unfair sentencing

[skamp438]

What is the name of your state? California, (but I live in las vegas now)
My 60 year old friend was convicted of felony assault and resisting arrest after he smacked his girlfriends daughter in the mouth, (she is 14), because she called her mom a "f*****g c**t, again. One smack, little blood on her lip, she called 911, the police didn't even take any of the 5 witnesses statements.
His sentence is get a full time job or 6 months in jail. He is retired after being self employed as an electrician for 35 years. Never arrested before. The 14 year old recanted her story in court, judge said it didn't matter. Is that a reasonable sentence?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Sounds extremely reasonable to me.

IAAL

 

[HomeGuru]

Yes, CA needs more electricians and he needs a new outlet anyway.

 

[hexeliebe]

Yes, even to an old hippy liberal it sounds reasonable.

I would also send the girl to work in the Tomato fields for a summer. But that's just me.

 

[bini]

Hi.

I agree with you Skamp. That is extremely unfair. If I called my mother that or any adult that at the age of 14 or any age. I would not have had to worry about a fat lip. I probably would have been thrown through a wall. Calling your mother a name like that or even your dad is the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard. That has alot to do with what is wrong with the world. The kids are getting very disrespectful to their elders and the courts are telling them that it is OK. I feel for your friend. I hope everything turns out OK. Everyone on this board that said the sentence was fair, lets see how they handle it if one of their kids call them, their spouses or significant others a "F---ing C--t". I would bet that they would not let it slide so easily. It is so easy to judge when it is not you. I know if it had happened to me I would have probably bent her over my knee and gave her a very deserved thrashing.

The best of luck to your friend

Bini

 

[hexeliebe]

You forget one thing Bini, bending her over your knee and giving her a thrashing is a lot different than a smack in the face that draws blood, even a little bit.

In most states the discretion to determine IF domestic abuse occurred has been taken away from the police. The new guidelines are, if one has evidence of abuse (i.e., scars, scrapes, blood or other visible injury) then the party causing the injury Must be arrested.

And the laws are there for a very good reason. If this man (even at 60) can strike a child (yes, in the eyes of the law she is a child) with the back of his hand and cause blood, what comes next.

There are always options aside from violence. Even for a foul-mouthed punk kid.

 

[stephenk]

Plus the old man wasnt even the girl's father. He was the boyfriend of the mom. He has no right to touch the girl at all. If mom lets the girl treat her like trash and talk to her like trash, then it's mommy's fault and she should be the one passing out the discipline.