Let me preface this post by stating that I absolutely do not condone the murder and cruelty of human beings and animals.
Point blank.
That being said, can somebody tell me how Cleveland Browns Wide
Receiver Donte' Stallworth only served 24 days of an already scant
30-day jail sentence that came as a result of his killing a 59-year-old
pedestrian (back in March) while under the influence of alcohol -- and
additional admitted drug of choice.
While we're on the subject of football players driving while
intoxicated, let's see a show of hands of people who remember St. Louis
Rams Defensive End Leonard Little taking the life of a woman by
striking her with his vehicle after downing one too many chugs of
liquor. Care to guess how many days he served in the slammer. "I'll
take '90 days', Alex." And I'd dare to say you're dead on correct.
Two well-paid professional football players driving while drunk take
two human lives serving a combined total of 114 days. For those keeping
score at home... that's less than four whole months.
Now let's go back into time a little bit -- not too far -- and analyze
the situation of another NFL player... a former local hero, one former
#7 who hails from Newport News, Virginia, started at quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, and goes by the legal name of
Michael Vick.
What did he do?
He was involved in some heinous criminal activities getting sentenced
to 23 months in prison for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that
involved gambling and killing pit bulls.
Was it right for Vick to do what he did? Absolutely not -- i.e., "hell no."
Was it right that he received jail time. Most definitely yes.
But does 23 months of jail time (which is one month shy of two whole
years) seem a bit much for what Vick did to pit bulls -- which lead all
breeds of dogs in number of babies killed, by the way...
... as compared to a combined 114 days (less than four months of
prison) that Stallworth and Little cumulatively served for
hitting/killing two pedestrians as drunk drivers?
Before I answer my own question, let me ask you the reader... what do you think?
Comments (26)
well,, i dont know that pit bulls are all that dangerous,, hahaha,,, who would you trust? a pit bull you didnt know,, or a rottweiler you didnt know,,, if you didnt say the pit bull,,, hahahaha,,, you dont know your dogs,,,,
im a cat person myself...
back to the other,, i believe any celebrity should get the same treatment any citizen would get,,, or visa versa,,,, thats a no brainer,,,
it all boils down to what can you pay,,,,
They should ALL go away for a long time. The judged that sentenced the first two needs to be dope slapped...or perhaps do the full sentence him'herself...yeah I bet thats what he/she was thinking..."I'll take one for the team and serve out the sentence myself..."
I think I want to kill them.
Hubby and I had this talk. It's nice to know how much our lives are worth, isn't it?
This surprises you?
O.J. gets off, Michael Jackson gets off twice. Money talks brother.
And athletes and celebrities have plenty.
Sick isn't it?
Personally, I feel two years was just fine for Vick. But the DUI sentences? Those judges should be ashamed. And the offenders? I hope they never have another decent night's sleep for the rest of their lives.
Not surprising at all~The legal system disgusts me.
Aren't football players needed for us to be happy? The're heroes, right? So don't football heroes have more value than all the other highschool students? NO!
The legal system is warped in too many ways. What you wrote just proves it.
What surprises me is that Michael Vick gets more media coverage than the other two. And by "surprises me" I mean... "doesn't faze me in the slightest."
I'm in Northeastern Ohio, home of the Browns, and had no idea this happened.
exactly what makes life seem like something less significant, no?
Sometimes I think we should start giving celebrities extra punishment in criminal trials. Make an example of them and make up for lost time.
I had this exact same conversation a few days ago. And you're totally right, it makes no sense whatsoever.
I knew a person that got killed by a drunk driver, and the same thing happened to the perpetrator; you could barely even call it a slap on the wrist.
To me, twice the crime [drunk driving + killing someone] should = twice the time.
What a bizarre world we live in.
lady justice is peeking...
lady justice is peeking...
Human Ethics have definitely been demoralized by today's drugged up popular media almost to be point where we've become barbarians again.
Are the consumers so drunked up with their winning team that they are willing to forgive a drunk&drugged player who should be life-in-jail right now? Most likely yes. That's just unforgivable!Hello
In my universe all three of them would've been publicly executed by now.
Michael Vick deserved the punishment he got. The other two should have gotten way more of a punishment than they got. They got off way too easy.
Michael Vick needed more time, a whole shit ton more of it. As for the other two men- were they kicked off of their respective teams? Whether yes or no, they still needed more time- the death sentence, in my opinion.
Beyond comprehension...we are talking murder, and because these guys are athletes they are thought above the law. I don't get it.
It's called having your head up your butt. Dogfighting is treated as a major crime, whiling being a danger to human life and even taking that live, is treated as a minor boys will be boys sort of thing.
Well observed. In my opinion, all of them should be in jail for a long, long time.
The punishment fit the crime in both cases. Entirely different crimes, entirely different circumstances.
I guess I'll comment on Vick since I'm most familiar with that case. Vick took basically no responsibility for what he did, and blamed it on his friends and cousin(who subsequently blamed it on him). He also failed a drug test while on bail and lied to feds about it(he failed a polygraph). To this day, he has expressed no remorse even though his ability to play in the NFL in the future depends on it. Hes so full of hubris he may never play again, let alone stay out of jail.
Im not familiar with the other two cases other then I've read that they both expressed remorse and will probably settle their civil suits if they havent already. That sort of responsible behavior goes a long way as far as sentencing.
Basically, the guys that got off easy probably had the common sense to listen to their lawyers and the people around them, Vick did not. Each got what they had coming.
I think you make a darn good point. i.e. Damn straight!
The value of human life seems to be cheapening with every passing day.