Quote:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/08/19/deerdecoy.crash.ap/index.html KENTON, Ohio (AP) -- It was intended to be a prank: steal a decoy deer, place it on a country road and watch as motorists swerved to avoid it. It ended with two teenagers suffering serious injuries when their car hit the decoy and rolled into a ditch. When a judge ruled this week that two boys -- both high school football players -- can complete the football season before they serve 60-day sentences at a juvenile detention center, it caused a division in this northwest Ohio city. On one side are those who say allowing a 16-year-old quarterback, and his 17-year-old teammate to play shows that football players get preferential treatment. On the other are those who say either the boys deserve another chance or that they will stay out of trouble if they're part of the team. "I've never seen anything that has been so much an issue in the community," said Arch Rodgers, principal of 670-student Kenton High School. "The worst part is this has drug out so long and the longer it drug out, the more it created friction in the community." Robert Roby Jr., one of the injured teens, said he believes the boys received special treatment because they're football players. "They could have killed me and my friend so easily over a stupid prank. For me it feels like they got a little slap on the wrist," said Roby, 19, who graduated from Kenton High in 2005 and played baseball and golf. "Kenton is a big football town and a lot of people don't look past that to see what really happened," he said. The Wildcats, which won state championships in their division in 2001 and 2002, draw about 4,000 fans for games in this city of about 8,000. Taunts and crude remarks The 17-year-old's father, C.J. Howard, said members of the community have made crude remarks when his family shops at a nearby Wal-Mart store and that his younger children are taunted by older youth when they play in the yard. He said his son would not be the focus of such attention if he didn't play football. "I don't know why it's about football players. Why isn't it about student council or track?" Howard asked. "He admitted what he did and he faced the consequences like a young man should." School Superintendent Doug Roberts said the crash has drawn attention because the emphasis the news media and the community placed on football. Authorities say a group of teenagers stole the two-legged decoy deer from a yard, rigged it so it would stand and placed it in the road on November 18. The decoy was at the top of a hill on the curving road, Roby said, and he didn't see it until it was right in front of his car. "I panicked and swerved to go around it," he said. Roby's seat belt gave way, his head broke the car's sun roof and he fell to the ground. He heard his passenger, Dustin Zachariah, hit the ground. Prosecutors say Zachariah, now 18, suffered brain damage. Investigators say the 17-year-old, was among the boys who watched the cars. He and the younger teen, pleaded no contest in juvenile court to vehicular vandalism, possession of criminal tools and petty theft. When Judge Gary McKinley announced his decision Tuesday to delay the sentence, he said, "I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm going to. I see positive things about participating in football." Donna Deisler, the mother of the younger teen, declined to comment on the case. Messages seeking comment were left for her son's attorney, Mike Hood. Zachariah's mother, Kathy Piper, did not return calls seeking comment. Roby is recovering from broken bones in his neck, arm and leg. He spent about three months in a neck brace and has had 10 surgeries. He faces one more surgery on his leg and said he hopes soon to return to the University of Northwestern Ohio. "It's been a long tunnel, but it's getting shorter," he said. The two football players are to remain on house arrest once released, pay fines, perform community service and each write an essay titled "Why I Should Think Before I Act." Trials are pending for three other defendants. The mother of the oldest boy, Valerie Berry of Ashland, Kentucky, said her son has a strong support system and will be able to move on. "With this stunt he was a child," she said. "He's an adult now."

What would you guys do in this situation?  If you were the judge, how would you have handled it?

-b0b
(...will provide his rant soon.)

do the crime, and you face the consequences, no questions, no exceptions. What the heck did these guys learn other than they are above the law?

dont even get me started.

if these boys had been in the fine arts department, they would have been labelled as phyco-killer loners who were sick bastards.



-Cait
    (...angry.)

I honestly don't see why these guys get to play football.  They did something stupid and they should be punished to the full extent.

Causing possibly lethal car accidents for fun is not something you want to promote.

I'll tell you exactly what I'd do.

1) No football.  You are not above the law...no one is.  Cait was right in saying that if they were anyone else they'd be treated differently.

2) I, as the judge, would find out where they sent letters of applications to colleges and send them the court cases.  If they think that almost killing someone is funny and if they want to play their football games then we'll see what real consequences are.

3) I would give them a few days in regular jail as if they had killed someone in their prank.  I'm surprised no one commented on the possibily that someone really could have been killed.  I would show these boys, and the people who supported the "being a part of the team will keep them out of trouble".  Uhh weren't they already a part of a team when they pulled this prank?!

4) I would have that judge disbarred.  And if others wanted to get me thrown off the bench for my ruling I would fight hand over fist against them.  I would also hold public debates with each parent/person who thought what I did was right and if they could stump me, I'd allow them to play football.

a)  They can learn to stay out of trouble by being in sports. - They were already on the team
b)  You're ruining their futures. - Just like they tried to ruin the lives of those kids and other motorists?
c)  You're too harsh. - What if I just let them go and they do it again?  What if they killed someone?  Should I make another execption.
d)  These are boys with a bright future..they're star FOOTBALL PLAYERS. - What if it was a homeless guy who did this?  Should I let him go.  If this was someone who set the school on fire in a picture and posted on the web...wouldn't you rule him as a threat?  Should I treat these guys differently just because they are football players?

I can allow breaks for people...no problem there.  But when two young men think it's funny to try and kill people (I mean come on what did they think would happen?) they need to be dealt with properly and justly.  Just as we are all equal in the eyes of God, the same applies for the law.  Whether celebrity, politician, or your high school football player...we are all equal under the law.  Now if only judges would learn this and see this as true.

X
(This is a reason we're going to Hell)