Woman gets 20 years for firing warning shots

[bendog]

Florida, a state hostile to gun rights. facepalm.

 

[Oldguy]

Lol @ the Op for crying about gun grabbing and not reading his own story.

What part did I not read?

CBS News) JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida woman who fired warning shots against her allegedly abusive husband has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Marissa Alexander of Jacksonville had said the state's "Stand Your Ground" law should apply to her because she was defending herself against her allegedly abusive husband when she fired warning shots inside her home in August 2010. She told police it was to escape a brutal beating by her husband, against whom she had already taken out a protective order.

CBS Affiliate WETV reports that Circuit Court Judge James Daniel handed down the sentence Friday.

Under Florida's mandatory minimum sentencing requirements Alexander could receive a lesser sentence, even though she has never been in trouble with the law before. Judge Daniel said the law did not allow for extenuating or mitigating circumstances to reduce the sentence below the 20-year minimum.

"I really was crying in there," Marissa's 11-year-old daughter told WETV. "I didn't want to cry in court, but I just really feel hurt. I don't think this should have been happening."

Alexander was convicted of attempted murder after she rejected a plea deal for a three-year prison sentence. She said she did not believe she did anything wrong.

She was recently denied a new trial after appealing to the judge to reconsider her case based on Florida's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law. The law states that the victim of a crime does not have to attempt to run for safety and can immediately retaliate in self-defense.

Alexander's attorney said she was clearly defending herself and should not have to spend the next two decades behind bars.

Alexander's case has drawn support from domestic abuse advocates - and comparison to the case of neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who has claimed a "Stand Your Ground" defense in his fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

It's obviously a propaganda conviction. Should not have even been brought to trial by a Grand Jury.

Do you know what a Grand Jury does?

As for a "propaganda conviction?" I presume you have some evidence to back up that assertion, something other than your own opinion?

 

[The2ndAmendment]

something other than your own opinion?

That's all you offer thus far.

"Right Wing Thread Killer and member of CARL"

Come here and kill this thread:
http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/283372-the-national-debt-mortgaging-our-future.html

Let's see how well you do when confronted by a well presented thread.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Woman goes to jail for 20 years for firing warning shots against an abusive husband, against which she had an ORDER OF PROTECTION.

Ok this is when you know there's a Gun Grabbing Agenda:

Fla. mom gets 20 years for firing warning shots - CBS News

Apparently she would have EASILY acquitted if she shot and killed hi and was able to prove he was a threat...

What goes up, will come down; if it come down on your head or your child's you might think differently.

 

[bendog]

He may have read, but seeing an apparant absurd result, stopped looking.

On Aug. 1, 2010, Alexander was working for a payroll software company. She was estranged from her husband, Rico Gray, and had a restraining order against him, even though they'd had a baby together just nine days before. Thinking he was gone, she went to their former home to retrieve the rest of her clothes, family members said.

An argument ensued, and Alexander said she feared for her life when she went out to her vehicle and retrieved the gun she legally owned. She came back inside and ended up firing a shot into the wall, which ricocheted into the ceiling.

Gray testified that he saw Alexander point the gun at him and looked away before she fired the shot. He claims she was the aggressor, and he had begged her to put away the weapon.

A judge threw out Alexander's "stand your ground" self-defense claim, noting that she could have run out of the house to escape her husband but instead got the gun and went back inside. Alexander rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in a three-year prison sentence and chose to go to trial. A jury deliberated 12 minutes before convicting her.

Marissa Alexander Gets 20 Years For Firing Warning Shot

There's no doubt she's guilty as sin, but the mandatory sentencing law gives her 20. And the irony is that anti-gun restriction folks like to parrot that the only effective way to control violence is with enhanced sentencing. To an extent they're right, and this will send a message to abused women to not seek out their mates to scare em with a gun.

 

[Oldguy]

Florida, a state hostile to gun rights. facepalm.

Oh, no! It CAN'T be that because Florida has a Republican Governor, a Republican Lt. Governor and 102 Republican members of the Legislature (as opposed to 58 Democrats).

 

[ClosedCaption]

Signed by Jeb Bush! Ahhh, those crazy Bush's strike again.

Don't like mandatory sentences...hell the prison industrial complex loves 'em. How else will they make money when their money is made from convictions? It's tough out here yanno

 

[Wry Catcher]

Zero Tolerence laws never work out well. I agree 20 years is a lot, in my state she probably would have got 5 and been out in 3.

In my county down here in "red" Texas, she might have gotten 10 years, probation or deferred adjudication, depending upon which judge she drew. For instance, in the two state district courts here last month, several people came up on charges of DWI, 3rd or subsequent. In one court, they uniformly received state jail terms of 3 to 6 years. In the other court, they all got 3-5 years probation....for exactly the same charge.

That kind of disparity is precisely the reason we have mandatory sentencing.

If there is a happy medium, a compromise position between the two, I've yet to see it.

Did you read the presentence report? Were there factors of mitigation or aggravation in the 'similar' cases? Judges have discretion and should.

 

[bendog]

Zero Tolerence laws never work out well. I agree 20 years is a lot, in my state she probably would have got 5 and been out in 3.

In my county down here in "red" Texas, she might have gotten 10 years, probation or deferred adjudication, depending upon which judge she drew. For instance, in the two state district courts here last month, several people came up on charges of DWI, 3rd or subsequent. In one court, they uniformly received state jail terms of 3 to 6 years. In the other court, they all got 3-5 years probation....for exactly the same charge.

That kind of disparity is precisely the reason we have mandatory sentencing.

If there is a happy medium, a compromise position between the two, I've yet to see it.

Did you read the presentence report? Were there factors of mitigation or aggravation in the 'similar' cases? Judges have discretion and should.

no discretion.

At the May 11 sentencing, Alexander's relatives begged Circuit Judge James Daniel for leniency but he said the decision was "out of my hands."

"The Legislature has not given me the discretion to do what the family and many others have asked me to do," he said.

The state's "10-20-life" law was implemented in 1999 and credited with helping to lower the violent crime rate. Anyone who shows a gun in the commission of certain felonies gets an automatic 10 years in prison. Fire the gun, and it's an automatic 20 years. Shoot and wound someone, and it's 25 years to life.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6947267

blame Jeb, he signed it.

See also,

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/12/opinion/roland-martin-mandatory-minimums

However, it appears that the woman may have assaulted her abuser before, and she wasn't "fleeing" but rather she got the gun and went into the house to confront him. Not that that makes him a nice guy, or that she deserved 20 years.

 

[Oldguy]

In my county down here in "red" Texas, she might have gotten 10 years, probation or deferred adjudication, depending upon which judge she drew. For instance, in the two state district courts here last month, several people came up on charges of DWI, 3rd or subsequent. In one court, they uniformly received state jail terms of 3 to 6 years. In the other court, they all got 3-5 years probation....for exactly the same charge.

That kind of disparity is precisely the reason we have mandatory sentencing.

If there is a happy medium, a compromise position between the two, I've yet to see it.

Did you read the presentence report? Were there factors of mitigation or aggravation in the 'similar' cases? Judges have discretion and should.

no discretion.

At the May 11 sentencing, Alexander's relatives begged Circuit Judge James Daniel for leniency but he said the decision was "out of my hands."

"The Legislature has not given me the discretion to do what the family and many others have asked me to do," he said.

The state's "10-20-life" law was implemented in 1999 and credited with helping to lower the violent crime rate. Anyone who shows a gun in the commission of certain felonies gets an automatic 10 years in prison. Fire the gun, and it's an automatic 20 years. Shoot and wound someone, and it's 25 years to life.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=6947267

blame Jeb, he signed it.

See also,

Shame of mandatory minimums shows in Marissa Alexander case - CNN.com

However, it appears that the woman may have assaulted her abuser before, and she wasn't "fleeing" but rather she got the gun and went into the house to confront him. Not that that makes him a nice guy, or that she deserved 20 years.

Where are all the Nutter's NOW?

 

[squeeze berry]

Corey on Alexander Case: Get your facts straight|Action News - Jacksonville News, Weather & Sports - ActionNewsJax.com

"

The State says the evidence was clear. Alexander fired at her husband and his two young children. They showed the jury pictures of bullet holes in the walls of their home that prove their point.

Prosecutor David Thompson said, "There was no warning shot into the ceiling."

maybe she has really bad aim?

 

[The2ndAmendment]

blame Jeb, he signed it.

See also,

Shame of mandatory minimums shows in Marissa Alexander case - CNN.com

However, it appears that the woman may have assaulted her abuser before, and she wasn't "fleeing" but rather she got the gun and went into the house to confront him. Not that that makes him a nice guy, or that she deserved 20 years.

Where are all the Nutter's NOW?[/QUOTE]

The Republican Party and the Democratic Party are corporate pigs. I'm glad to be estranged from them. They are both aiming to establish an Authoritarian State. They agree on practically most things anyway.

 

[The2ndAmendment]

blame Jeb, he signed it.

See also,

Shame of mandatory minimums shows in Marissa Alexander case - CNN.com

However, it appears that the woman may have assaulted her abuser before, and she wasn't "fleeing" but rather she got the gun and went into the house to confront him. Not that that makes him a nice guy, or that she deserved 20 years.

Where are all the Nutter's NOW?[/QUOTE]

The Republican Party and the Democratic Party are corporate pigs. I'm glad to be estranged from them. They are both aiming to establish an Authoritarian State. They agree on practically most things anyway.

The sooner you pull your head out of your ass and embrace the Libertarian movement the better. You seem to have the requisite research skills to do so. If you don't you're a political hack.

 

[eflatminor]

The Republican Party and the Democratic Party are corporate pigs. I'm glad to be estranged from them. They are both aiming to establish an Authoritarian State. They agree on practically most things anyway.

Someone gets it.

 

[bendog]

It's funny in a sort of sad way. Clayton Cramer and other gun rights folks argued for years that mandatory enhanced senteces for gun crimes WILL change the way criminals behave. And they are right. NY shows that. You rob a guy, you get out as soon as the state prison system can get you out. Do it with a gun, and you're in prison for a long time. Criminals are lazy, not stupid.

As the articles pt out, people who think they've not done anything wrong are surprised by the harsh sentences. At the very least the woman armed herself and went back into the house with the intention of scaring the crap out of the guy by toucing off a round or two. THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW. And, it's really bad behavior. Maybe the law will discourage others from doing the same.

Fla's law is touted as reducing crime. It's working, apparantly.

Maybe Scott Walker will come out of a tea party cloud and pardon her.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I don't agree with min. sentences either. Whether she deserves 20 years in prison I can't say.


They can and did prove she beat him up, he was the one calling 911 on multiple occassions, he was the one with bruises, she had nada. The fact is a jury convinced her of attempted murder.

Just so. She is where she belongs.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Woman goes to jail for 20 years for firing warning shots against an abusive husband, against which she had an ORDER OF PROTECTION.

Ok this is when you know there's a Gun Grabbing Agenda:

Fla. mom gets 20 years for firing warning shots - CBS News

Apparently she would have EASILY acquitted if she shot and killed hi and was able to prove he was a threat...

Please spare me the bullshit spin you're putting on this story. Because others like me were outraged once the story first came out, the NRA did NOT stand by her, didn't fund her defense and had NOTHING to say about this story whatsoever.

She's a Black Woman and most of us know that the reason this didn't get the national press attention which happened before Trayvon Martin case was because she was Black and that is why the Judge threw the book at her and didn't acknowledge her rights as far as "Stand your ground" law should've applied easily in this case. Has NOTHING to do with this so called "Gun Grab" as you think.

You are a dopey goofball. The women abused the man. The she was judged by a jury of her peers, was adjudged guilty, and sent to jail.

You are simply a dope.

 

[bendog]

Woman goes to jail for 20 years for firing warning shots against an abusive husband, against which she had an ORDER OF PROTECTION.

Ok this is when you know there's a Gun Grabbing Agenda:

Fla. mom gets 20 years for firing warning shots - CBS News

Apparently she would have EASILY acquitted if she shot and killed hi and was able to prove he was a threat...

Please spare me the bullshit spin you're putting on this story. Because others like me were outraged once the story first came out, the NRA did NOT stand by her, didn't fund her defense and had NOTHING to say about this story whatsoever.

She's a Black Woman and most of us know that the reason this didn't get the national press attention which happened before Trayvon Martin case was because she was Black and that is why the Judge threw the book at her and didn't acknowledge her rights as far as "Stand your ground" law should've applied easily in this case. Has NOTHING to do with this so called "Gun Grab" as you think.

You are a dopey goofball. The women abused the man. The she was judged by a jury of her peers, was adjudged guilty, and sent to jail.

You are simply a dope.

And she turned down a plea offer of three years, and most likely she'd have only served a portion.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Then she was stupid as well.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Please spare me the bullshit spin you're putting on this story. Because others like me were outraged once the story first came out, the NRA did NOT stand by her, didn't fund her defense and had NOTHING to say about this story whatsoever.

She's a Black Woman and most of us know that the reason this didn't get the national press attention which happened before Trayvon Martin case was because she was Black and that is why the Judge threw the book at her and didn't acknowledge her rights as far as "Stand your ground" law should've applied easily in this case. Has NOTHING to do with this so called "Gun Grab" as you think.

You are a dopey goofball. The women abused the man. The she was judged by a jury of her peers, was adjudged guilty, and sent to jail.

You are simply a dope.

You don't know what you're talking about, I was following this story over a year or so ago once it started getting attention, but by then it was too late to mount any real demonstrations in her favor.

So it's being posted as if this is new news, not even close.

The news is not new, justice was served. She turned down a 3 year plea deal. She abused the man, she abused the children, she believed she could terrorized with a gun.

Fuck her. Boy, is she in for a new experience. But it will become old hat to her soon.