Hate Crime? Angela Corey Put Ailing Vet In Prison For 20 Years

[busybody..]

Hate Crime? Angela Corey Put Ailing Vet In Prison For 20 Years



Check out the news story, then this video on the case for more details. It features a group, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, founded by Julie Stewart, formerly of the Cato Institute. Even the judge says the sentence is a "crime." But not Angela Corey.


Ronald Thompson of Keystone Heights is 65 and a 14-year Army veteran who has logged 5,000 hours of volunteer service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lake City. But for the crime of firing two gunshots into the ground to scare off some teenagers, he is serving 20 years in prison.

But that was overturned on appeal by the office of 4th Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey, the prosecutor in the case of George Zimmerman — the accused shooter of Sanford teen Trayvon Martin.

 

[busybody..]

Due to mandatory minimum, Keystone veteran gets a sentence that a judge calls 'a crime'

By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer



Published: Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 4:32 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 10:11 p.m.


Ronald Thompson of Keystone Heights is 65 and a 14-year Army veteran who has logged 5,000 hours of volunteer service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Lake City.




Ronald Thompson, 65, of Keystone Heights, appears in court Wednesday for a hearing on a new trial. Thompson was sentenced two years ago to 20 years in prison under Florida's 10-20-life law for firing a gun into the ground to scare a teenager who was threatening his grandmother.
Cindy Swirko/Staff


But for the crime of firing two gunshots into the ground to scare off some teenagers, he is serving 20 years in prison.

Thompson is nearly blind, diabetic and has had multiple heart surgeries. In the past few years since he was in prison, he has had surgery on his prostate and to remove tumors from his face.

Two years ago, the judge who reviewed the 20-year term required by Florida's mandatory minimum law called it "a crime in itself." He sentenced Thompson to three years instead of 20.

But that was overturned on appeal by the office of 4th Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey, the prosecutor in the case of George Zimmerman — the accused shooter of Sanford teen Trayvon Martin.

Now, in a motion that cites both mandatory sentences and Florida's "stand your ground" law, Thompson has filed for a new trial, claiming his first one was not fair and that his trial attorney's performance was ineffective.

"I think (the sentence) far exceeds anything that would be reasonable. That's the problem we have with minimum mandatory sentences — they sound good on paper or on the campaign trail, but they don't always work so well when applied to individual cases," said his appeal attorney, Steven Whittington. "I don't think too many people would think with what happened here, even though he technically violated the law, that a reasonable sentence is 20 years — especially when we are going to be paying for this, including some really high medical costs that he has already incurred."

 

[Very_Bad_Man]

The moral of the story is that Florida is the shit hole state but i could of told you that prior to this post.

 

[busybody..]

The NIGGER must be protected

 

[Mrtenant]

hardly sounds like a bad thing....at his age, he won't have to work ( prison library at best ) gets great medical care, and 3 squares a day, conjugal visits-if he's up to it, and exercise....whats not to like? beats the hell out of Veterans health care

 

[busybody..]