to give them a second chance. If she slips up during her probation -- and four years is a long time -- her sentence will revert back to prison. I'm assuming, anyway. If she doesn't violate her probation, perhaps she can go on to lead a productive life.

What she did was horrifically wrong, and you may be right that they'd throw the book at a white teen who did it, but that, too, I think would be harsh.
Click to expand...

Prison or not, I doubt she will be getting a job of any kind in the near future, or even after that.

The internet lives forever.
 
She should have gone to prison. Attacking someone is a crime that probation is not acceptable for.
 
Mason66 said:
Prison or not, I doubt she will be getting a job of any kind in the near future, or even after that.

The internet lives forever.
Click to expand...

The impact of her crime will probably affect her life forever, so even if she easily gets off the hook for this one, (not saying she should), she'll still be suffering later in her career.
 
Soopairik said:
The impact of her crime will probably affect her life forever, so even if she easily gets off the hook for this one, (not saying she should), she'll still be suffering later in her career.
Click to expand...

I don't know about that. Attributing normal human feelings of guilt to a beastie hood rat has backfired more than once.
 
Soopairik said:
The impact of her crime will probably affect her life forever, so even if she easily gets off the hook for this one, (not saying she should), she'll still be suffering later in her career.
Click to expand...

No she won't; It'll be forgotten soon enough. I doubt she has much of a conscience anyways, so it won't bother her in the least. Right now she's probably happy she beat the rap. And she might be able to turn it into celebrity status or even make a few bucks off it. Society celebrates bad behavior.
 
It's hard to say whether the sentence was too light or not. I can think of some circumstances that, in conjunction with this crime, as horrific as it is, might lead me to think her sentence is appropriate. For example, if I learned that she had been generally a good kid, had recently fallen in with a bad crowd, and had, in some convincing way, expressed guilt and remorse for her role in the crime. As specifically to the latter, I do not mean making a public show of guilt and remorse. But, for example, if she had turned herself in, and was an emotional wreck in doing so, explaining that she had done something horrible, then I might think probation and a stern warning would straighten her out.

On the other hand, if she showed no remorse, or had had other run-ins with the law, or etc., then this sentence is too light. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the case to distinguish.
 
HK.227 said:
I wasn't in the court room for this case, and I try to be careful not to rely rely too much on media reports as they are frequently sensationalist or otherwise misleading.
I recall another recent case where a couple of rednecks were given long sentences for making threats and brandishing weapons near a childrens party. Seemed a bit harsh seeing as nothing actually happened, but not having any more information I'm generally ok with it. However the perpetrators in this case decided to film themselves. They not only made threats and brandished weapons, they acted on those threats and used the weapons, and from what I read the crime did not stop because they let the victim go, but only because he was able to escape himself. As far as I'm concerned it should be treated as kidnapping and torture with no mitigating circumstances. There may have been intent to murder as well, but that would be hard to prove unless a body disposal kit was found at the scene or someone blabbed (plea bargain?).

I'm not in favor of the death penalty in peace time. Not because there aren't plenty of people who deserve to not exist, but because systemically, justice systems are imperfect. However, a lifetime sentence with the posibility of parole after 10 years or so (some people do change) would be fine with me. Also, unless there was a phenomenal explanation for the lenient sentence, I would also investigate the judge for various biases and have him disbarred and charged if pertinent.

Guess we'll have to see what happens with the rest of the assailants.
Click to expand...

This is a problem I never see any resolution too. When will judges who are not upholding the law going to be investigated and punished for their crimes against society?
 
jdog21 said:
This is a problem I never see any resolution too. When will judges who are not upholding the law going to be investigated and punished for their crimes against society?
Click to expand...

I'm no expert, but I suspect that most countries have the possibility of convening special tribunals for some specific task, which does not have to consist of Bar members, and which may or may not have the power to dispense justice as long as it follows existing law.
Normally members of Bars police their own, but I suppose you could convene a special tribunal if their integrity came into question. I imagine it would require some sort of majority vote to make legal and would cause quite a stir.
 
truthatallcost said:
Brittany Covington, the Chicago teenager who live streamed the racially motivated kidnap & torture of a mentally disabled man, was sentenced to 4 years probation, and ordered to 'dont do that again!'

Video footage of the torture included the attackers shouting "**** Trump" and "**** white people". One of the suspects contacted the victim's mother and demanded a $300 ransom for the victim's return. Although the Facebook Live stream only lasted 28 minutes, the victim was tied up for hours.

The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked, stabbed in the arm, cut on the head with a knife, and forced to drink toilet water from a toilet bowl like a dog.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Chicago_torture_incident

Mentally disabled victim is pictured in left and center, Brittany Covington is pictured right

chicago-hate-crime-759.jpg


Was Covington's sentence of 4 years probation appropriate?

https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/woman-gets-probation-in-facebook-hate-crime-case/
Click to expand...


Whatever happened to community service as a condition of probation? IMO, that should be a hard and fast requirement of any sentence of a young person that is given probation as their only sentence.
 
holbritter said:
Whatever happened to community service as a condition of probation? IMO, that should be a hard and fast requirement of any sentence of a young person that is given probation as their only sentence.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Community service teaches them how to interact with their fellow citizens and that others have feelings as well. I think it should be mandatory.
 
rocket88 said:
You guys keep saying hate crimes are bogus and now...

Lets be honest. If they had said "Trump is Great" you'd have a totally different opinion.
Click to expand...

...and so it starts.
It is all Trump's fault they did this.
or so you say.
 
holbritter said:
Whatever happened to community service as a condition of probation? IMO, that should be a hard and fast requirement of any sentence of a young person that is given probation as their only sentence.
Click to expand...

She probably wouldn't be capable of fulfilling community service, and then end up with revocation of probation. The judge knew what he was doing.
 
truthatallcost said:
Brittany Covington, the Chicago teenager who live streamed the racially motivated kidnap & torture of a mentally disabled man, was sentenced to 4 years probation, and ordered to 'dont do that again!'

Video footage of the torture included the attackers shouting "**** Trump" and "**** white people". One of the suspects contacted the victim's mother and demanded a $300 ransom for the victim's return. Although the Facebook Live stream only lasted 28 minutes, the victim was tied up for hours.

The victim was repeatedly punched and kicked, stabbed in the arm, cut on the head with a knife, and forced to drink toilet water from a toilet bowl like a dog.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Chicago_torture_incident

Mentally disabled victim is pictured in left and center, Brittany Covington is pictured right

chicago-hate-crime-759.jpg


Was Covington's sentence of 4 years probation appropriate?

https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/woman-gets-probation-in-facebook-hate-crime-case/
Click to expand...

She's 19; no it was not appropriate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom