U. S. District Court Judge Dean Whipple refused to take action to prevent Medicaid cuts from taking place, according to Associated Press.
Whipple, of course, is the same judge who has recently allowed two people charged with sex crimes in connection with Internet stings free, saying that they did not try to have sex with actual underaged girls, but only police officers pretending to be underaged girls in chatrooms.
According to Randy's post, the two have been CHARGED, not CONVICTED. I'm not familiar enough with the judge to comment further. But I do think it is important to remember the premise of our legal system being innocent until proven otherwise.
ReplyDeleteGood point and you are likely right, it just hits a nerve when the public is put at risk to preserve that legal principle. Maybe there is another way I am not sure. But remember "innocent until proven guilty" is only for people who can afford a lawyer who plays golf with the prosecutor.
ReplyDeleteI have known Dean Whipple a long time, in fact I went to college with him, and I have to tell you he does take the law very seriously. As you all well know there is a very fine line that officers must walk to avoid entrapment and, in the above mentioned cases, they crossed that line.
ReplyDeleteThe reason for the internet sex case decisions has to do with the way the Federal law is written. Complain to your legislators. The U.S. Attorney's office said they interpret the law to include the provision about police posing as children not being an exception. But, the Federal law does not spell out that provision the way the Missouri law does. The United States Congress and Senate is not made up of people with common sense. It is made up with a bunch of rich white guys who may have money and book smarts (some). You have to write laws and sentencing guidelines that will do the job. Don't place the blame on the judge who correctly interprets the way the idiots wrote it.
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