Colorado a no-go for truckers

[LuFins Dad]

This is on the prosecution. They did not need to bring each of the 27 charges. Pick a couple that puts the guy in jail for 6-18 months and keeps from ever being behind the wheel of a truck again. They also could have come up with a plea deal.

[Horace]

I heard he refused any plea deal that would result in anything more than a traffic ticket.

[Doctor Phibes]

It doesn't sound fair in the least, however that report is all from one side of the story.

[LuFins Dad]

@horace said in Colorado a no-go for truckers:

I heard he refused any plea deal that would result in anything more than a traffic ticket.

If that’s true, then that drastically changes my opinion on this. Maybe not 101 years, but the guy passed MULTIPLE runaway truck ramps and made multiple bad decisions.

[Jolly]

He's 23, had never driven in Colorado and was admittedly going too fast. Accidents happen. He needs to go to jail.

But not for over 100 years.

[George K]

@jolly and he didn't take advantage of the "runaway truck" ramps.

Negligent homicide, or something of the like, but 100 years?

[Horace]

Missing the runaway truck ramps was probably a stupid mistake on his part rather than willful bad decision that put others in harm's way. It put himself in harm's way, too, after all.

[89th]

The sentence is a result of sequential (not concurrent) sentence requirements, which seems a little silly... at least not to leave it to the judge's discretion. Anyway, he did kill what... 4 people? And the sheer number of crimes he was charged with. I don't have any of the facts other than that is a lot of death to account for, one way or another.

Also I think the vide of the log jam of trucks was because of a closed road, not a protest. At least that's what I saw in a reddit comment a few days ago. And those reddit comments are never wrong, lol.

[Mik]

Still, a new driver, states who have relaxed requirements. Add in the fact that having trucks on the road is an inherent risk. Two lifetimes is excessive.

[taiwan_girl]

Channeling Ax

So, he decided not to get a vaccine utilize the truck ramps and went too fast. It was his choice.

The individual comes first before the good of society as a whole. Should not have been even arrested.

(Of course, I am being tongue in cheek with the above)

[jon-nyc]

https://reason.com/2021/12/22/rogel-aguilera-mederos-rejected-a-plea-deal-so-he-got-110-years-in-prison/?utm_content=bufferf1953&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[George K]

@jon-nyc interesting article.

Basically, the government said, "Do you feel lucky, punk? Well do ya?"

[LuFins Dad]

@george-k said in Colorado a no-go for truckers:

@jon-nyc interesting article.

Basically, the government said, "Do you feel lucky, punk? Well do ya?"

The bigger issue is that’s the common practice today. This case gets the attention, but there are thousands like it. Maybe not as severe, but unjust as hell. Then there are the millions of cases that did take the plea because of the fear instilled by the prosecution.

And it’s not even that it seems corrupt or wrong at first glance. It looks like it is simply an attempt at efficiency and who wouldn’t argue for more efficiency? But somewhere along the lines they pushed it too far and those abuses became commonplace. So commonplace that they become hard for people to recognize as an abuse, it becomes “the system”.

This is one of those type of things that leads reasonable people to believe in a systemic racism built into the system. After all, these type of plea deal nightmares are going to disproportionately effect people of color more than caucasians since the BIPOC have disproportionately more interactions with the judicial system. But it’s not a racial thing at all. I would say it’s an economic issue first. Can you afford an attorney that can and will actually help you fight for your rights? Or are you getting a public defender that wants to rubber stamp your case as quickly as possible?

Either way, as I mentioned above, this is on the Prosecution. Unfortunately, the judge’s hands were tied, as were the jury’s.

[jon-nyc]

Mandatory sentencing is to blame as well.

[89th]

@lufins-dad Good post. As with all things, there was a 60 minutes segment about this a few years ago, and unfortunately it really is common practice. Not enough resources in the judicial system (lawyers, judges, et al), the economics, etc.

Do we know what he was offered as a plea? If both sides of the case do truly admit that the brakes gave out, what other criminal acts did he commit. Not using the runaway ramp? Ok, I get it. Was he going too fast for the conditions?

I ask because if I was driving and caused the deaths of 4 people and critical injuries to others, I would be damn sure there was no culpability anywhere to be found before I rejected a plea deal.

[Jolly]

(Climbing on hickory stump)

The criminal justice system today is certainly criminal, but rarely just. Usually, you can buy as much justice as your wallet allows.

We need several reforms:

1. A robust and better funded Public Defender's office.
2. A curtailment of government resources being brought to bear on individual criminal cases. The government should not be able to engage in lawfare, within the walls of the criminal court.
3. Clarity in sentencing. I'm not against mandatory sentences, but some are ridiculous.
4. A better approach to recidivism. Prisoners need to be vocationally trained in prison for jobs that are available in the economy. Example: Angola has a golf course and it trains prisoners as greenskeepers. There is a standing list of employers wanting to hire these guys. Because of that, competition is fierce among inmates to get those coveted training slots.
5. Education in prison. GED programs are common. I'd like to see more 2 and 4 year college programs and employer pipelines for graduates.
6. Mental health. A lot mental health problems among criminals, many times coupled with drug abuse. Prisons need robust drug abuse and mental health programs. The criminal justice system needs better half-way houses and monitoring for druggies on parole.
7. Work. No prisoner needs to sit on his butt in a cell. I want to see them picking up litter, cleaning public buildings, building playgrounds or walking trails. I want to see prison vegetable gardens, worked by prisoners. I want them paid a nominal salary for their work (25 cents/hr?), but I want them to work.
8. Capital punishment. I have no problem with excising cancers from the public body, if guilt can be proven beyond a shadow of doubt. I see no reason to suck resources off of prisoners who might can turn their life around, to feed, clothe, house and guard a prisoner who has committed a heinous crime and will never see the light of day.

[taiwan_girl]

@jolly Alot of good points in your list!!

[George K]

[Mik]

Still too much as far as I can tell.