Woman facing 5 years in jail for...

Discussion in 'The Red Room' started by gturner, Sep 26, 2015.

  1. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    Come and hang out with a friendly seal.
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  2. Herbalist

    Herbalist Masterdebater

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    Jesus Christ why are we so quick to throw people in jail? What's wrong with a hefty fine that goes towards conservation? Isn't that a better way to dissuade people from harming and interfering with these animals?
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  3. Shirogayne

    Shirogayne Gay™ Formerly Important

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    ^ I gotta agree with this. Jails are way too full of non violent offenders as it is. Being a young, drunk idiot shouldn't have to ruin the rest of your life, as stupid as this shit was.
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  4. Lanzman

    Lanzman Vast, Cool and Unsympathetic Formerly Important

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    Ummm . . . marine mammals are generally protected by statute. IIRC, that statute includes stuff like "do not feed" and "do not approach" and whatnot. It's one thing if a critter comes up to you of its own volition but quite another if you approach them and offer them food.

    That said, when I went to Antarctica for my honeymoon, the stench of the penguin colonies was horrendous. And elephant seals fart like you wouldn't believe.
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  5. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    Because jail is an industry. Giving someone a fine cuts out "the middle man". Getting arrested begins the process:
    1) bonding out. Unless you are flat broke and all your family members/friends are flat broke or have no job or other place you have to be for the next 30 days or so, you don't want to sit in jail.
    2) hiring a lawyer. Without a lawyer you might get rail-roaded and really fuck yourself in the long run. Your minor charge gets upgraded - yes it happens. The longer you sit, the more evidence increases to vilify you. When you are arrested those are the initial charges. They can go up, but not down. Definitely not worth the risk!
    3) let's say your case doesn't go to trial - now you still pay that hefty fine plus what you just spent on bail and a lawyer. And the tax-payers spent money on jail facilities. And if it goes to trial (because more charges were added for example or the DA's wife is a PETA member) and you pay that hefty fine and still end up on probation, you have to pay the probation company for the next year or so.
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  6. Herbalist

    Herbalist Masterdebater

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    Oh I get why the government and prison industry is all in with jail time for everything. I just don't get the militant animals rights crowd who think the book should be thrown at people because they got drunk and did something stupid. Have some perspective assclowns.
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2015
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  7. garamet

    garamet "The whole world is watching."

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    If it were up to me she'd have been sentenced to five years of beach cleanup...
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  8. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    Wordforge likes otters and I honestly didn't know sea otters could be this friendly.

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  9. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    A Canadian man was having a day at the beach when he made a new friend. Otterly unbelievable. [/pun]

  10. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    All my otter experiences (I used to live next to a lake with otters) have been positive. They are very curious, entertaining creatures.
  11. Beck

    Beck Monarchist, Far-Right Nationalist

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    Well, I doubt the woman meant any harm, but like @garamet says, they come ashore to lay their eggs. It would be horrible if the eggs would be squished. Tortoises aren't out to hurt anyone. Leave them alone.
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  12. gturner

    gturner Banned

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    Yeah, leave them alone, but sentencing someone to a prison term like they were a hit man for a Mexican drug cartel is a bit much.
  13. mburtonk

    mburtonk mburtonkulous

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    But that was a turtle, not a tortoise.
  14. Beck

    Beck Monarchist, Far-Right Nationalist

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    I wouldn't send her to prison just for that, either. But we live in a world run by idiots.
  15. Quincunx

    Quincunx anti-anti-establishment Staff Member Administrator

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    "Facing 5 years" doesn't mean that's what she'll get. The max sentence for any crime is rarely handed down.
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  16. Herbalist

    Herbalist Masterdebater

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    Anything longer than a night in the drunk tank is to long
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