This is so unbelievably offensive I can't even grasp it. In Nebraska, a judge, a FEMALE judge, has let a pedophile off with 10 years of probation in lieu of any prison time... because she thought he was "too short" for prison.
Since when does a criminal's physical height disqualify him from paying for his crimes? That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard about the criminal justice system.
This judge, District Judge Kristine Cecava in Sidney, Nebraska, who absolutely should be run out of town on a rail for her inconceivable short-sightedness and utter stupidity, seems to think that the 5'1" stature of this filthy, disgusting, convicted child molester will make him easy prey for some of the more violent elements in the prison system. It's "not safe" for him to be in prison and subjected to those elements, in her eyes. She said he was a "sex offender, and you did it to a child" but "that doesn't make you a hunter. You don't fit into that category."
IS SHE KIDDING? ALL pedophiles are "hunters". They are manipulators who prey on their tiny, innocent victims. Of COURSE this pig from hell is a "hunter"... why doesn't this judge GET that? What happened to "lock 'em up and throw away the key"?
Isn't it her JOB to protect the public from men like this? He wasn't too short to commit the crimes, so he's not too short to do the time! So what if he's going to be an easy target for the other prisoners -- pedophiles are the lowest of the low on the prison ladder anyway, and deservedly so. If you ask me, he needs a does of what it feels like to be the smallest, the hunted, the prey. Ten years in prison wouldn't be enough for him (I'm a strong advocate of life sentences with no parole for all convicted sex offenders). But to let him off with probation is the most insulting thing I can think of. I can't even imagine how his victim's family must feel about this.
Does this judge give a rat's ass for the child or children he has already abused? Will they feel safe at night knowing this slime is walking around free as a bird? What about the children out there who are now at risk because he didn't just get a short prison term, like so many pedophiles, he got NO prison? The overwhelming majority of child molesters and child rapists are repeat offenders - we KNOW this, and yet these freaking judges persist in advocating for the perpetrators instead of the victims.
If you are as outraged by this completely useless excuse for a judge as I am, you might want to join me in writing or phoning to express your feelings. It won't change the situation, but perhaps will make Judge Cecava think twice next time before putting a pedophile's welfare ahead of that of his current and potential future victims. I obtained this contact information from Court Clerk's office and this website in Cheyenne County, Nebraska. (The internet is a fine thing.)
Judge Kristine Cecava
c/o Cheyenne County Court House
Sidney, NE 69162
Phone: (308) 254-2814
Or perhaps better yet... let's all write to Oprah and let HER in on this, because she's been doing such a great job in fighting for harsher sentencing and punishment for pedophiles -- I think she'll want to know about THIS situation for sure.
Judge Cecava should be booted off the bench. Or maybe SHE needs to spend some time behind bars, because her ruling in this case was absolutely CRIMINAL. It's bad enough when I hear of cases of male judges letting child molestors off with a slap on the wrist but for a WOMAN to do the same... to call this a "miscarriage of justice" doesn't go far enough.
I am sick to my stomach.
*** UPDATE: I just wrote my own letter to this incompetent judge (and MAN it felt GREAT!) and created a sample letter you can download and modify to suit your own preferences. This sample is, believe it or not, a milder version of what I actually sent to the judge, so feel free to beef it up any way you like. It doesn't matter that you don't live in Nebraska -- let her know she made a huge mistake. Click here to download and save the file to your computer... it's an MS Word document you can open and edit as you see fit, and don't forget to include your own name and address and update the current date before mailing it.
Good to see this is getting national coverage and the attention it deserves:
- Prosecutor vows to appeal probation sentence (CNN) -- at least it sounds like other people are as baffled by this ruling as I am. The ACLU says no one has ever come to them to complain of "height" discrimination and that neither state nor the U.S. Constitutions provide any special protections based on physical stature ; a prison spokesman says Thompson would NOT be at risk and that he wouldn't even be the shortest guy they've got in prison now. By the way, the victim in this case was only 12 years old.
- Sentence for short sex offender draws fire (ABC News)
- Petition seeks judge's resignation (ABC News)
- Angela Shelton's Blog has more addresses you can write to in protest - have your say!
