Svend Robinson's Escape from Justice

BC often has some screwy court rulings. A couple of years ago a promising young golfer with a sports scholarship to an American college was walking down the street when, without provocation, he was beaten into a coma and left for dead, only to be beaten again. The perpetrators were Native, and were not sentenced to jail time because the judge believed that "there was an 'over-representation' of Natives in the jail system".

That made no sense to me. How does the 'overall problem' affect the basic fact pattern of this case? The kid did nothing to deserve the beating, and now has no future. He is unable to think clearly, and can no longer play golf, or any sport. His life is ruined.

Now this:

Judge spares Robinson jail sentence for ring theft

Former NDP MP must perform 100 hours community service, but won't have record

By ROD MICKLEBURGH
Saturday, August 7, 2004 - Page A7

VANCOUVER -- Svend Robinson's stunning fall from grace came to a dramatic halt in a packed Provincial Court yesterday, as Judge Ron Fratkin granted the former B.C. MP a conditional discharge for stealing an expensive diamond ring.

The ruling means that Mr. Robinson, who pleaded guilty to last spring's theft, will not spend any time in jail or even have a criminal record over an incident that ended his 25 years in the House of Commons.

In reaching his verdict, the judge called the case "a gut-wrenching tale about a man who achieved much -- more than most of us could ever hope to achieve -- and who has taken a fall. All for a bauble, a trinket, a ring."

He rejected the Crown's call for a criminal conviction. "In Canada, we don't kick people when they're down. . . . What he has [already] gone through is enough."

I'm sorry, did he say "in Canada, we don't kick people when they are down?" What about all the other drug dealers who are thrown in the slammer? The college kids arrested for smoking dope? Do they get special consideration? Svend stole a $50,000 ring. This is not a poor man, but a rich jackass trying to get away with a freebie. Svend kicks people when they are down non-stop. I see that people who can appear to be "special" in the eyes of the court can get away with murder.

When I get arrested for public indecency, I'll remember to play the victim card:

"Your honour, I am Irish....my people have suffered so much in the past. When I was running down the street in the nude and screaming at women, this was just a manifestation of my people's torment. (sob!)"