Imagine this: A duplex apartment with two couple living in them. One morning while outside, the two men get into an argument, and it turned ugly as one got a loaded 12-guage shotgun and pointed it at the other. He proceeded to tum and fire the weapon toward a state highway directly in front of the apartments. He then jacks another shell into the shotgun and re-aims it back at the other guy’s chest and states, “The next one is for you.”

Police were called before anyone was harmed, and the man was charged with Aggravated Assault. The trial was a couple of weeks ago, and the jury found him guilty.

The judge sentences a convicted felon – who brandished and fired a 12-gauge shotgun within two or three feet of another human being (and a pregnant woman) just because he couldn’t control his anger, who has a history of misdemeanor offenses involving his anger and other physical altercations, who lied to the judge and jury – to probation. That’s right, probation.

I’m sure that you have family and friends that you wouldn’t want to come in harm’s way. I can’t imagine anyone who would honestly wish that on someone else.

I’m not worried about the man or woman who steals a pack of cigarettes or a car. I’m concerned about violent crimes and appropriate punishments, protection for the citizens of this county, teaching a criminal a lesson.

But what lesson has this guy learned? What will stop him from finding the victim and blowing his brains out? I’m sure he would serve time in prison then, but it will be too late.

Something is terribly wrong when the perpetrator of a violent crime involving the brandishing, discharging and then a deadly threat utilizing a loaded shotgun is allowed to just walk out of the courtroom free as a bird. I’m sure that was not the punishment the jury had in mind when they found him guilty.

There weren’t even any instructions by the judge not to have any contact with the victim or a restraining order. I was told by one of the deputies that he would even get his shotgun back.

Talk about justice being blind. White-collar crimes involving money warrant jail time, but violent crimes involving life-threatening situations do not? I just don’t understand that.

I just hope that this “madman” with the rage problem doesn’t harm any of your kids or loved ones.

 

Ronnie Hall