[Vision2020] Our Wonderful Latah County Justice System

[Art Deco]

An important consequence of this ridiculously lame/inappropriate sentence is that it will discourage many rape victims from reporting their victimization.  Why report  a rape and suffer all the unpleasantness and humiliation that goes with the criminal justice process if the rapist only receives a $305 fine and probation, and hence is free to continue his ways?  And set an example of what few and little consequences follow raping someone -- $305, a withheld judgment, and freedom, aside from the few minor inconveniences of probation?

The same can be said for such casual repercussions for serial pedophilia as in the New Saint Andrews student Steven Sitler case -- a few months soft-time, not arrested for six months after a reported crime, and for crimes against several victims in at least three states.   Does this encourage parents/relatives/others to report child sexual abuse and allow the consequences to the victims if the abusers are going to sponsored and protected by a professional alleged, grossly hypocritical Christian [Douglas Wilson] and a kowtowing PA and sheriff?  And contrary to the terms of probation, be out on the streets without a chaperon at least once?

Where is the reporting in the local media that should spark enough moral outrage in the community so that change is demanded?

w.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Hansen 
  To: Art Deco ; Vision 2020 ; Nathan Alford Daily News ; lrozen at dnews.com 
  Sent: Monday, December 27, 2010 9:45 AM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Our Wonderful Latah County Justice System


  A THREE HUNDRED AND FIVE DOLLR fine!!?!?!?

  At Christmas time?

  Now, there's a couple taverns that'll just have to go without this season,
  huh?

  Any guesses who the judge was?

  Welcome to Latah County . . .

  Where RAPE and PEDOPHILIA rank supreme!

  Seeya round town. Moscow.

  Tom Hansen
  Moscosw, Idaho




  On Mon, December 27, 2010 9:12 am, Art Deco wrote:
  > The following appeared in the Daily News Public Records section on
  > Saturday:
  >
  > Sentencings
  >
  > Monday -- Hunter Marsh Hursh, 21, of Moscow was convicted of rape.  He was
  > fined $305 and sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days of
  > discretionary jail time, and he cannot contact the victim for five years.
  >
  > Missing from this report is the fact that Hursh (with an extensive
  > criminal history) also received a withheld judgment for this rape.
  >
  >
  > WTF?
  >
  > A $305 fine and 30 days discretionary jail time? And a withheld judgment?
  > For rape?  A felony?
  >
  > Hursh is no stranger to the criminal justice system.  And since the crime
  > of rape [04-28-2009], he has been convicted of other crimes for which he
  > also received probation.  Hursh will soon, if not now, be out in our
  > community, free to pursue his habitual ways.  Who will be his next
  > victims?  Is this what we want to happen in our community?  Do we not care
  > enough about each other to take some time and effort to prevent this kind
  > of public endangering infamy by the prosecutor and court?
  >
  >
  > Read Hursh's criminal history and the bumblings of the prosecutor and
  > judges here (Have a barf bag at the ready!):
  > https://www.idcourts.us/repository/caseHistory.do?roaDetail=yes&schema=LATAH&county=Latah&partySeq=87230&displayName=Hursh%2C+Hunter+Martin
  >
  > Also you can do a search in the online Daily News [sorted by date] for
  > more information.
  >
  >
  > What's going on in Latah County?
  >
  > Besides inept, public disinterested prosecution and lazy, soft-headed
  > judges, where is the intensive media attention that allows this kind of
  > outrage to escape public attention?
  >
  > Is the Daily News deliberately shielding the horrible ineptitude of the
  > prosecutor's office and the lack of judgment of certain judges, or is the
  > Daily News also practitioners of lassitude and ineptitude?  How can the
  > public respond to this continued kind of ineptness and poor judgment in
  > the criminal justice system if the media does not cover and comment upon
  > it?  Without competent reporting and comment are we doomed to continue to
  > experience these kinds of outrages ad nauseam?
  >
  > And without intensive media coverage where is the general deterrence that
  > is allegedly part of the goals of criminal sentencing?  How do law
  > enforcement personnel feel when they spend much time and effort working up
  > a case only to find it handled in such a horrendously nonchalant manner by
  > the prosecutor and the courts?  Over the long term wouldn't this kind of
  > event be likely to demotivate law enforcement?
  >
  > We need competent, public interest motivated reporting, and we need to
  > somehow motivate the prosecutor and court to serve the public interest or
  > change the inept and lazy out, by recall if necessary.
  >
  > And if the local media are not willing to act responsibly, perhaps it is
  > time to start talking to their advertising clients who bear some
  > responsibility for supporting this fifth-rate media arrogance and careless
  > ineptitude about serious crimes taking place and adversely effecting
  > member of our community.
  >
  >
  > Wayne A. Fox
  > 1009 Karen Lane
  > PO Box 9421
  > Moscow, ID  83843
  >
  > waf at moscow.com
  > 208 882-7975
  > =======================================================
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  >           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
  > =======================================================


  "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
  and the Realist adjusts his sails."

  - Unknown


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