Judge gives man probation, saying he's 'too short' for prison
SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — A judge said a 5-foot-1 man convicted of sexually assaulting a child was too small to survive in prison, and gave him 10 years of probation instead.
His crimes deserved a long sentence, District Judge Kristine Cecava said, but she worried that Richard W. Thompson, 50, would be especially imperiled by prison dangers.
"You are a sex offender, and you did it to a child," she said.
But, she said, "That doesn't make you a hunter. You do not fit in that category."
Thompson will be electronically monitored the first four months of his probation, and he was told to never be alone with someone under age 18 or date or live with a woman whose children were under 18. Cecava also ordered Thompson to get rid of his pornography.
He faces 30 days of jail each year of his probation unless he follows its conditions closely.
"I want control of you until I know you have integrated change into your life," the judge told Thompson. "I truly hope that my bet on you being OK out in society is not misplaced."
*** I dont know if I should have put this in debates or here..I think send him to jail and let what ever happends. happend. He was fucking children.
Yea, I agree! There is definately something drasticlly wrong with the justice system today. It shouldn't make any difference what a person's stature or social status is. A sex offender is just sick and needs to be locked up.
I read that the prison administrator said he wouldn't even had been the shortest inmate in the system and he could be segregated or protected if need be.
There must be something more going on like bribery or something.
The j/o judge should have more compassion for little children than a little 'man.'
It's just other fact that the JUSTICE SYSTEM has let down the very good man and woman of law enforcement and every community in the U.S.A. .. The whole thing stinks to high HELL.
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I saw this on TheDenverChannel.com. I hope the petition works. I can't believe it was a female judge that sentenced this guy. I just noticed that the article says the prosecutor didn't ask for prison time. WTF?!?
LINCOLN, Neb. -- A Nebraska woman has opened a petition drive demanding the resignation of a judge who sentenced a sex offender to probation partly because he is short.
Cheyenne County District Judge Kristine Cecava last week sentenced Richard Thompson to 10 years of intensive probation. He will be electronically monitored for the first four months and was ordered to never be alone with a minor.
A transcript of the sentencing hearing showed the judge said she didn't think the man, who is 5 feet 1 inch tall, would survive prison.
The transcript showed she also considered other issues as well as his height.
Tiffany Jones said she has already collected about 700 signatures on her petition.
A lawyer in Lincoln who is a friend and colleague of the judge said the prosecutor didn't ask for prison time. The lawyer also said she ruled based on Thompson's mental capabilities and information in a private pre-sentence report.
It's just other fact that the JUSTICE SYSTEM has let down the very good man and woman of law enforcement and every community in the U.S.A. .. The whole thing stinks to high HELL.
