NEWS: What is the Minimum Jail Sentence for Torture?

at least they didnt got off with murder like OJ

Didn't kill them... but legally responsible for their deaths... but... oh good lord...

Yeah, and our legal system has issues.

Well, the article stated that both kids suffer from fetal alchohol syndrom, which can make people do some extremely fucked up and deadly shit,, so perhaps they built the cages to stop the kids from killing each other.

I really wish I hadn't read this article. My blood is all angry now.

The article is not very informative on the background of the situation. There was obviously something more to the story than just flat-out confinement and torture. Judges may be unfair, but they aren't usually completely incompetent. The boys' fetal alcohol syndrome probably played heavily into this scenario.

Even so, I'm not defending their disgusting actions, nor supporting this minimal sentence by any means. People get imprisoned for far longer periods of time for victimless crimes like drug possession. However, without all the details it's impossible for me to say the offenders should be killed or hunted by cannibals (though that would make a great reality show theme

i understand your second point completely, but the first is just a little faulty. it should not come into question the mental capacity or handicap of the victims that are tortured. having them locked up in improvised cages, not providing the basic necessities of life, or physical abuse is not a justifiable course of action in any shape or form. the victims must be seen as fully-functioning individuals in any case like this so that a miscarriage of justice like this doesn't occur.

[Edited on Jul 07, 2004 by dire_romantic]

When I read the judge's statement, "...started with good intentions...," I extrapolated that the boys' mental conditions probably played a role in the guardians' decision to cage them. This is supported by the judges further statement, that the boys' "complex requirements exceeded the capability of (the parents)."

I don't think there is any justification of actions here. I would imagine the judge probably believed this (and other undisclosed details) to be mitigating factors for sentencing purposes and acted accordingly.

As an analogy, murder is murder. However, certain types of pre-meditated murder, etc., can earn harsher punishments than just plain ol' homicide. There's no justification, but the penalties still may differ.

[Edited on Jul 07, 2004 7:17PM]

ok, i see your point. however, what i'm seriously questioning is the judges line of reasoning. how can he view 15 years worth of this abuse and only let the foster parents off with just 6-12 months? as an isolated incident if it was caught at the onset, then yes - it was a mistake for the parents to do this and the consequences wouldn't be so harsh....but 15 years? the article did go on to point out that the parents sought out professional help in dealing with the boys, but ignored the advice and witheld information of what they had done in the meantime. this atrocity could have been ended very early had the parents actually gotten help, but intentionally ignored the law and all morality.

thats some bull man, they should be gettin 10 a piece

Ontario's solicitor-general is looking into the matter, as I recall, and even the Crown attorney's office in that area has been getting quite a few phone calls on the subject. I assume that the aforementioned appeal will be taken up rather quickly.
Personally, I'm with s5 on this one. Let the cannibals (and army ants, and anything else) have their way with these sick fucks.

Perhaps 9 months in prison is a just sentance, if it is followed by their excution. Justice Donald Halikowski should receive 9 months in prison for a decision nearly as deplorable as the crimes themselves. Additionally the fact that their foster mother was subjected to "physical, psychological and sexual abuse as a child" should be grounds for an examination of the background checks carried out by CAS. Although I would not be opposed to an abused individual raising a child, one would think that closer observation of the childrens development would be mandated, especially given the boys diagnosis of "fetal alcohol syndrome" prior to adoption.

Word.

whoops. sorry bout jumpin on ya earlier...maybe if you'd use a smilie i would have caught the sarcasm. sorry again.

Yeah, there is a lot of outrage here. Sadly, it doesn't translate into action because this is just another ridiculous judgement as our higher profile cases always seem to end with. I blame it on the Liberals. But then I blame most things on the Liberals.

science loves cases like these. you should read up on the one with the girl who was born and left in a basment until she was 17. similar punishment as well, the child was taken away and something like 6 months in prison for the father and NOTHING for the mother. after about 2 years the mother took her back. didnt know how to walk, talk, nothing. she had never been outside, or even seen sun light. or the russian boy who roamed the streets with a pack of wild dogs after his mother died in their apartment when he was a todler. the locals thought he was a wereworf.

[Edited on Jul 08, 2004 by ThePritchard]

Fucking Incredible some of this Shit , its so unbelievable. Never would have thought. I say a lynch mob is definetlly in order.