Truck Driver Gets 110yr Prison Sentence for an Accident & 3m People Sign Petition

[dfrecore]

For the past 35 years the Republican Party has fought for and passed mandatory minimum sentence laws. Colorado’s sentencing laws date to GOP policies of the 1990s when “tough on crime” was the rallying cry of the party.

The prosecutor in this case had a choice: he could pursue charges that were effectively a life sentence OR could reduce charges to a moving violation that would have resulted in a fine. Because of Colorado’s laws, there was no middle ground.

When you support Republican legislators and they pass Republican legislation, you have to deal with Republican consequences. That includes the occasional 110 year sentence for a truck driver for what was clearly an accident.

Yes, I'm sure ALL of the evils in the world have been perpetrated by Republican's.  Democrats NEVER do anything that's not in everyone's best interest. <eyeroll>  (like vote in DA's in LA who won't allow the attorney's from the DA's office to show up for parole hearings to try to keep murderers and rapists in jail; or allow gigantic homeless camps all over the state filled with drug addicts; or have decriminalized crime to the point where stores have to lock up everything or shut down entirely because people steal so much stuff they can't stay in business...I could go on). BOTH sides do things that aren't smart.

[freeloader]

For the past 35 years the Republican Party has fought for and passed mandatory minimum sentence laws. Colorado’s sentencing laws date to GOP policies of the 1990s when “tough on crime” was the rallying cry of the party.

The prosecutor in this case had a choice: he could pursue charges that were effectively a life sentence OR could reduce charges to a moving violation that would have resulted in a fine. Because of Colorado’s laws, there was no middle ground.

When you support Republican legislators and they pass Republican legislation, you have to deal with Republican consequences. That includes the occasional 110 year sentence for a truck driver for what was clearly an accident.

Yes, I'm sure ALL of the evils in the world have been perpetrated by Republican's.  Democrats NEVER do anything that's not in everyone's best interest. <eyeroll>  (like vote in DA's in LA who won't allow the attorney's from the DA's office to show up for parole hearings to try to keep murderers and rapists in jail; or allow gigantic homeless camps all over the state filled with drug addicts; or have decriminalized crime to the point where stores have to lock up everything or shut down entirely because people steal so much stuff they can't stay in business...I could go on). BOTH sides do things that aren't smart.

Personally, I believe in responsible parties taking responsibility.  I have young children and if there is one thing that I seek to instill in them, it is that our actions have consequences.  I try to teach them that they cannot excuse their actions because of the actions of others. Clearly, that perspective is not universal. 

I am critical of Democratic policies when that criticism is warranted.  But this is not a thread about those policies. I had thought this was a thread about one man who may well spend the rest of his life in prison because of an accident. Evidently, I was wrong. Evidently, this is a thread about the ills of California wrapped up in straw men arguments.

Update 12-30-21
Truck Driver Sentence Reduced to 10 years from 110 years with parole eligibility on December 30, 2026.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2021...-10-years/

Millions of people prevented an injustice from happening. Support truckers and hard-working people!