bbm: I see your point rossva, but I think where you and I differ in our perspective is that perhaps in the other cases cited, the defendants pled out right-away, admitted their wrongdoing, and were sentenced accordingly. KC lied, she stonewalled, all while her daughter was allegedly kidnapped, she refused to cooperate with the kidnapping investigation, she refused to acknowledge her wrongdoing immediately in the check cases, etc., you get my drift.....her situation was perhaps somewhat more "criminal" than the others and despite being her first offense....it was felt that a stiffer sentence would be appropriate. I believe circumstances have everything to do with sentencing. The routine check charges for the other first time offenders referenced in the research by Pipitone probably were not concurrent with those offenders being investigated for the murder of their daughter. Judges have discretion for precisely these situations - and I personally am glad that Strickland sentenced her harshly. It "felt" appropriate to me, one of the "People" vs. Casey Marie Anthony........