Posted on 08/27/2012 8:47:27 AM PDT by HonkyTonkMan
Stints in jail. Hefty fines and restitution. Clouded futures. The consequences of their bad behavior have been steep for the Penn State students who took to the streets and rioted in the chaotic aftermath of Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno's firing last November.
Perhaps none have learned a harder lesson than Justin Strine, a young man from central Pennsylvania whose planned career as an Army officer is over before it began — the casualty of his own split-second decision to put his hands on a news van, and a judicial system that considered him as guilty as classmates who did far worse that dark night in State College.
As the fall semester gets under way Monday, Strine has returned to campus, along with 15 other students found to have taken part in a nationally televised riot that caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage and embarrassed Penn State.
As he resumes his studies, nothing's the same for the 21-year-old from Hummelstown. He spent part of his summer in jail. Far worse: He's been kicked out of ROTC, his dream of carrying on his family's proud military tradition now out of reach.
"I'm losing everything I worked my entire life for," Strine said.
Strine's father, a career soldier, questions whether that's a just result.
"I had to stand by and watch my son plead guilty to something he didn't do," said Jim Strine.
Penn State sanctioned 32 students for their involvement in the riot, suspending 10 of them from one to three semesters and giving probation to the rest, university spokeswoman Lisa Powers said. Dozens of students were criminally charged, as well, and the guilty pleas have piled up over the last several months.
(Excerpt) Read more at xfinity.comcast.net ...
Good “Justin” I HATE YOU GUTS! I am DAMN Glad YOU will never be an Officer in MY MILITARY!
We are known by the company we keep. Why was he out there that night in the middle of a riot?
Can he make the right decision in a split second?
No. He cannot.
Actions have consequences.
Justin is an adult who helped destroy property in the middle of a riot...for Joe Paterno, of all things.
He has no business receiving a commission.
“He spent part of his summer in jail.”
C’mon, who hasn’t?
(ducking...)
Just wow.
So the Penn St. riots killed this punk's dream -- and NOT his own destructive acts of vandalism?
What a load...
PA Ping!
If you want on/off the PA Ping List, please freepmail me. Thanks!
sorry. no sympathy here. nobody forced him to do what he did, it was his own free will. actions have consequences, especially if you’re supposed to be seeking a career where you go about carrying weapons.
this is a weeding out process.
Agreed 100%.
Well, Dad, then your son should not have pled guilty and fought the charges. In fact, as a future officer in training, he should have had the brain power not to be there at all.
He also has to enforce discipline in his unit and be viewed by his men and superiors as a role model. Not gonna happen. He has forfeited any moral authority.
Hopefully he and his dad will stay on this and press for the prosecution of Spanier. He and his gay agenda for PSU should not get a pass. He was part of the cover-up and needs to do some time, along with the other accomplices.
#4 great post!
...we need to entrust our loved ones in uniform,
to leaders who will make the right decision,
in that split second.
-
i’m glad his lapse happened now, instead of the future,
when someone’s life was on the line.
ROTC was correct to boot him. He showed lousy judgement and would have made a poor officer.
He’s a whiner to boot.
Someone pass along, “toughsh**” And the dad should have known better than to blame the court for the son he raised.
He still got a raw deal. He might make a better officer for knowing now that even a single bad judgment can
have horrific unintended consequences.
(My principal focus is on the DA, who apparently chose
to make examples instead of doing “justice”. A $34,000 “fine” —repayment of scholarships—plus $8000 in court costs, plus 30 days in jail, plus probation until 2015, is IMHO a bit much...)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.