A Florida Appeals Court ruled unanimously that a Tampa Judge “abused his discretion” in sentencing a CP offender to twenty-two years in prison.
The defendant, who pleaded guilty to 20 counts of viewing child pornography, had never abused or touched a child. Still, Hillsborough County Judge Chet Tharpe called child pornography an “epidemic” and sentenced the defendant to twenty two years in prison, despite doctors testifying that he was a low risk offender.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, the average time served for a Murder/Manslaughter conviction in 12.1 years, as of June 2013.
After receiving the appellate court decision, the defendant’s attorney wrote to the Chief Judge suggesting that Judge Tharpe be removed from the sex offender division. Members in Hillsborough County might want to weigh in with their opinions.
22 Years for viewing CP,..along with the punishment of registration and everything else that follows.. and he never touched a minor. Yet this American that was recently charged with attempting to join the terrorist group ISIS, and fight against his country, may get UP TO 15 years….UNBELIEVABLE!!
Very valid point.
Two issues here (1) there needs to be some proportionality in the sentencing of “sex offenders”. Clearly not are equally culpable. The person who looked at CP on their computer is not as culpable as the person who produced the material. (2) What does a 22 year sentence in this case accomplish?
Here is an excerpt from the ACLU…
Some might argue that these extreme sentencing policies would be justified by their effectiveness at dissuading would-be criminals. But that’s not the case….The U.S. incarcerates more people – in absolute numbers and per capita – than any other nation in the world, including the far more populous China and Russia. And, it seems, we incarcerate them for far longer. The dramatic, unprecedented rise in incarceration rates and lengths should be a source of great concern to all Americans: this lock-down mentality costs us dearly in freedom and tax dollars, but it doesn’t make us safer.