topic Re: Judge Found Not Guilty in Community Chat

Judge Found Not Guilty

RazorSharp — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 02:30:25 GMT

I am shocked and dismayed to report that a judge here in Arkansas was found not guilty of negligent homicide in the death of his 17 month old son, who he left locked in a hot car. This was a huge case here, and I am heartbroken that there is no justice for this child. LINK

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

missy1 — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 02:34:24 GMT

@RazorSharp wrote:
I am shocked and dismayed to report that a judge here in Arkansas was found not guilty of negligent homicide in the death of his 17 month old son, who he left locked in a hot car. This was a huge case here, and I am heartbroken that there is no justice for this child. LINK

Of course he won't be charged, I hope he can never practice law again.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

SahmIam — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 02:36:18 GMT

Yeah, the verdict wasn't a shock to me. Sickens me to say that but.. there it is.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

AKgirl2 — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 03:01:18 GMT

@RazorSharp wrote:
I am shocked and dismayed to report that a judge here in Arkansas was found not guilty of negligent homicide in the death of his 17 month old son, who he left locked in a hot car. This was a huge case here, and I am heartbroken that there is no justice for this child. LINK

How horrible that this poor excuse for a human being, father and judge was not found guilty. Sadly, I didn't think he would being he is a judge, hopefully not for too much longer. He'll get his just deserts, hopefully sooner than later

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

Pearlee — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 03:13:19 GMT

His punishment will be for the rest of his life knowing his carelessness killed his son. That's quite a punishment in itself.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

sparklestar — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 05:08:15 GMT

What did he do, plead "stupid."?

I hope someone leaves him in a locked hot car.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

violann — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 11:57:48 GMT

Whenever I read one of these tragic stories, I try to place myself mentally in the driver's seat with one of my infants in the car.

When my children were very young, I was able to be a SAHM, so I'm sure my mind wasn't so focused on professional responsibilities that an infant could have been forgotten.

When they were slightly older, perhaps 3 and 1, we'd talk to each other, sing, look for signs that we were gettig closer to Grandma's, etc. The conversations were fun and important to me. No chance of forgetting a 4 year old who had just belted out the refrain of "America the Beautiful".

It sounds as though we have the name of a new "syndrome" that explains how a child can be left in a car by a parent. Or is it that infancy and early childhood have been so devalued that getting to the jobsite has become hypnotic.

I'll certainly never know.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

chickenbutt — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 15:17:43 GMT

Sadly, I have to also say that I'm not surprised. This is the way it goes.

There was a run of this happening here a few years ago. I recall a couple accounts of just regular folks doing this and one lady who, along with her family, had high standing in the area.

The most remarkable part of it was that the cases were about as exactly the same as it gets (there are seldom variables in these things anyway). Well, of course, the ones who were just regular middle-class people were prosecuted and the lady with connections was never touched.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

Puzzle Piece — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 15:32:32 GMT

Shame on the society and the people for electing such a man. He is not above the law and if the laws have to come down harder on judges then so be it.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

conlt — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 01:52:21 GMT

In North Florida, I can't remember if it was in Clay, Bradford, or Columbia county we had a state attorney do the same thing and the charges were dropped. I could not help but think if it were me most likely I would have been prosecuted.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

scotnovel — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 02:04:44 GMT

@violann wrote:
Whenever I read one of these tragic stories, I try to place myself mentally in the driver's seat with one of my infants in the car.

When my children were very young, I was able to be a SAHM, so I'm sure my mind wasn't so focused on professional responsibilities that an infant could have been forgotten.

When they were slightly older, perhaps 3 and 1, we'd talk to each other, sing, look for signs that we were gettig closer to Grandma's, etc. The conversations were fun and important to me. No chance of forgetting a 4 year old who had just belted out the refrain of "America the Beautiful".

It sounds as though we have the name of a new "syndrome" that explains how a child can be left in a car by a parent. Or is it that infancy and early childhood have been so devalued that getting to the jobsite has become hypnotic.

I'll certainly never know.

I agree this seems like it is happening more and more so is something "new".

However my spouse and I were at a New Year's party in the late 1970's and about 10:00 pm the hostess realized neither she nor her husband had picked up their 2 year old after work. Luckily they had a babysitter who was used to their forgetting all about their child so she would just keep the child at her house. She had called and left messages, but they ignored the phone because they were getting ready for the party. I was appalled that they could both just forget their child.

I wonder if we just hear more about these cases now and that this kind of thing has been going on longer than we think.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

Noel7 — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 03:15:30 GMT

They say the difference is that babies used to be in the front seat in a car seat next to the parent driver. Now the rule is to put them in the back seat where they are easier to forget or overlook.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

september — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 03:26:09 GMT

My children are now 27 and 29. I took care of my older nephews before they were born, so I think it's been the custom to have the kids in the back seat for over 30 years. I was always aware of them being there. How can we forget our little ones?

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

JaneMarple — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 03:31:00 GMT

@september wrote:
My children are now 27 and 29. I took care of my older nephews before they were born, so I think it's been the custom to have the kids in the back seat for over 30 years. I was always aware of them being there. How can we forget our little ones?

My children are 33 (twins),30 and 28, I'm in agreement with you that I always knew that they were in the backseat, they never rode in the front seat until they hit double digits.

Re: Judge Found Not Guilty

september — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 03:36:28 GMT

I would talk to my kids, even when they were infants, and even on longer drives. I wonder if parents today are talking on their cell phones while in the car, rather than interacting with the kids?