For John, BLUF: Being a judge is not all that easy. Nothing to see here; just move along.
How do I play this game without violating copyright laws? Oh, well, here goes. In The [Lowell] Sun Columnist Michael Goldman gives us "Judgment day is here and you're making the call". This is from this last Sunday. You can find the column on line here.
This is the second of a new regular monthly feature in which I find stories in the news and you get to decide what you would do based on your personal beliefs and value system, were you making the call as a judge in the case.I don't remember the first one.
Anyway, here goes.
ITEM ONE
Reducing a sentence for extortion. The convicted is a "made man" with two decades in jail for a crime he didn't commit.
DISCUSSION: How do we know he is a "made man"?
RULING: A miscarriage of justice is a terrible thing and the individual should seek compensation from the State, and if laws allow, and they should, go after anyone who provided false evidence or suppressed evidence. They deserve to lose their job, if nothing else. But, that is aside. The sentence stands.
ITEM TWO
Should the U.S. Tennis Association hold the national tennis championships on Yom Kipper.
Discussion: I don't think youth sports should be on Sunday mornings, but they are. We are a pluralistic nation and we can not burden one with the religion of another.
RULING: Let the games commence.
ITEM THREE
Man hits pier and kills two, while drunk and speeding.
DISCUSSION: Was the lighting on the pier in violation of some law or local ordnance?
RULING: If the lights were legal you must turn a blind eye to the appeal.
ITEM FOUR
Should Roger Goodell go?
DISCUSSION: We are past the time for rational discussion on this issue and there are no adults to step up and say so.
ADVICE: Turn it over to Condi.
ITEM FIVE
A supposedly successful vice president is found to have fudged his resume regarding schooling.
DISCUSSION: He lied on his application and his company is not that happy with him, since HR is being allowed to get rid of him for their own bureaucratic reasons.
RULING: He is gone.
ITEM SIX
Convicted killer Oscar Pistorius is still eligible to compete for his nation during the next Olympics trials. Should his conviction matter or just his speed?
DISCUSSION: The Olympics are about sportsmanship and Mr Pistorius wasn't very sporting when he shot his girlfriend, who was in the other room.
RULING: Oscar is out.
ITEM SEVEN
Speeding bikers in New York City—probably Couriers—and the mayhem they cause, including injury and death. Now Boston Bikers are asking for more bike lanes.
DISCUSSION: OK, so NYC is messed up, but how is Boston doing? Further, how would that impact both auto traffic and auto parking?
RULING: If you don't have madmen on bikes, and you won't make the auto traffic worse, then go ahead. As for Lowell, it is still an open issue and we should hold where we are.
By true way, Mr Michael Goldman didn't do us the courtesy of leaving his EMail. Maybe I can track him down on line at Goldman Associates in Boston.
Regards — Cliff
The rules are the rules. Unless the SAOC changes the rules to disallow convicts, then Mr. Pistorious should be treated the same as all other competitors. As for unsportsmanlike conduct, his claim that he feared for his life was not disproven. Instead, his conduct in firing through a closed door was found to be criminimally culpable. That is a question of judgment in a tough situation, not how "sporting" he was.
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