LIFE sentence or Multi year?

Hey all. I was just watching CNN and they had a story on there about a guy who got like 124 years prison sentence for various crimes he committed. One of the girls in the breakroom asked "Why would they give him 124 years? Why not just give him a life sentence?" I tried to explain my understanding of this issue, but I don't really know the actual reasons why they do things like this. At least I don't think I know. I told her I would ask some "friends" about it.

So, my question goes out to anyone, particularly the lawyers out there, who has an answer as to why they sometimes sentence someone to so many years that there is no way in the world they will make it to the end of the sentence. Why not just say "life" and go with that? I'm guessing it has to do with the type of crime, eligibility for parole, etc. Just curious though.

Thanks!

 

Let one of the lawyers correct this. My understanding=life sentences are generally 20 or 30 years to life. In some cases, depending on the state's parole system they are eligible for parole after a certain portion is served.

So with life, they can be out in 20 or 30 years (maybe less?), with 124 years... they may need more than one bar of soap on a rope. Upon release they'd be old, grey, and really loose.;

 

To ensure that they never get parole ??

 

That is my understanding of it and how I explained it to my co-worker. A life sentence leaves room for hope, although it may be little hope. A multi year sentence does't leave much hope because as you say, they must serve a certain portion based on the lenght of the sentence. Obviously, LIFE is shorter than 124 years, thus, putting him away forever.

 

Surely the lawyers will clarify but different crimes have different minimum and max sentences and depending on what it is they can be served simulataneously or concurrent. Sounds as if this guy got the concurrent stuff.

Let's say down the road he wins an appeal on say a drug charge so they take those years off of it. So then he just has to serve 119 years. See much better for him now.

 

Well you know what they say.........Some people will never go away, never die. They outlive everybody just to spite them.

 

RCjohn - "simultaneous" and "concurrent" are synonyms. I think the word you were looking for is "contiguous" (means connected in an uninterrupted flow).

 

I read somewhere that it is cheaper to lock someone up for the rest of their lives than to execute them. It's mostly because of the legal expenses involved when pursuing the death penalty, what with all the appeals and all.

 

One good example is that bimbo Susan Smith, who drowned her children because they were cramping her lifestyle. I cannot think of anything worse than life instead of death for her, so she can spend the rest of her life realizing what a selfish, stupid little twat she was.

 

Ohh the Death Penalty debate, this should be good.

 

Yep, good catch.

 

You guys still banish the condemned from the igloo?

 

not if we did it my way.

 

oh, and that was funny.

 

I was just watching CNN and they had a story on there about a guy who got like 124 years prison sentence for various crimes he committed....
who has an answer as to why they sometimes sentence someone to so many years that there is no way in the world they will make it to the end of the sentence. Why not just say "life" and go with that?

Simple. Sentences are based on the individual crime(s) of which the person was found/plead guilty. The crime has to be punishable by life imprisonment in order to have life imprisonment imposed. Sentencing cannot be merged into one lump sum and simply say "life".

Each count of a bill of information or indictment gets it's own punishment. Thus, when the total punishment is added up, it may get to a large figure such as posted above. Even with these seemingly endless terms, there is a minimum and a maximum. The press may report the max time to grab headlines.

Then of course there is the parole issue. Generally speaking, parole cannot be granted until the min date passes. Then there is the "credit for time served" thing. A min date may pass before the sentence is pronounced!

Again generally speaking, judges pronounce sentences in decreasing order of severity. Thus the most severe sentence is served first, then the second most severe, third most severe, etc., assuming that the sentences are to run consecutive and not concurrent. At times, a term of probation to the sentence to start at the time of sentencing or after release. Sounds crazy to have probation on top of any prison term, but there is a reason for it.

 

But incorrect. They are set adrift on an ice floe

 

Hmmmm, must be costly to dog-sled prisoners from the interior regions over to Hudson Bay!

 

Criminals suck.

If I had my way, prisoners wouldn't even get meals. I say throw a pig or cow or horse in the yard, arm everyone with a knife and fork, and let nature take it's course.

While we're at it, Free sex changes for sex offenders. Let's see how difficult it is for a 'newly made' woman to stay a virgin under those circumstances.

I'm also for chain gangs doing yard work. I'd put all the landscapers out of business and arm DOT workers with machine guns.

Break the law, go to jail. period. let's stop wasting tax dollars with courts & legal fees and accepting plea bargains. crime, jail, issue a fork, knife, and get moving, fuck a deal.

It's cheaper to put a kid through college & graduate school than it is to keep an inmate. I say reverse the funding to go to education.

 

Ever watch the movie "Escape from New York?"
Seems like a good soluion.