http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/seminole/orl-bk-child-rapist-mother-collapses-051509,0,2598516.story
I've made it a rule not to comment on cases for which we didn't have a monitor in the courtroom. So my comments here are more directed at the article in the Sentinel.
In attempting to look up the complete disposition of this case online, the Seminole Clerk's website doesn't even have Merthie's name listed. I suspect it's because he was a juvenile at the time. However, his record should be available for review by the public, given the nature of the offenses involved. The safety of our children (especially those in Sanford) is at stake.
I'd like to know what the terms of Kareem Merthie's release were. The Sentinel only reported that he was being released. Was chemical castration ordered? GPS monitoring? Without looking at the court file, we don't know. There aren't enough details in this news article to know what precautions are being taken to protect the public. The Sentinel needs to follow up and give us more info - the volume of public comments on their website (300 so far) indicates that more complete reporting is needed.
10:20am update:
WFTV has more info for us:
http://www.wftv.com/news/19471875/detail.html
Apparently Merthie will NOT be monitored because he was a juvenile at the time of the offenses.
Showing posts with label Sentinel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sentinel. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Sentinel Responds
Little JP got some attention: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_homicide/2009/04/little-jp-tillman-gets-some-attention.html
His father, Gregory Tillman, was sentenced to life in prison yesterday for killing his 6 month old son. I guess he thought he could do better than the State's offer of a 25-yr sentence for a plea. Thankfully, the jury told him otherwise. Robin Wilkinson, the prosecutor in this case, advises that no offer was made to Tillman. I stand corrected. I confused this case with Michael Alan Barker, convicted of killing 1-yr old Amber Shevalier. Barker was sentenced to 25 years.
I understand the need for plea agreements, particularly since the System is incredibly overburdened with cases. But after knowing as much as I now do about the circumstances surrounding JP's death, I wonder why an offer was made at all. It angers me that our legislature won't adequately fund the court system to the degree that the State could devote its energies to more prosecutions and fewer plea agreements. Perhaps if the citizens would express outrage at wasteful spending, and would pressure their legislators to spend OUR money on public safety (not just police officers, but also prosecutors, victim adovcates, support staff, etc.), our judicial system would do a better job of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
His father, Gregory Tillman, was sentenced to life in prison yesterday for killing his 6 month old son. I guess he thought he could do better than the State's offer of a 25-yr sentence for a plea. Thankfully, the jury told him otherwise. Robin Wilkinson, the prosecutor in this case, advises that no offer was made to Tillman. I stand corrected. I confused this case with Michael Alan Barker, convicted of killing 1-yr old Amber Shevalier. Barker was sentenced to 25 years.
I understand the need for plea agreements, particularly since the System is incredibly overburdened with cases. But after knowing as much as I now do about the circumstances surrounding JP's death, I wonder why an offer was made at all. It angers me that our legislature won't adequately fund the court system to the degree that the State could devote its energies to more prosecutions and fewer plea agreements. Perhaps if the citizens would express outrage at wasteful spending, and would pressure their legislators to spend OUR money on public safety (not just police officers, but also prosecutors, victim adovcates, support staff, etc.), our judicial system would do a better job of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
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