Fla. justice system under scrutiny in wake of girl's slaying

Associated Press ^ | Feb. 9, 2004 07:40 AM

[cateizgr8]

SARASOTA, Fla. - For the better part of a decade, the man suspected of killing an 11-year-old girl whose abduction was caught on videotape had been under the supervision of Florida's criminal justice system. But despite his many brushes with the law, Joseph P. Smith never spent long behind bars.

[Cubs Fan]

The guy is a habitual offender, and habitual parole violater, such people should be behind bars permanently.

On another note-- if a doctor messes up and someone dies because of it they can be sued, lose their licenses, and sometimes even jailed for it. IMO judges who don't do what they are supposed to and the result is someone getting killed, should be personally liable for their mistakes.

[cateizgr8]

Sarasota Circuit Judge Harry Rapkin, the latest judge to have handled Smith's case, said Friday he was not at fault for not putting Smith in jail when the unemployed mechanic failed to pay court costs and fines in December.

There's no "debtor's prison" in Florida and Smith wouldn't have been held simply for not paying a bill, the judge said.

He should have been held for PAROLE VIOLATION!

[jwalburg]

They are too busy going after Rush Limbaugh to bother with minor details like parole violations.

[End Times Sentinel]

But despite his many brushes with the law, Joseph P. Smith never spent long behind bars.

 

If we'd only shown MORE compassion towards Mr. Smith, or Joey as I call him, none of this would have ever happened.  Somehow, society is to blame.

 

"The system failed Joe, and it failed that little girl,"

 

See, I told ya.

 

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[ozzysmom]

Well I am sure that Jesse Jackson, Mike Farrell and crew will head on down to Florida to show their "compassion" for "Joey" Smith now that they have been granted a stay in Mr. Cooper's case (California). I still find it hard to comprehend how these actors, et al have all this passion and compassion for people who commit such horrible acts upon another human being but have no sympathy whatsoever for the millions of babies aborted. They never seem to have any feelings for the victims...

[GovernmentShrinker]

Well in a sense society IS to blame. Florida -- and many other states -- have made it clear to habitual criminals that they will not suffer any serious punishment for habitual crime, and voters haven't ousted the politicians and judges who built and maintain the idiotic system. Mr. Smith may well be so mentally ill that he can't control himself, and society would have done both him and itself a big favor by permanently caging him a long time ago.

[PleaseNoMore]

Sarasota Circuit Judge Harry Rapkin, the latest judge to have handled Smith's case, said Friday he was not at fault for not putting Smith in jail when the unemployed mechanic failed to pay court costs and fines in December.

This man Smith was part owner in an auto mechanic's shop. The man who recognized him in the video and called the cops is his BUSINESS partner. They opened the shop last year. Unemployed my a$$. He was self employed. It's easy to lie about your employment when you are self employed. It's harder for those wishing to verify your income to do so. My hunch is that he lied because he wanted the money for drugs.

[ridesthemiles]

The judge is at fault, and he protests too loudly.
The reason the culprit never appeared in front of the judge is that the judge refused to schedule Smith for a court appearance.
What a weak suck excuse of a judge and a human this judge is.
Does anyone know of judges are elected in Florida or if they are appointed?
I want to write Jeb Bush if they are appointed.

[BlueStateDepression]

He is no longer accused. He is GUILTY as charged and I predict he will be sentenced to death. Rightly so.