johnnie miles
Fine points of F State law: Jury: "Not guilty"; Judge: "OK, then, 55 yrs in prison"
Ms. Johnnie Miles, whose rap sheet takes quite a while to print out, was actually acquitted of the latest bad-check charge, but under Florida law, the judge is empowered to re-examine the facts, and he thought she was guilty as hell. Though he couldn't sentence her for that, he did sentence her to serve in full the eleven 5-yr sentences she was on probation for (and which she violated by passing the bad checks, for which she was acquitted). [Ed.: It helps to live in Florida if ya need to understand that.] TCPalm.com (Stuart, Fla.)
Ms. Johnnie Miles, whose rap sheet takes quite a while to print out, was actually acquitted of the latest bad-check charge, but under Florida law, the judge is empowered to re-examine the facts, and he thought she was guilty as hell. Though he couldn't sentence her for that, he did sentence her to serve in full the eleven 5-yr sentences she was on probation for (and which she violated by passing the bad checks, for which she was acquitted). [Ed.: It helps to live in Florida if ya need to understand that.] TCPalm.com (Stuart, Fla.)
Comments
So, she was acquitted, and he sentenced her for violation of parole based on the crimefor which she was just acquitted...
Um, I guess the streets are a bit safer now. What do juries know, anyway?
Um, I guess the streets are a bit safer now. What do juries know, anyway?
Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 12/15/08 at 09:55 AM
I've got one word for you kingmonkey: OJ. Oh, and two more: Michael Jackson. Oh, wait, two more: Phil Spector. Juries aren't all they're cracked up to be.
Posted by BikerPuppy on 12/15/08 at 11:30 AM
Oops, meant to say "Juries aren't ALWAYS all they're cracked up to be." I think generally they do a good job, but there are times.... Which reminds me... Maybe F-state law is different, but here in California, if the judge believes there's no way the jury could have rationally come to the verdict they did, the judge can enter a JNOV -- which is a latin abbreviation for Judgement Not Withstanding the Verdict, and basically overturn the jury. Wonder why this judge didn't do that?
Posted by BikerPuppy on 12/15/08 at 11:33 AM
Actually, it can happen in California. Probation violations need only be proven by a preponderance of the evidence but guilt of a crime beyond reasonable doubt.
Posted by Eris, Goddess of Discord on 12/15/08 at 08:12 PM
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