Korean Job Discussion Forums

[madoka]

These two cases came up within days of each other. I find the contrast in sentencing to be. . . interesting.

Two Pennsylvania men who were convicted of a federal hate crime for beating and kicking an illegal Mexican immigrant who died of his injuries were sentenced Wednesday to nine years in prison.

Derrick Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky were among a group of white high school football players in the small town of Shenandoah who attacked 25-year-old Luis Ramirez in 2008. Prosecutors alleged they beat and kicked Ramirez because they didn't like Hispanics and wanted them out of their town.

Justice Department prosecutor Myesha Braden said in court Wednesday that while Piekarsky, now 19, and Donchak, now 21, did not intend to kill Ramirez, they decided his ethnicity made him "somehow worthy of being beaten like a dog in the streets."

Defense attorneys said they will appeal the verdicts and sentences.
The pair were convicted in October. They could have received more than 12 years to more than 15 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, but U.S. District Judge Richard Caputo granted them a reduction because of their personal character and conduct before Ramirez's beating, as well as the numerous letters and testimonials he received.

He also noted Ramirez's death and the crimes of Piekarsky and Donchak.
"The jury found that Mr. Ramirez died as a result of his ethnicity or race. This is serious business in America," said Caputo, adding: "There are no winners here, only losers."

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Devine worked for Apple as a global supply manager, but was accused of selling on confidential information to suppliers so that they were in a better position to win valuable contracts.

Devine pleaded guilty in a San Jose federal court on Monday to wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering, and agreed to forfeit about $2.28 million (around �1.7million) in money and property.

He is also facing a civil lawsuit from Apple, although that was put on hold for the duration of his trial. At the time they filed the suit, Apple said they had 'zero tolerance' for dishonest behaviour inside or outside the company.

Devine's actions were discovered last year when Apple launched an internal investigation, discovering a cache of emails between Devine and the suppliers, according to their lawsuit.

He will be sentenced on June 6, and could face up to 20 years in prison.
'Mr. Devine is a good man who made a mistake, and now he's trying to make amends,' his attorney, Raphael Goldman, said on Monday.

[ZIFA]

Looks like exposing the secrets of the rich and powerful is a bigger crime than killing an inconsequential average man in the street.


Although in all fairness, corporate crime can cause far more distress, to far more people than some isolated backstreet murder. Hello Bernard Madoff.

[madoka]

Once again, money talks. . .

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/03/11/driver-sentenced-in-sunset-strip-hit-and-run-that-killed-a-woman/

An Australian businessman whose company once distributed �Girls Gone Wild� videos was sentenced Friday to just under a year in jail for a hit-and-run crash that left a 21-year-old woman dead on the Sunset Strip.
Under a plea deal, Ryan Mathew Bowman, 34, was sentenced to 364 days in a private Los Angeles jail facility.

Bowman pleaded guilty to a felony count of leaving the scene of the crash that killed Lauren Ann Freeman as she tried to cross Sunset Boulevard at Hammond Street shortly before midnight Nov. 10.

Witnesses said Freeman was in a crosswalk, ahead of a group of friends, when she was struck by a dark vehicle and thrown about 50 feet. Freeman had been at a concert at the Roxy Theatre and was crossing the street with friends to reach a taxi.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Bowman will also be placed on four years probation after his release from jail and he must complete a nine-month alcohol education program. He was also ordered to have a breathalyzer-like device placed on his automobile for one year.

In addition, a restitution amount to be paid to the Freeman family will be determined, prosecutors said.

Investigators found debris from the front end of a gray-to black-colored Bentley at the scene of the crash, according to Sgt. Chris Tatar. A charcoal- gray Bentley with front-end damage and no license plates was later found parked near La Cienega Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.
Accompanied by his attorney, Bowman surrendered the following afternoon at the sheriff�s West Hollywood Station.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

Hit and run drivers are scum and should get 10 years minimum. I think that that's worse than beating someone to death in a fit of rage.

[SeoulFinn]

A bit off topic:


Below is a link that shows how insane rulings the Finnish courts can hand down. Meet Esa �kerlund, a man who not only murdered his wife in 1995, but also tried to kill two others. He was also convicted of having an illegal firearm etc. Actually, he had killed (manslaughter) another man before murdering his wife.

What kind of a sentence did he get? A life sentence, which is good in theory, but in Finland it equals in most cases 10-12 years in prison no matter how many people you kill.

He got out in 2009 and in the next year he... shot three men in cold blood over nothing.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/06/finland.shooting/index.html?iref=allsearch&fbid=Q_wZecWEz_g

This time he was sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Huh? Life is cheap in Finland.

[Louis VI]

If you killed a Mexican who leaked ipod secrets would one get 29 years? Or split the difference and get 15 years?