Twenty years.

[CitizenCain]

Too much, not enough or just right ?

 

 

Judge orders stiff sentences for two in Douglasville hate crime

 

He sentenced Torres to 20 years, with 13 to serve in prison; Norton was given 15 years, with six to serve. Upon their release, McClain ordered them to be permanently banished from Douglas County.

 

 

Assistant District Attorney David Emadi detailed how the group had gone on a drunken, two-county rampage in pick-up trucked laden with Confederate battle flags through Paulding and Douglas counties over July 24 and July 25.

 

http://www.ajc.com/news/local/judge-orders-stiff-sentences-for-two-douglasville-hate-crime/pHWEb5zXxdVqGBGxGNtorI/?ecmp=trueanthem_ajc_fb_main

[cptlo306]

I generally don't believe in punishing people for their thoughts (hate crimes) so I'll say too much for their actual actions.

[ABTHREE]

Too much. People convicted of muder often get les time. What they did was wrong with out a doubt,but I don't think the punishment fit the crime in this case.

[CitizenCain]

I generally don't believe in punishing people for their thoughts (hate crimes) so I'll say too much for their actual actions.

 

Actually I don't think they were convicted under any hate crime laws but under Georgia's street gang act.

 

Norton was sentenced on one count of violating Georgia's street gang act and one count of making terroristic threats. Torres was sentenced on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of terroristic threats and one count of violating the street gang act.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-4265244/2-receive-prison-threats-slurs-black-childs-party.html#ixzz4Zw63gFlr

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Edited February 28, 2017 by CitizenCain

[rockysmom]

They had the unfortunate role of being an example. To let everyone know that they will not tolerate this type of behavior.

[CitizenCain]

Does seem a bit stiff, I was guessing more along the lines of...

 

[lowrider]

I've been hearing about it for a couple of days. I thought it was bad enough they were parading their white racist hate by saying racist remarks but when I found out they were pointing shotguns at the folks at the Birthday party and saying "shoot the n*****s and the little n*****s too", I thought the sentence was appropriate.

 

She's 25 with children. I bet she wishes she hadn't gone on that joyful, drunken hate filled ride. Getting drunk causes irreparable damage sometimes. Thank goodness no one was shot or killed.

[cptlo306]

 

Actually I don't think they were convicted under any hate crime laws but under Georgia's street gang act.

 

Norton was sentenced on one count of violating Georgia's street gang act and one count of making terroristic threats. Torres was sentenced on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of terroristic threats and one count of violating the street gang act.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-4265244/2-receive-prison-threats-slurs-black-childs-party.html#ixzz4Zw63gFlr

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

Oh, in that case, not enough.

[lowrider]

 

And they were on the national news tonight.

[lowrider]

Does seem a bit stiff, I was guessing more along the lines of...

 

That's the first concert my husband took me to in 1975 at the old Atlanta auditorium. Crazy.

 

I later refined him by taking him to see some decent groups. LOL

[Mama Carol]

I wondered where that happened. All I had heard was "suburbs of Atlanta".

 

I had, and still have, strong ties to both counties.

 

Is it enough or too much? Hard to say. Does look like they are being used as examples. And that's wrong, regardless of how despicable what they did was.

 

 

 

Makes me ashamed to be from that area.

[jennilyn77]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

I'm more surprised that they received that sentence in Douglasville. Gives me hope.

[Stonewall]

The most over charged case I have seen a conviction on in some time. Aggravated assault usually stems from physical contact like a fight or strong arm robbery, etc. Yes there are other criteria so don't quote me GA law. I am saying "usually" involves physical contact. Calling a bunch of dumbasses a gang is a far reach too. The woman received six years for riding in a truck and yelling out the window. This is a case of grandstanding to a growing black constituency by a politically motivated court/police department. I am not defending these dumbasses because that is just what they are dumbasses. I am saying they were way over charged for political reasons. They should be charged and they should have to pay for their stupidity but this judge is out of control. You may not agree with me and that is fine but wait until your child/grandchild does something stupid and gets their lives ruined by an over zealous prosecution system. In my life I have been called a cracker, red neck, hillbilly, hick and much worse. I handled these situations without ruining other peoples lives and went about my life.

[Coppertop's Pop]

Way too stiff of a sentence based on what the news reported. . But you only know what the newspapers want you to know. I suspect there is much more to the story as to why the judge threw the book at them. Perhaps we'll never know. I don't know anyone involved.

 

Bottom line...if you hang around dogs, you'll catch fleas. If you mix booze with guns, what could possibly go wrong? This Kayla gal just found out the hard way.

[jennilyn77]

The most over charged case I have seen a conviction on in some time. Aggravated assault usually stems from physical contact like a fight or strong arm robbery, etc. Yes there are other criteria so don't quote me GA law. I am saying "usually" involves physical contact. Calling a bunch of dumbasses a gang is a far reach too. The woman received six years for riding in a truck and yelling out the window. This is a case of grandstanding to a growing black constituency by a politically motivated court/police department. I am not defending these dumbasses because that is just what they are dumbasses. I am saying they were way over charged for political reasons. They should be charged and they should have to pay for their stupidity but this judge is out of control. You may not agree with me and that is fine but wait until your child/grandchild does something stupid and gets their lives ruined by an over zealous prosecution system. In my life I have been called a cracker, red neck, hillbilly, hick and much worse. I handled these situations without ruining other peoples lives and went about my life.

 

From what I've read, she is the one who retrieved the gun from the truck.

 

I wonder, had it been a group of black people, would they be dismissed as a group of dumbasses or maybe considered a gang?

 

They had guns and threatened to kill people at a child's birthday party. The people at the party had no way of knowing whether or not they would actually be shot. Especially considering it was a month after the whole Dylan Roof terrorist attack. Can you imagine what that does to a child?

 

I think they got what they deserved and in no way is what they did the same thing as being called a cracker

[lowrider]

Imagine if it was reversed.

 

You're white, having a birthday party on a lovely day with all the family and little kids.

 

A bunch of black thugs pull up yelling "Black Power and death to all the white folks, especially the little kids" all while pointing their AK's at you.

 

You don't know if you're going to live or die. Especially you're children.

 

I don't think any of you would take it lightly and would want them prosecuted to the max.

[shannonsolomon]

This judge needs to be sent to Atlanta to teach them how to clean up.

[The Sound Guy]

I've been hearing about it for a couple of days. I thought it was bad enough they were parading their white racist hate by saying racist remarks but when I found out they were pointing shotguns at the folks at the Birthday party and saying "shoot the n*****s and the little n*****s too", I thought the sentence was appropriate.

 

She's 25 with children. I bet she wishes she hadn't gone on that joyful, drunken hate filled ride. Getting drunk causes irreparable damage sometimes. Thank goodness no one was shot or killed.

 

 

I'm a gun owner, but understand that with gun ownership comes responsibility. You point one at ANYONE you don't have good reason to shoot and that's brandishing and (in my opinion) a terrorist threat and the law MUST come down hard on that. As many have said here, excess booze and guns do not mix. They are lucky no one got hurt, even by accident, or they would be UNDER the jail.

[rednekkhikkchikk]

I wondered where that happened. All I had heard was "suburbs of Atlanta".

 

I had, and still have, strong ties to both counties.

 

Is it enough or too much? Hard to say. Does look like they are being used as examples. And that's wrong, regardless of how despicable what they did was.

 

 

 

Makes me ashamed to be from that area.

If the consequences are not sufficient to deter others, what is the point?

[Mama Carol]

If the consequences are not sufficient to deter others, what is the point?

The punishment should fit the crime.

 

Was anyone physically harmed?

[michelay1000]

I'm pretty sure the people on the receiving end of their joyride and stupidity will be affected longer than 20 years.

[Lady Raider]

I've been hearing about it for a couple of days. I thought it was bad enough they were parading their white racist hate by saying racist remarks but when I found out they were pointing shotguns at the folks at the Birthday party and saying "shoot the n*****s and the little n*****s too", I thought the sentence was appropriate.

 

She's 25 with children. I bet she wishes she hadn't gone on that joyful, drunken hate filled ride. Getting drunk causes irreparable damage sometimes. Thank goodness no one was shot or killed.

I have been thinking the same thing. and douglasville of all places the cops there do not mess around...

[rednekkhikkchikk]

The punishment should fit the crime.

 

Was anyone physically harmed?

Sheesh. What a question.

[Mama Carol]

Sheesh. What a question.

Bodily harm should carry a stiffer sentence than calling someone names. Granted, there is emotional and mental injury when one is called names and certainly if one is threatened, but if nobody was physically hurt why should there be a stronger sentence than if someone was, say, murdered? Punishment and the crime need to correlate somehow.

 

That's not to say that what they did was despicable and they should be punished for it. But let's get real. I've seen murderers who were let off with 7 years. And one, who murdered a friend of mine, had his conviction overturned. Never mind he was guilty as homemade sin.

 

Seems the judge wanted this to be an example, not a deterrent.

[rednekkhikkchikk]

Ok, first of all, what purpose do you think 'making an example' serves? To deter others from doing something so ugly and stupid, that's what. If this sends the message that such behavior is just simply unacceptable, ever, and prevents someone from harming or killing someone as a result of doing something equally abhorrent and wrong-headed, I think society will have been well served in this instance.

 

But yeah, lets do get real - I can't believe you are defending people who terrorized children/families who had done nothing to provoke them besides having the unmitigated gall to exist, and pointed a weapon at them while threatening and denigrating them & for what? The color of their skin. That is about as ugly as it gets.

 

This could have ended badly and I think the sentence was entirely fitting; even better would have been for all involved to be charged and sentenced just as harshly.

 

I imagine your thoughts on the matter would be vastly different had you and/or children you care about been in attendance at the party.

 

A straight-up charge of murder does not bring a 7 year sentence in this state. Maybe something like involuntary manslaughter but not murder. Someone convicted of murder might be paroled in 7 years, but that is not being 'let off'. I worked for the parole board in Atlanta years ago and never saw a murder conviction with anything less than a life sentence either with or without possibility of parole.

[CreativeOne]

Ok, first of all, what purpose do you think 'making an example' serves? To deter others from doing something so ugly and stupid, that's what. If this sends the message that such behavior is just simply unacceptable, ever, and prevents someone from harming or killing someone as a result of doing something equally abhorrent and wrong-headed, I think society will have been well served in this instance.

 

But yeah, lets do get real - I can't believe you are defending people who terrorized children/families who had done nothing to provoke them besides having the unmitigated gall to exist, and pointed a weapon at them while threatening and denigrating them & for what? The color of their skin. That is about as ugly as it gets.

 

This could have ended badly and I think the sentence was entirely fitting; even better would have been for all involved to be charged and sentenced just as harshly.

 

I imagine your thoughts on the matter would be vastly different had you and/or children you care about been in attendance at the party.

 

A straight-up charge of murder does not bring a 7 year sentence in this state. Maybe something like involuntary manslaughter but not murder. Someone convicted of murder might be paroled in 7 years, but that is not being 'let off'. I worked for the parole board in Atlanta years ago and never saw a murder conviction with anything less than a life sentence either with or without possibility of parole.

Let's not mention the fact that the Judge has sentencing "guidelines" which apply to the charges convicted on .... It was what the "rules" of the state has stated for such hateful crimes.

 

They got what they deserved and hopefully will think about the "terrorism" they did to those truly undeserving.

[ivhc]

It's sad to me that this is a 20 year sentence when someone who drives drunk & kills someone & leaves them on the side of the road only gets 15! Said DUI driver had many previous offenses & driving on a suspended license - where's the justice??!?!?!?

[Mama Carol]

Ok, first of all, what purpose do you think 'making an example' serves? To deter others from doing something so ugly and stupid, that's what. If this sends the message that such behavior is just simply unacceptable, ever, and prevents someone from harming or killing someone as a result of doing something equally abhorrent and wrong-headed, I think society will have been well served in this instance.

 

But yeah, lets do get real - I can't believe you are defending people who terrorized children/families who had done nothing to provoke them besides having the unmitigated gall to exist, and pointed a weapon at them while threatening and denigrating them & for what? The color of their skin. That is about as ugly as it gets.

 

This could have ended badly and I think the sentence was entirely fitting; even better would have been for all involved to be charged and sentenced just as harshly.

 

I imagine your thoughts on the matter would be vastly different had you and/or children you care about been in attendance at the party.

 

A straight-up charge of murder does not bring a 7 year sentence in this state. Maybe something like involuntary manslaughter but not murder. Someone convicted of murder might be paroled in 7 years, but that is not being 'let off'. I worked for the parole board in Atlanta years ago and never saw a murder conviction with anything less than a life sentence either with or without possibility of parole.

I did not defend their actions. What they did was despicable. No two ways about it.

 

Had I been in attendance and had my children been there (in theory because my children are in their late 30s and 40s), I would have simply turned and walked away.