By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Over the years our host featured numerous articles presenting questionable, if not abusive, novel sentences for defendants convicted of crimes. Now, Smith County Texas Court Judge Randall Rogers hoisted himself to national attention for giving a man convicted of simple assault the choice between marrying his girlfriend within thirty days or going to jail.
At his sentencing hearing, Defendant Josten Bundy, before which he was convicted for an incident where he punched his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend in the jaw, Judge Rogers provided a choice to avoid jail.
Mr. Bundy could either choose probation with a stipulation that he marry Elizabeth “Hanna” Jaynes, attend counseling, and write bible verses or submit to fifteen days in jail. He chose marriage despite misgivings of the conditions. He lamented:
“I just wonder what would have happened if Hannah said no, had we said, ‘you know judge, we would like to get married on our own terms.’ He offered me fifteen days in jail and that would have been fine and I asked if I could call my job [to let them know]. The judge told me ‘nope, that’s not how this works.’”
The humiliation was not limited to Defendant Bundy, Ms. Jaynes also was the recipient of Judge Rogers’ theatrics. While she was present in the courtroom, Judge Rogers asked Bundy, “Was she worth fighting over?”
“My face was so red, people behind me were laughing,” she said. “[The judge] made me stand up in court.”
Eighteen days afterward, the couple married before a justice of the peace.
(from Screen Shot of Source)
In the view of your author Judge Rogers should be sanctioned for this stunt. There is a good possibility that this is not the only unusual and non-judicial punishment he delivered in the past.
We live in a world where there is a strong and tragic social and legal tradition in some places where forced marriages are common; though certainly many girls and women face harsher ramifications that fifteen days in jail for which Mr. Bundy was in peril. This is not an acceptable form of justice in any enlightened society.
While it seems that our couple would have a strong case for annulling the marriage by reason of duress of one of the parties of they so choose, from a personal point of view this couple now must succumb to a wedding ceremony that they did not plan, and outside what was of their own choosing. A wedding is not a formality to please the whim of a lower court judge, or to satisfy a judgement of a criminal court.
By Darren Smith
Source:
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
Broadhurst,
And your knee-jerk response to it was fully expected. I believe every citizen should be granted the privilege to vote and have representation within the government. I also believe that privilege should be limited only by a measure of civics literacy. Why shouldn’t a 16 year old taxpayer have the privilege to vote? Go ahead and defend people’s natural right to be as ignorant as they please. I support that as well but if they want to have a say in how we are to be governed then shouldn’t they at least pass the same test our immigration system requires for citizenship?
By the way, D.C. had the opportunity for getting the vote but didn’t like the fact it required they stop trying to override the 2nd amendment, so they dropped it.
Quite the non-answer from Olly.
The lack of representation in DC is a travesty, Max, but it’s not the last injustice we’ll see.
Strike the above to Olly. His ‘answer’ was worse than a non-answer. It was complete rubbish. It appears you don’t like Gruber’s ‘idiots’, but are perfectly satisfied with authoritarian ‘guardians’. Swell ‘republic’ you’ve got there.
Paul C.
Ben Carson plays operation too.
Perhaps BLM at his rallies, too?
Paul C.
Who needs “Royalties” when we have Dynasties?
Clinton II or Bush III, anyone?
Paul C.
“The CIA dosed people with LSD”
= = =
Paul C.
“we did not make them king and queen we just let them run our space program.”
= = =
Not to gloss over their Social Security benefits they paid into…
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/05/31/former-nazis-received-202m-in-social-security-benefits-watchdog-says/
Max-1 – I was talking Operation Paperclip.
Broadhurst
“In light of that, how do you feel about no taxation without representation?”
= = =
You mean like in D.C.?
… Well, they do have as much representation as the USVI do, but still they’re 100% Americans, fer sure, yes they are.
Broadhurst
I was hoping someone would get it…
Broadhurst,
How does the child under the age of 18 years of age get represented? Same question but for those with “diminished mental capacity”? It’s assumed that on average these citizens haven’t the acquired the understanding necessary to make an informed decision. In theory, their legal guardians will cast an informed vote that will secure their interest in this republic. What is really pathetic are the people opposed to civics literacy are the very people Jonathan Gruber relied on to make his models work.
BTW, why is a civics exam necessary for citizenship? If we don’t require one for those already citizens then why is it important?
ninianpeckitt
You make a lot of good points. Also appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comments.
The keepers left the gates to the sanitariums open again today — both in the UK as well as the US — as is obvious from the exchanges herein. Funny how the comments in this blog not only get off course, but often go right over the cliff. Nothing to see or learn here. Move along.
This Judge is the Donald Trump of justice – he may not be right, but he is sure. Plenty of ego to make up for a void in empathy and diminished intellectual capacity. Bullies are everywhere.
Olly,
Interesting view regarding the civics test.
In light of that, how do you feel about no taxation without representation?
“Olly: Well I might pass with a nights swotting ? Not too bad for Limey. If there had been anything about baseball or mud wrestling I would have to give up.”
ninian,
What matters is that you care to improve. We have a nation of civically ignorant people and they could care less about what they know. They care more about what they want and will vote for whomever they believe will provide it.
Voter ignorance, apathy and dependence is the three-legged stool our authoritarian government stands on to rule the people.
Olly: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter”.
Winston Churchill
“Voter ignorance, apathy and dependence is the three-legged stool our authoritarian government stands on to rule the people”.
This is a global problem. But for some of us, yes, the acquisition of knowledge is exciting and stimulating. And the cut and thrust of debate shapes interpretation and understanding.
As far as government is concerned, government is authoritarian by reason of existence. That is the purpose of governing. Control. What is important is comparison with other systems in order to achieve “optimum enlightenment” for want of a better description – ie minimal government (if that is what you want). But if you produce an underclass this will adversely affect National Success.
TB blankets?
The disease was smallpox.
pinandpuller
Politics without economic interests?
Thou dost jest.
Paul C. Schulte
1, August 9, 2015 at 6:26 pm
ninny – we are not led by our German overlords.
= = =
Tell that to theNazi’s we allowed into the country…
Max-1 – we did not make them king and queen we just let them run our space program.
“Well then, how do you vote?”
Informed!
ninian,
The average score on this test was about 49% and it only improved slightly for college educators to about 55%. Your score wouldn’t have been enough to pass but you were about 20% above our average.
Olly: Well I might pass with a nights swotting ? Not too bad for Limey. If there had been anything about baseball or mud wrestling I would have to give up.
ninny – you might barely pass with a weeks swotting but it would take at least that. Tell you what, I will write an American Government test for you and you decide in advance how much time you need to swot for it. It will be 100 multiple choice questions. You have to get at least 75 right to be able to vote. Fair?
Paul C.
“… got 1 wrong. Can I vote?”
= = =
Opposable thumb?