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Debra Lafave

Dan over at Riehl World View is reporting that Debra Lafave's Plea Agreement Rejected. Hum... couldn't be any happier.

FoxNews has the judge saying the following:
"Accepting the proposed plea agreement would likewise send the message that if enough publicity is generated, and the media's interest continues long enough, and because of that interest the victim does not wish to testify, a defendant can avoid an appropriate sentence," Stancil wrote in his decision.


For once, a judge with a brain- perhaps he should give pointers to the Cashman's of the world. However, as great as it is that the judge has stood up on the side of the law- what the local prosecutors have done is beyond inexcusable:
WESH 2 News has learned that local prosecutors are dropping the charges against Debra LaFave, the school teacher accused of having sex with her 14-year-old student.

The decision comes only hours after a Marion County judge rejected a second plea deal in the case.

Sources have told WESH 2 I-Team reporter Stephen Stock that this has been planned for weeks.

Prosecutors promised the mother of the victim in this case that the boy would not have to testify. But because Marion County Judge Hale Stancil rejected this second plea deal, the only other option for prosecutors would be a trial, which would force the boy to testify.


It's nice to know that prosecutors would rather a sex offender walk than have a court hearing. The fact that they would drop the charges, is disgusting to say the least.

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Comments

Anonymous said…
Waitaminute. They had a plea. She was sentenced in the other county (maybe not as much as some folks might like, but something) and the judge could have sentenced her to actual jail time in his county.

Instead, going against what the Prosecution, the family of the victim, and the defense attorney urged, he decided "public confidence" was more important... than the mental health and stability of the victim (and a guaranteed conviction)?

That's stupid-- beyond stupid. That's principle defeating the purpose of the principle.

LaFave should see the inside of a jail, or, minimum, the inside of a psychiatric ward, and instead, she gets house arrest and probation. The judge had it in his power to make that happen. It was a selfish, politically-motivated decision and it disgusts me-- it was not in the public's best interests, considering the outcome.
Anonymous said…
There are ways to protect a child on the stand. There are ways to support a child on the stand. I agree that testifying would be hard for the child. But there are ways they can do it to minimize the impact.
They can get it on videotape, they can have the child tesify behind a screen, they can have the testimon behind closed doors, they can have the testimony in chambers, they can have an advocate stand with the child to support him. I feel for the child, I really do. And I will feel twice as much for the next victim.
If the man stabbed her son, would mom say no he can't testify? Does mom realize she just made the kid a target for the next pedo, because after all- he won't testify?

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