Too Much Free Time

Too Much Free Time

by Mike Masnick




Judge Wastes No Time: Sentences Late Defendent Over His Mobile Phone

from the go-directly-to-jail,-do-not-pass-go... dept

A man who had pleaded guilty in a financial scam case apparently was late to court on the day of sentencing, claiming he was stuck in traffic. The judge thought about it for a bit, and decided there was no reason to waste court time waiting for the guy to get there. So, she called him back, made sure he wasn't driving at the time, and sentenced him over his mobile phone. Of course, if you're going to do that, why have the guy leave home at all? In fact, why not just email him the sentence? It seems much more efficient.

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Feb 3rd, 2005 @ 12:39pm
  • and with some data mining...

    by Anonymous Coward

    with some data mining, we wouldn't even need the judges! we'd just plug in the historical determinations and sentences handed out by judges and it all becomes math from there! BRILLIANT.

    Oh wait... nevermind.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Feb 3rd, 2005 @ 3:48pm
  • the worst part of it

    by nonuser

    At the end of the call, the scammer said, "Yes I understand, Your Honor... by the way, who do you think will win the big football game?"

    And the judge replied, "Are you talking about the World Cup?"

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Feb 3rd, 2005 @ 11:36am
  • Phone Sentencing

    by John Boddie

    This makes me wonder how many judicial procdures could be managed remotely. Cetainly, in a criminal case, there are a number of steps prior to a jury trial that could be handled in a collaboratie environment instead of a courtroom.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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