My life after 44 years in prison

This man's experience and attitude towards life is amazing. Very inspiring. Props to him. 44 years is ridiculous amount of time for an assault when others are getting away with a few years for an actual murder or slavery.

Don't prisons have common areas with TVs, radios, or magazines? It worries me that inmates don't have access to basic development as a human/society.

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#5

Post by jacquesm » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:47 PM UTC

44 years for attempted murder of a police officer, I guess with such a benchmark the next police officer murdering a civilian will be sentenced to at least double that given that they're supposed to set an example. Incredible. What standard of sentencing would essentially take someone's life away for an attempt. Makes you wonder how big a sentence you'd get if you succeeded, more than a lifetime?

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#6

Post by temuze » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:58 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #5

44 years for attempted murder of a police officer, I guess with such a benchmark the next police officer murdering a civilian will be sentenced to at least double that given that they're supposed to set an example. Incredible. What standard of sentencing would essentially take someone's life away for an attempt . Makes you wonder how big a sentence you'd get if you succeeded, more than a lifetime?

I think attempted crimes should get the same sentence as successful crimes.

Imagine two people stabbed identical twins in the same spot with the same intent at the same time. One dies, one lives. Should they get different sentences? It's just a roll of the dice.

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#7

Post by tomcam » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 8:00 PM UTC

Don't understand the title--article is not in first person

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#8

Post by cstross » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 8:05 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #5

44 years for attempted murder of a police officer, I guess with such a benchmark the next police officer murdering a civilian will be sentenced to at least double that given that they're supposed to set an example. Incredible. What standard of sentencing would essentially take someone's life away for an attempt . Makes you wonder how big a sentence you'd get if you succeeded, more than a lifetime?

His time served is actually twice as long as the average life sentence served for actual murder in the UK. (Some murderers are in for a "whole life" tariff -- ineligible for release on license -- but in general most are eligible for parole hearings after between 8 and 12 years and on average they serve roughly 20 years.)

Just in case anyone was thinking that 44 years for attempted murder is a light sentence.

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#9

Post by derekp7 » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 8:10 PM UTC

temuze wrote: post #6

jacquesm wrote: post #5

44 years for attempted murder of a police officer, I guess with such a benchmark the next police officer murdering a civilian will be sentenced to at least double that given that they're supposed to set an example. Incredible. What standard of sentencing would essentially take someone's life away for an attempt . Makes you wonder how big a sentence you'd get if you succeeded, more than a lifetime?

I think attempted crimes should get the same sentence as successful crimes. Imagine two people stabbed identical twins in the same spot with the same intent at the same time. One dies, one lives. Should they get different sentences? It's just a roll of the dice.

What if you turn this around -- two people punch two identical twins in the face. One twin dies from his injuries, and the person who punched him now faces at least involuntary manslaughter, whereas the other person just has a light assault charge. Should both people get charged with involuntary manslaughter, or should they both just get the lighter assault charge?

Re: My life after 44 years in prison

#10

Post by lemevi » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 8:15 PM UTC

cstross wrote: post #8

jacquesm wrote: post #5

44 years for attempted murder of a police officer, I guess with such a benchmark the next police officer murdering a civilian will be sentenced to at least double that given that they're supposed to set an example. Incredible. What standard of sentencing would essentially take someone's life away for an attempt . Makes you wonder how big a sentence you'd get if you succeeded, more than a lifetime?

His time served is actually twice as long as the average life sentence served for actual murder in the UK. (Some murderers are in for a "whole life" tariff -- ineligible for release on license -- but in general most are eligible for parole hearings after between 8 and 12 years and on average they serve roughly 20 years.) Just in case anyone was thinking that 44 years for attempted murder is a light sentence.

In Crime & Punishment Rodya only has to serve 8 years for the double axe murder of two women in the commission of a robbery. It's a fictional tale about justice in 19th century Russia, but still an interesting comparison I think of when reading about modern sentencing.