[speaker001:] what do you think
[speaker002:] um I don't know uh regarding um should the judge do the sentencing or not I think the judge should have some in influence but I don't think the judge should I think that's too much power in the control of one person
[speaker001:] I agree I really agree with that
[speaker002:] it uh it just doesn't seem to make sense that if the trial is by a jury of your peers that the sentencing should be somewhat along that I you know I guess the judge should give the parameters
[speaker001:] right right right
[speaker002:] and then the jury should work kind of within there and if they feel exceptional one way or the other do you know what I mean
[speaker001:] right right yes I do I I have been thinking about this you're about the tenth person they tried to call for this so I've had lots of time to think but yes I do because um
[speaker002:] oh is that right
[speaker001:] otherwise why have a jury that's the point right yeah
[speaker002:] right it seems to granted you're found guilty or innocent by a a group of peers of your peers but then the punishment you know can be very very severe depending on the the judge's personal uh predilection to that
[speaker001:] right right I think that you get a much fairer deal with a jury than you do with a judge and that's that's been my experience and and I really think that I think that judges are very prejudice
[speaker002:] right yeah I I would I
[speaker001:] to just their own idea and they wanna get it over with
[speaker002:] right I mean they're human they're gonna have their their pet peeves and they're gonna have the things that they really care about or don't care about
[speaker001:] uh-huh right
[speaker002:] um so let a group of people have you know try to try to make make you know use that uh make that decision
[speaker001:] yeah I would feel much more confident if that were me so
[speaker002:] unfortunately though it does string out the uh process but you know
[speaker001:] well it does but I think it's because people are trying to be conscientious where a judge it's their job and you they just wanna speed it along and get it done and I don't think they stop and think about that individual as much as a group of people would
[speaker002:] yeah right see I I also think there's a problem with the plea bargaining system in our in our country in that you can uh plead to even though you're guilty as sin
[speaker001:] yeah yes yes yes
[speaker002:] excuse me you plead to a lesser crime
[speaker001:] yes yes
[speaker002:] I think that that in of itself is a sin
[speaker001:] I think that we're having a lot of problems um with just everything and the whole the whole system is bugging me it really is our jails are over crowded with people like Leona Helmsley who's seventy two years old and with a blank check in front of her
[speaker002:] yeah yeah
[speaker001:] I don't think should go to jail I think the punishment should fit the crime I think that the jail should be filled with real criminals that are dangerous and I don't think they should get out on parole in three years
[speaker002:] right
[speaker001:] I think they should stay there they did it they stay
[speaker002:] yeah I well I
[speaker001:] and people with traffic tickets and that there's another way to handle that I think
[speaker002:] yeah um although I'll tell you the there is something about that woman uh her crime was is what they quote call a white collar crime as opposed to a blue collar crime such as crime stealing
[speaker001:] so
[speaker002:] uh well but she stole
[speaker001:] well yes but if you look at it in relation to the amount I mean it's one million dollars which to you and I sound exorbitant
[speaker002:] it's a lot of money
[speaker001:] but compared to the six hundred million that they paid in five years that's like one dollar when we owe six hundred
[speaker002:] that they the six the six hundred million that they what now
[speaker001:] so they paid taxes six hundred million in taxes over that five year period
[speaker002:] oh I see what you're saying
[speaker001:] yeah so if you look at it they don't say that very much in the newspaper
[speaker002:] yeah well no but they also diverted uh millions uh to their own personal assets that were hotel monies
[speaker001:] well possibly you know I don't know but if they're willing to correct it I I don't I don't see that she belongs in jail the same as somebody who goes out and kills and walks away I mean I there are worse things that people are getting off with you know that kind of thing
[speaker002:] oh see yeah yeah I have to I agree with that there are worse things that people have been getting off with but I don't think that that we then should have Leona get off I think that they should be hit even harder see I'm an advocate of the death penalty myself
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] now I don't know of a lot of people that are well there are and there aren't and I just happen to feel that if somebody does the crime
[speaker001:] well yeah
[speaker002:] I mean if they murder somebody they take someone's life
[speaker001:] get them out of society
[speaker002:] I just don't feel like I have to pay my tax dollars to have them in jail I yeah I just it's a tough line
[speaker001:] yeah I know I agree with you agree and
[speaker002:] but I don't think the way we're executing the the capital punishment is is a deterrent although I think capital punishment is a deterrent
[speaker001:] I do too
[speaker002:] if it's done right and that means that this is the way it is no ifs no ands no buts a certain
[speaker001:] yeah it has to be a consistent thing
[speaker002:] right a certain number of appeals and then that's it don't stretch it out for years get it over with and get it done
[speaker001:] yeah um-hum