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Sunday, April 29, 2012

A punishment for a crime.

As someone who's been hit twice by drunk drivers and almost killed in the line of duty by a DWI SOB (whom an idiot DA let plea to probation although it was combined with felony evading and his second time getting caught, but that's another rant for another day) I like this. This driver is getting off easy. The family he destroyed has to really bear something.

Judge, if you are concerned for security add to his fine payment for a couple of off duty cops to protect his ass. Again, he's going home at the end of the day.
DWI driver's suspension of punishment rallies NW Harris residents - Houston Chronicle

A driver convicted of a DWI after causing a fatal accident has been temporarily suspended from serving his public punishment at the site of the northwest Houston crash.

On Friday, Harris County Court-at-Law Judge Michael R. Fields ordered that for his safety, Michael Giacona, 39, would withdraw from his intended post at the intersection of Huffmeister and Spring Cypress, said family members of the victim, Aaron Pennywell, 20. The court will re-evaluate the sentence and finalize a decision on Wednesday.

Despite Giacona's absence, Pennywell's relatives and friends gathered at the intersection Saturday around the wrecked black Mustang that had been retrieved to serve as a warning of the dangers of driving under the influence. T-shirts were sold by Buddies Against Drunk Driving, an organization aimed at raising awareness of drunken driving.



"Friends of Aaron put together this ad to be able to get the word out. Make people aware of the impact it has on families," said Lisa Dentler, 50. "It is just disheartening that he's just going to get a slap on the hand again and walk away."...

Last summer, Giacona ran a red light at that intersection, crashing into Pennywell's Mustang. Pennywell was thrown from his car and died at the scene. Giacona spent 90 days in jail and was ordered to a rare public punishment.

He was convicted of a second degree felony and served 90 days. Who the hell agreed to that deal?

Giacona was met with hostility by passers-by while serving last Saturday, the first of what would have been four Saturdays that he was originally ordered to stand at the crash site with a sign reading, "I killed Aaron Pennywell."

"There were some kids that came that walked up to him and cussed him out. We have no idea who it was," said Kae Pennywell, the mother of the victim. "The judge put him out there for public humiliation. He should have expected some of that. But nobody threatened his life."...

And he has done something to earl more than humiliation. You're getting off with only county time, don't complain. You should be at Huntsville for at least a decade.
...Locals pitched in their support by making an appearance at the crash site.

"I'm shaking. I don't know them; my daughter just graduated with him," said Karon Frigo, who was holding her own makeshift sign against drunken driving. "I knew there had been a terrible accident and of course, I drive by this every day. And then when I read in the paper what this guy got, it was unacceptable."...

Sometime in the 50/60s the morons who run academe and the upper echelons of our justice system took public humiliation out of the punishment phase of justice. And it's something that does work. If you need any proof look at Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County AZ. Not many people come back to his jail after they spend time there.

Judge Fields, again, he's getting off easy. If he's not going to get the time he really deserves send him back to at least receive the public humiliation I have no doubt was part of his plea margin.

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