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MLeake · February 14, 2013, 09:06 AM

... the following is a link to a current appeals case in Maine:

http://www.kjonline.com/news/bellava...p+arson+appeal

The appellate claims his 30 year prison sentence for arson of an occupied structure is unreasonable, because nobody was actually hurt.

The judge sentenced him to 30 years because, whether he knew people were in the building or not, and whether they were actually harmed or not, he could have murdered multiple people, including some kids, via his actions.

I suspect very few TFL members have a problem with that sentence, for that crime.

But I have to ask, what then is the difference between what the arsonist did, and what the police did, if the police did not ENSURE there were no innocents in that building?

February 14, 2013, 09:06 AM	#127
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Speaking of burning buildings... ... the following is a link to a current appeals case in Maine: http://www.kjonline.com/news/bellava...p+arson+appeal The appellate claims his 30 year prison sentence for arson of an occupied structure is unreasonable, because nobody was actually hurt. The judge sentenced him to 30 years because, whether he knew people were in the building or not, and whether they were actually harmed or not, he could have murdered multiple people, including some kids, via his actions. I suspect very few TFL members have a problem with that sentence, for that crime. But I have to ask, what then is the difference between what the arsonist did, and what the police did, if the police did not ENSURE there were no innocents in that building?