I am amazed at these non-sentences! I have an acquaintance who Dr. shopped (NJ-3 doctors-xanax) a couple of years ago. He was caught, took a plea to a misdemeanor, received 5 years probation, had to attend a weekly drug program for 2 years and paid a hefty fine. He's still on probation, still paying off his lawyer and just finished the treatment program. His life is ruined. He'll forever have the charges on his record. He had never been in trouble prior to this, had a good job, a nice family and was a pretty respectable person. He's now divorced and looking for work. He has been clean since the day he was locked up and attends NA meetings regularly. Oh, he can leave the county.
I'm not saying he shouldn't have been punished and IMO he deserved what he got but these people literally get away with murder! Is it the system in Fla? How do they let habitual offenders waltz away with just a slap on the hand?? That revolving door isn't working! Florida seems to be the place to live and get off pretty easy if you're a drug addict and/or a thief. Is it overcrowding in the jails? Then you have Hope, who seems to be the "example" for the rest of the crew. I think 15 years is extreme but if it serves as a deterrent to even one person, IMO it was a wise sentence. If these criminals had been locked up at the first, second or even third offense, Haleigh might still be with us!! :banghead:
