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Hate crime attackers sentenced to a month? Whos fault is this?

Fri, 10/29/2010 - 8:42am | Commonsenseman

why is it that the  hate crime attackers that have been caught were only sentenced to  a month of  jail time, bot  crimes were clearly racially motivated, one part of the "Polar Bear Hunting" attacks the other appears to be because  the racial differnces  in the couple attacked.  The police have done their job by catching these cowards, why didnt t Julia Reitzs office push for a harder sentence. The police catch the bad guys and the legal system let them go? After about a month in jail we have cowardly predators back on the streets again.

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Charles Chapin wrote on November 01, 2010 at 12:11 pm

While I don't personally

While I don't personally support the prosecution of anyone for so-called "hate crimes," I do think the right message to deter future attacks would have come from a stronger sentence. I am disappointed in the state's attorney's office.

Commonsenseman wrote on November 02, 2010 at 9:11 pm

Julia Rietz is apparently

Julia Rietz is apparently dropping the ball here, its too bad she wasn't on the ballot today. Maybe next election we can get someone who prosecutes all criminals instead of giving some of the worst and notorious offenders in this community a "slap on the wrist". If the purpose of hate crime legislation is to send a message to those who harm others based on race why isn't the States Attorneys office using the law to send that message? Just because the victims were not minorities means they don't deserve equal protection under the law?

1concernedparent wrote on October 30, 2010 at 1:10 pm

It seems that someone is

It seems that someone is going to wind up getting killed before these attacks will be taken seriously. All racial attacks need to be handled the same, regardless of who the attacks are against, and who they are done by. Had the attacks been reversed and the 'Polar Bears' been accused of doing the attacks, I'm sure that the prosecutors office would have handled this very differently. It's a shame that we are showing our children there are double standards depending on your skin color.

Commonsenseman wrote on October 30, 2010 at 8:10 pm

that double standard is

that double standard is taught in the Champaign school system, ask anyone who has gone there since the"Consent Decree" the efforts to equalize disciplinary referrals among races has left some races with the ability to not get punished for breaking the rules and they get taught to use the race card

thechampaignlife wrote on October 29, 2010 at 8:10 am

Didn't one of them just

Didn't one of them just recently get probation only? Maybe these people's attacks weren't as brutal as some of them or maybe the evidence was questionable for a conviction but it does seem they should be coming down on them harder to dissuade other would-be attackers.

Commonsenseman wrote on October 29, 2010 at 8:10 am

Its obvious these are hate

Its obvious these are hate crimes, why weren't they prosecuted as such? Why are todays teens and young adults so lawless and disrespectful? I wonder if it is the fault of poor parenting or lack of discipline in the schools.