While the rest of the country has been trying to find a way to deter the savage game known as “knock out” (where men randomly punch pedestrians to see if they can knock them out), Judge William Mays in Quincy Illinois appears less than steadfast in his approach of the “game.” Mays had Lamar Coulter, 21, in his courtroom and a compelling record of what appeared two knock out crimes. Nevertheless, Mays let Coulter go without prison time — giving him probation instead.
Coulter was arrested after two separate incidents on June 27th of a 37-year-old man and two 18-year-old men who said that they were suddenly punched by a man who fled the scene in a car. Police arrested Coulter and Calvin L. Snell for robbery and the three men were taken to a hospital.
Even if one believes that this was not the knock out game, these were three assaults allegedly committed by Coulter and his friend. Even with no felony record, that is a pattern of violent acts that would seem to require something other than 24 months probation and 270 days in jail. The prosecutors had asked for four years in prison. With day-for-day good time credit, Coulter could be out in 90 days. Coulter was also ordered to pay $14,796 in restitution to the victims.
Coulter was apparently visiting Quincy with Snell, who was about to attend Quincy University (and seemed to celebrate his higher education by victimizing random people). Snell was expelled and he is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
This strikes me as a rather light sentence for violent acts even for a first offender.
What do you think?
POGO
You’re such a naysayer today. “Yeah well how do you know?” “Yeah well do you have any proof?”
Reblogged this on Scoop Feed.
Why don’t each of you who thinks this is no big deal and that he doesn’t deserve jail time or 270 days is too much let this nice young fellow punch you in the face for no reason.
https://youtu.be/bRqsN5qOjuU
The way I read the article, he got 270 days in jail for this. Not just probation and fines. THAT is a lot of time in jail. Why don’t each of you who thinks it is not try one day in jail. Yeah, one day.
If he had played this “prank” on the judge, he’d be in prison.
He should be entered in the prison boxing program where he is 2 weight classes above his actual weight. He could come out with Parkinson’s.
There is this whole liberal meme about fewer prison sentences because the prisons are over-filled as it is. Federal courts are just opening the doors and letting them out. When they do that, they should be dropped off at the judge’s house, in my opinion.
Judges get upset when legislatures tie their hands with mandatory sentencing, so they agree to plea bargaining to lesser crimes. I am curious if we will see how this sentence works out.
I think the perfect sentence would be to have this fine young man move in with one of the many rabid supporters of Michael Brown to be found here. I am sure they have a spare room for this poor disadvantaged youte.
I’m guessing that this man doesn’t have an extra $14,000 lying around, so the order of restitution is virtually meaningless. He’ll probably do something worse than this soon after he gets out.
I would make the punk go into the ring w/ Vitali Klitschko as a sparring partner for 3 rounds. He wouldn’t make it past a few punches.
I don’t care about him; his violent, potentially lethal actions show that he should be locked up to protect society. The best I would consider for him is 4 years in a prison work camp, or put him in the Army or Marines (if they’ll take him) and dump him in Iraq or Afghanistan. Let him play the knock-out “game” with ISIS.
Isn’t he exactly the kind of person the public needs protection from? Random acts of violence? How did he choose his victims?
Prisons are not about reform.
If there is no punishment for breaking the law, then there is no law. If I did not pay my taxes, and nothing happened except a good scolding, I would not pay my taxes. The punishment is to enforce the law, and give justice to the victims. Jail time also gives the public a break from people that prey on them. Why would this man stop committing random acts of violence if nothing stops him?
If people get reformed in jail, well that’s wonderful. But it’s not the main purpose.
Can you imagine if someone killed your family member, and in return, they got to stay at home, attend free college, free gym membership, free yoga, join a support group to talk about their feelings, have a mentor call them every single night to see if they’re OK . . . Geez, the murder rate would skyrocket so everyone could get “reformed.”
People keep coming up with external reasons why people commit crime, as if it is not the criminal’s conscious decision and responsibility. But when a serious crime happens to them, they might change their tune about wanting that person off the street and far away from them.
The judge doesn’t care it won’t happen to him, besides the judge is probably packing a gun.
“Surely we can come up with some new ideas besides sit and be fed by us in a prison.”
No, actually we cannot.
Some people aren’t fit to live among the civilized.
“There is mindless prankster ingredient here.”
This is no “prank.”
TPing a tree is a prank.
This was a violent assault couple with impulsivity and the absence of social norms.
That is, barbarism.
“The perp needs to come face to face with the results of this sort of activity, on a regular basis for four years.”
Assumes facts not in evidence.
What evidence is there that this young man gives a whit about the effects of his actions?
He is about 15 years late in developing impulse control and shame.
I do agree with Isaac that he should NOT be let off with just probation. And maybe there is a way we could implement Davidm2575’s idea. Yardman for a month? Maid for a year? Victims decide what charity, church, or municipal roadwork he must labor in? Surely we can come up with some new ideas besides sit and be fed by us in a prison.
“He should serve as a slave to the victims as a form of restitution.” Sounds good to me, but how do you do that? By having him sit in prison he is actually making the victim AND all of us, a slave to him. I am not interested in cutting of my nose to spite my face.
Imprisonment is a very costly and ineffective way to satisfy justice. There is only one winner in our whole incarceration system, and it is not the criminal, nor the victim, nor society who bears the financial costs of supporting his incarceration and subsequent re-entry into society. The winner is unmasked in this article by Chris Hedges.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_prison_state_of_america_20141228
davidm2575
You have the ‘appropriate punishment’ idea but you might want to rethink your wording.
Depending on his priors and a psych exam he should either go to prison for a lengthy stay-four years sounds about right, or be obligated to perform related work for four years as part of a probationary penalty. Letting him off with straight probation only fuels his logic. Putting him in prison should only be a last resort when all other approaches don’t seem appropriate. Putting him in prison would most likely make him more dangerous and he will get out. At this stage of his development the most important issue is not increasing this threat to society rather than punishment. This is an early stage in an anti social behavior that could be counter acted with a punishment/treatment.
There is mindless prankster ingredient here. The perp needs to come face to face with the results of this sort of activity, on a regular basis for four years. If that doesn’t work, then lock him up for a very long time.
I doubt the victims will see restitution money. It would shock the sensibilities of many, but seriously, if he does not pay restitution, he should serve as a slave to the victims as a form of restitution.
Light and instructive. Pedestrians have no rights they can be hit by cars and brutal criminals with no consequences for the perpetrators. He belongs in jail.
As a taxpayer, I don’t feel like footing the bill for a healthy young man to spend four years in jail. Prisons do not reform. Having men sit around and do nothing is a recipe for disaster, and no sex for a 21 year old for four years? That is also a recipe for more violence. Prisons may satisfy our desire for punishment, but I think they increase crime, and are too an great expense to society in the long run. I believe in quick and swift punishment, I believe in restitution, I believe in work camps, road crews, prison farms where they grow their own food and livestock, heck, I believe in stocks, public shaming, and the death penalty on occasion! But prison time is counter productive. Idle hands are the devils workshop. Keep them busy, keep them working, preferably physical labor, and provide a real way for integration into society. Four years is a punishment for him but a worse one for us. As a country that locks up more people than anyone in the world, let’s do a real cost benefit analysis on housing people behind bars and away from all normal family connections for years at a time.