update on son's assault

[springmom]

Some of you know that my youngest son was the victim of an aggravated assault by a group of persons in January. One assailant pled guilty yesterday and has been given nine months in the state jail. The others turned on him and were prepared to testify that he was the instigator, so they either were sentenced to time served (in April, four months after the assault) or had charges dismissed for being informants. One of the scuzzbuckets has been re-arrested since and has another court date for something or another next month, but it's only a misdemeanor.

To say I think he got off easy is to put it so mildly as to practically say nothing. I know that the state was worried that since my son was unable to visually identify more than the one attacker, they were concerned that he would not be a terrific witness and were happy not to go to trial. And I'm glad for YS's sake that he doesn't have to testify. We do not know what the standing of the juvenile's case is, of course, but of the three adults who assaulted him, only one will see more than a year in jail, and that, including time spent in jail since the assault, will be less than 18 months total.

I wish we had a emoticon for SPITTING MAD because the little red guy icon doesn't even come close.

Springmom

 

[V4Vendetta]

It's like this. The DA's & certain police officers WANT guys like those on the streets. If they were locked up, we wouldn't need cops or DA's. It's a matter of job security for them.

Also, the sooner they get out & commit more crimes that they can be convicted on, the higher the number of convictions the DA's can say they were responsible for when it's election time.

As for the new emoticon, I'd like one for burning rage too.

This is the first I've heard about your son's assault so I hope he's alright. Might interest him to know that a good 870 & ammo is around $250 at Walmart.

 

[Eghad]

Welcome to the criminal justice system. About 90% of cases in the United Staes end up in plea bargains.

 

[springmom]

Eghad, how did you know I was going to take my frustrations out on paper targets this afternoon? I swear, y'all are mind readers

V4, he was just past 17 at the time of the assault. No weapons allowed. When he's 18 he can have a long gun, but he can't very well carry that around when he wants to go for a walk in the park with his girlfriend (what he was doing when assaulted).

Springmom

 

[azurefly]

And people, my dad among them, wonder why I'm essentially a nihilist about society in general.

This is what you get when you (the ubiquitous you) rely on b.s. institutions like soft-on-crime courts, politicians, DAs etc. to do justice. The end result is, you don't get justice.

Justice is when the attacked fight back, and stand above the devastated forms of their attackers. That's justice. And more often than not, people think it's too barbaric; and more often than not, true justice is actually illegal.

Just stay ready, permanently, Springmom. If these feces-heads come back, you know what to do. Or at least, I hope you do.

In the past, you have essentially accused me of being bloodthirsty. How do you feel now? Don't you want an excuse to do what the system has failed to do for your family? (Don't answer that. Keep your answer to yourself.) What I'm getting at is exactly what I had said before: since we are talking about people for whom society has no use, the best we can hope for is that they get dispatched with finality by their would-be victims. There is no reason to lament the death of an attacker who engages in unprovoked violence upon innocents.

Just keep your wits about you, and keep a gun or two fully ready to deal with retribution from these people.


-azurefly

 

[V4Vendetta]

Azurefly, you just might be the wisest person on this earth besides me.

Springmom, how about a nice knife. I have a good sized army knife I bought when I was 17 at a consignment place. I'm sure there must be someplace in Huston to get one. Also, how about enrolling him in a fighting school? Just remember this.

"A person who wants to fight fair & with honor, is going to die." Me.

This is not a suggestion. This is not advice. It's just something for you to reflect on. Your son has a right to be able to defend himself. No court or man can take that away. Washington, Jefferson & Adams knew that. They also knew what was worth fighting for. I'm sure that there are "places" in your area to get certain "means" if you want them. Just something to ponder over.

 

[jcoiii]

It's like this. The DA's & police WANT guys like those on the streets. If they were locked up, we wouldn't need cops or DA's. It's a matter of job security for them.

Not true for the majority. There are plenty of criminals. It's not necessary to let the ones caught back out. Cops and DA's will always have job security because scum will always exist.

 

[springmom]

wow

Um......

Actually, I was proud of my son for realizing that he was overmatched and NOT trying to take these guys on. He'd have gotten killed, Azurefly. He was 17, and not allowed to have a handgun. Had he tried his limited martial arts skills, well, the guys would certainly be going to prison because it most likely would have been a MURDER CASE and my son, in the ground.

No, I don't want to kill them for what they did. I want them to face the full legal penalty for what they did, certainly. I expect that the young man is question will end up somebody's, um, girlfriend for the next nine months, and that, in one sense, is far more retribution than just the time served.

And yes, if they come calling, they'll likely wish they had not.

Springmom

 

[azurefly]

Actually, I was proud of my son for realizing that he was overmatched and NOT trying to take these guys on. He'd have gotten killed, Azurefly.

Oh, Springmom, I'm not saying that I thought that in your son's specific case, he should have fancied himself Superman and tried to take on a crowd of attackers. I was talking about the fact that my feeling is, in general, when victims can dispense their own on-the-spot justice, it is the truest justice there is. I'm talking about the kind of justice that a woman dispenses at the far end of a dark parking lot when two guys show up to rape and rob her. The kind that a homeowner dispenses when an armed intruder breaks a window and sneaks around the house in the dead of night. Justice does not come from having victims harmed, and then having the perpetrator sit in a room for a set number of years. That is not justice, and anyone who tells you it is, is lying or foolish.

No, I don't want to kill them for what they did. I want them to face the full legal penalty for what they did, certainly.

I thought that the point of this exercise was to demonstrate that your faith that that would happen was dreadfully misplaced and unwarranted!

You have seen what happens when the courts attempt, in their pathetic and inept way, to dispense "justice."

Why do you seem to still be counting on the system to do what is right?

And yes, if they come calling, they'll likely wish they had not.

Well, that I am glad to read.


-azurefly

 

[guntotin_fool]

Despite what many LEO who frequent this forum might say, I do believe that the management looks at this as good for business for them.

Neighbors daughter was on campus last spring. She was mugged and although not raped, sexual behaviors took place. (ripped clothing and touching) she started screaming and yelling and someone shined a flashlight on them and the thugs took off running. Within two hours one of the thugs tried to use her credit card and was videoed and triggered the police as the card was already reported. Despite him being arrested with her belongings, ID'd by her as one of the attackers AND having a long rap sheet, the local CA dropped the charges to misuse of a credit card. NO assualt charges, no sex crime reports nothing. In fact when she called the sex crimes victims unit, they said they had no knowledge of her case. When the neighbor pushed some buttons politically, all he got was it was not good for the community to publicize that another sex crime took place on campus.

 

[azurefly]

Hey, what do you know -- another case where the is just not strong enough!




That is one that should be brought right to the local news station!

Embarass these incompetent fools publicly and FORCE them to do what's right.


-azurefly

 

[Powderman]

It's like this. The DA's & police WANT guys like those on the streets. If they were locked up, we wouldn't need cops or DA's. It's a matter of job security for them.

Excuse me?

Despite what many LEO who frequent this forum might say, I do believe that the management looks at this as good for business for them.

I beg your pardon?

Springmom, I am glad that your son will be OK.

If you want to discuss the REAL reason that thugs get to walk out of jail sometime, please PM me, and I'll let you know what I have learned and seen--from court, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges.

I'll not post it to the board because of immature remarks like those above.

To the two who posted the statements above: You are SICK if you think, even for one second, that law enforcement WANTS to see animals on the street. You're simply SICK.

 

[V4Vendetta]

all he got was it was not good for the community to publicize that another sex crime took place on campus.

If there was EVER a reason to hoist the black flag, that's it. I used to believe that if it came right down to it, people would fight & do the right thing. However I know believe that the movie "High Noon" was the most realistic movie ever made.

People are mostly cowards who won't help the little guy when he needs it. They prefer to live in chains & let the evil guys do whatever they want. They won't do anything because they don't realize there are worse things than dying. It sickens me to the core of my being.

 

[tydephan]

Springmom,

I hate to see that the justice system has let you down. I know nothing about Houston, but I'm surprised by this lack of justice given Texas' "tough on criminals" perception.

I've been faced with these type of circumstances as well, and all you can do is trust that down the line, all their wrongs will be righted by the natural balance of equilibrium. Typically thugs like this don't last long. Drugs. Enemies. Papa Bears in the Pen. Something will happen to avenge your son's attack.

Hope all else is well. Just massage that Kimber and count the days till Deer Season.

 

[tegemu]

Springmom, I share your outrage and agree wholeheartedly with your desires on having the perpetrators punished to the fullest extent of the law. I firmly believe that anyone should be accountable for their actions but I do not believe in revenge. If I remember correctly someone pretty important said "Vengeance is mine." Again, my prayers are with you, your son and your family.

 

[stephen426]

Springmom,

I'm glad that at least one of those jerks got some jail time. Maybe you could have a restraining order placed against the others so that you could call the cops if those punks come by and try to harass your son. I think a restraining order would also work in your favor (shows fear) if you ever had to (God forbid) shoot one of these punks. I also suggest that you ask the police to keep you informed of the release of the guy that was imprisoned. I tend to believe that he will be more vengeful for serving time rather than remorseful for his actions.

I strongly suggest that your son carry the most potent pepper spray available. He was smart to not fight back, but if he gets attacked by these punks again, they will be out for vengence. I'd mace the guy with the gun first (after sweeping the gun away from me first). I don't normally advocate resisting an armed attacker (much less multiple attackers), but in this case, they probably looking for a little payback with interest.

I hate to give in to criminals, but for the safety of your family, you might even want to consider moving. The housing market is taking a nose dive right now and prices are already starting to fall.

 

[Pointer]

Welcome to the criminal justice system. About 90% of cases in the United Staes end up in plea bargains.

And they say we vigilantes shouldn't take the law into our own hands... :barf:

Bleeding-heart-wormtongues! :barf: :barf:

 

[stephen426]

The revolving door facet of this post is also very intersting. I have to say that I have less and less faith in our legal system. I have served as a juror on at least a few occasions (lucky me) and it is heck to get a jury to convict. They always stress the "beyond a reasonable doubt" requirement before convicting. I think having 12 jurors is enough to reduce the requirement to highly probable. 12 people will not hear or see things the same way, and since the plaintiffs and defendants can eliminate potentially partial jurors, the actual jury should be pretty fair.

In the cases I served, the defendants were guilty in my book, even though the jury failed to convict. They even took the stand and practically admitted what they did while they were "justifying" their actions. For example, one guy had a restraining order and he said the reason he used his car to block in his ex-wife's car was because he just wanted to talk to her. What kind of idiotic jury does not recognize the fact that he is clearly in violation of his restraining order just being in the proximity of his ex-wife, especially since it occured at the ex-wife's residence. I was the alternate in that case so I didn't get a chance to argue my point

In another case, I think the jury sympathised with the defendant and failed to convict her of assault charges. They probably though the victim deserved to get beat for possibly antagonizing the defendant (all speculation since no other witnesses were present other than the victim's family). The point they failed to see is that the assault did occur and that verbal confrontations do not justify the use of force. The injuries documented by the photographs were clearly not self inflicted and the police reports documented those injuries. Did the race of the defendant come into play (African American defendant and 5/12 of the jurors were also African American)? Did the jury fail to convict since the defendant would lose all pensions and benefits from her job at the post office if she was convicted? Maybe it was a case of social justice where the jurors thought the victim (white upper-middle class) deserved to get beat for (allegedly) racist remarks? I don't know, but all of those factors simply confuse the issue. For me, it is much more cut and dry. Was the defendant acting in self defense or did she intentionally attack the victim. If the defendant intentionally caused those injuries, then she should have been guilty as charged.

Our legal system makes me sick!!! :barf: :barf: :barf:

 

[V4Vendetta]

I hate to give in to criminals, but for the safety of your family, you might even want to consider moving. The housing market is taking a nose dive right now and prices are already starting to fall.

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about in my last post. You shouldn't leave your home just to avoid the BG's. Read over my last post carefully. Rethink the term "allowed". The word "rights" & "allows" do not belong in the same sentence.

I do agree that the one who spent time in the slammer is going to be very agitated if he gets out. I wouldn't bet my life on the chance he may be a redeemed fellow. I think redemption is mostly just a plot for Disney movies.

 

[springmom]

You have seen what happens when the courts attempt, in their pathetic and inept way, to dispense "justice."

Why do you seem to still be counting on the system to do what is right?

OK, let me re-state. I was wanting them to face the full legal penalty for what they did. That isn't happening. OTOH, had the state taken them to trial, there is always that gawdawful possibility that they would have WALKED. Sometimes half a loaf really is better, although the fact that it is only half a loaf still has me spitting mad.

I also suggest that you ask the police to keep you informed of the release of the guy that was imprisoned. I tend to believe that he will be more vengeful for serving time rather than remorseful for his actions.

Stephen, there is a system online by which I can do that, and I have been. As a matter of fact it is how I knew he'd pled guilty yesterday. The assistant DA in charge HASN'T DONE SQUAT to keep us in the loop about what has been happening. And trying to call her has been almost impossible, since she's always in court. I'll keep an eye on it.

We are NOT moving because of these creeps. I'm not going to take a $20,000 bath over this, thanks. I have discussed restraining orders with the constables. Oddly enough, going through the process of a RO is what would put our address on the record for these creeps to get, since they'd have to know where we live so they'd theoretically know not to come here. RO's aren't the answer. Awareness is the answer.

Springmom