Judge gives break to suspect who says he’s saved
Posted by Brendan Kirby, Staff ReporterA federal judge in Mobile agreed today (July 25, 2007) to give a break to a man who was involved in a burglary, shooting and high-speed chase in Chunchula last year.
U.S. District Judge William Steele sentenced Ronald Lafrance Lott Jr., 20, of Mobile, to two years and three months in prison for possession of stolen firearms. That was about half as long as he could have gotten under advisory sentencing guidelines.
The sentence comes a week after Steele imposed a 17½-year prison term on co-defendant Nance Ray Harris, who law enforcement authorities say shot at a man who interrupted the burglary and who was driving the sport utility vehicle that Mobile County sheriff’s deputies chased Oct. 24.
Lott’s attorney, Dom Soto, said his client has battled drug addiction and struggled to make ends meet since dropping out of high school when his girlfriend got pregnant. He said Lott foolishly allowed Harris to talk him into the burglary on Gulfcrest Road and that he did not know guns would be involved.
“He’s not the one who shot at anyone. He’s not the one who was driving. And he immediately took steps to rectify his mistake,” Soto said. “His problem is he’s more of a sheep and blindly follows what people suggest to him.”
Lott appeared contrite at today’s hearing, telling Steele that he hoped to use his prison term to get closer to God. “I’m willing to do anything to make it right,” he said. “I’ve been incarcerated 10 months, and I’ve been saved six.”
Grrrrr! 
Normally I’m pretty darned mellow when it comes to anything concerning a person’s right to their freedom to worship as they please. However, The Bull considers the intervention by a sitting judge on behalf of a convicted felon simply because he says he’s “saved” to be completely out of whack. Either he did the crime or not, either he was there or he wasn’t. I could see it if the judge took into account many other factors, but this is simply outrageous!
How much of a break do you think a Pagan would get in U.S. District Judge William Steele’s court? How about a Jew? A Buddhist? Let me tell you – zip, nada, zero, nothing! That is what pisses me off.
This isn’t the first time a so-called ‘judge’ here has given breaks to the convicted, not due to legal precedent or a sense of real Justice, but rather personal prejudice. The Bull believes this is wrong and wholly at odds with the Constitution. Since no one else seems to be speaking out – save the occasional piece from a staff writer trying to make good – I will!
Judges: Stand your ground, or run and hide. Either way, The Bull is charging!
