Posted on 04/26/2006 11:46:03 AM PDT by prairiebreeze
(AP) MILWAUKEE Four Democratic presidential campaign workers were sentenced to jail time ranging from four months to six months Wednesday for puncturing the tires of Republican vehicles on Election Day 2004.
The men had pleaded no contest in January to misdemeanor property damage. A fifth worker was found not guilty.
Those who pleaded no contest were Sowande A. Omokunde, the son of Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee; Michael Pratt, the son of former acting Milwaukee Mayor Marvin Pratt; and Lewis Caldwell and Lavelle Mohammad, both from Milwaukee.
They originally were charged with felony property damage but accepted plea deals on the lesser charge.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Michael Brennan rejected prosecutors' recommendation of probation and no jail time.
"This case had to be a public example of what can happen when you interfere with voters' rights," Brennan said. The men faced a maximum nine-month jail term and fines of $10,000.
Congresswoman Moore said, "I love my son very much. I'm very proud of him. He's accepted responsibility."
The state Republican Party had rented more than 100 vehicles that were parked in a lot next to a Bush-Cheney campaign office to give rides to voters and poll monitors on Nov. 2, 2004. The vandalism caused some delays in the GOP's Election Day work as party workers rounded up different vehicles.
Democrat John Kerry won Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes in a close race.
Omokunde was sentenced to four months, Mohammad to five months and Caldwell and Pratt to six months. All were granted work-release privileges.
Brennan also ordered them to pay a $1,000 fine each, in addition to the $5,317 in total restitution ordered earlier.
Justin Howell was the only one who did not take part in the plea deal, and jurors found him not guilty.
At least the judge had the good sense to reject the DA's recommendation of probation only. Milwaukee DA must be a friend of Fitzgerald.
I won't hold my breath waiting for one of the various flavors of CNN to cover this.
This judge is a GREAT AMERICAN!
A little justice...finally. ping
Media: ZZZZZZZZ
*sighs*
I hope they all drop the soap and...
RATS tend to serve very little jail time so you are absolutely correct.
I don't think any of them are smirking or laughing now.
Oh, and the congresswoman who's proud of her little boy for taking responsibility....suuure she is.
Thanks....love the mother that is "proud" of her son...he only owned up to it because he was caught..and his lawyer told him to plea bargain...
Stage name ?, joke ?
His loser buddies so hate him right now. I hope they are going to PMITA prison.
It only shows how out of touch he is with the real world and the meaning of right versus wrong. And to think he came close to being POTUS.
No, that's one of those made up, almost African sounding names the libs like to humiliate themselves with. Like Jafari Washington.
Omokunde...yeah, dats da ticket
Lewis Caldwell:
Lavelle Mohammed:
Also, its Late April 2006. It takes this long to prosecute these petty criminals?
Maybe they will write to Edwin Edwards while they are in jail...
He took a hit for the party like a good comrade. If more Brownshirts for Kerry had done their dirty deeds (at whatever the cost), their boy John Kerry could have won the White House.
Good.
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