Huh?
And now, from the "are you kidding me?" files, a Stamford, Connecticut bank robber is lobbying for less jail time, citing trauma and stress from the Sept.11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. This by the way, is the 2nd time he has tried to use this agrument.
Jason Battista makes these claims just as he's about to be sentenced to seven months in jail for bank robberies in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Just last year, a woman, Pamela Kaichen won a reduced sentence (from 7 years to 4) citing the same thing. She was who was called "The Blond Bandit" because she wore blond wigs during her 2-day robbing spree.
Of course you'll have people trying to explain away this brand of stupidity, and here it is: "He was unable to function properly because of what he saw," Battista's attorney Stephen Seeger said. "The drug use seemed to spiral out of control after 9-11. He wasn't the same individual."
Now for a couple of counterpoints: "Certainly people were traumatized by Sept. 11," said Kevin O'Connor, U.S. Attorney of Connecticut. "We need, however, to be very wary of allowing that to become a routine basis for justifying criminal conduct." Terri Weaver, associate professor of clinical psychology at St. Louis University had this to say: "Criminal activity is not a symptom of post traumatic stress."
To be sure, Defendants have for a very long time attempted to use traumatic events, and time periods, usually their childhood, to explain why they do the things they do and to get leniency granted to them. This has got to be the stupidest, most hare-brained thing I've heard in quite some time. Is it stupid or stupid like a fox? My point is is I went out here today as a black man and killed a few cops because black people have been harassed by them as we have in this country, would I get that leniency? What do you think? Let me know......
Jason Battista makes these claims just as he's about to be sentenced to seven months in jail for bank robberies in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Just last year, a woman, Pamela Kaichen won a reduced sentence (from 7 years to 4) citing the same thing. She was who was called "The Blond Bandit" because she wore blond wigs during her 2-day robbing spree.
Of course you'll have people trying to explain away this brand of stupidity, and here it is: "He was unable to function properly because of what he saw," Battista's attorney Stephen Seeger said. "The drug use seemed to spiral out of control after 9-11. He wasn't the same individual."
Now for a couple of counterpoints: "Certainly people were traumatized by Sept. 11," said Kevin O'Connor, U.S. Attorney of Connecticut. "We need, however, to be very wary of allowing that to become a routine basis for justifying criminal conduct." Terri Weaver, associate professor of clinical psychology at St. Louis University had this to say: "Criminal activity is not a symptom of post traumatic stress."
To be sure, Defendants have for a very long time attempted to use traumatic events, and time periods, usually their childhood, to explain why they do the things they do and to get leniency granted to them. This has got to be the stupidest, most hare-brained thing I've heard in quite some time. Is it stupid or stupid like a fox? My point is is I went out here today as a black man and killed a few cops because black people have been harassed by them as we have in this country, would I get that leniency? What do you think? Let me know......
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