Stephanie George was a twenty seven year old woman, never charged, convicted, or even suspected of committing a violent crime... yet when she the left a Florida court room fifteen years ago, she did so after being given a life sentence. Her crime was that she was involved in a drug sales operation.
Previously Ms. George had been convicted of selling small amounts of drugs and was on probation when the police arrived at her home with a ladder and a search warrant. The police took the ladder to the attic entrance and found a lock-box containing cocaine. Ms. George's ex-boyfriend, she claims, hid the drugs in the attic without her knowledge... he then cooperated with the police and received a reduced sentence; she was given life imprisonment. The judge in the case did not feel her crime warranted such a sentence, however the way the law is written, he had no choice. From Judge Roger Vinson to Ms. George at sentencing, "Your role has basically been as a girlfriend and bag holder and money holder but not actively involved in the drug dealing, so certainly in my judgment it does not warrant a life sentence..." Yet that is what she received. There is now a movement across the country to allow trial judges more freedom to give sentences which are more appropriate to the crime instead of widespread mandatory sentences. The reasoning behind it is twofold; first, having non-violent offenders in prison may be a violation of the Eighth Amendment, and second, it is simply too expensive to hold such people in prison when they could be rehabilitated in outreach programs. The State of California spends $50,000 per year on each inmate currently incarcerated in the state's correctional facilities... they spend less per student at state run colleges and universities... instead the colleges are forced to increase tuition for students.
Nicole Morales Period 6
12/12/2012 09:48:40 pm
I definitely think that trying to help this Ms. George is the right thing to do. This is a prime example of a flaw in our system of crime and punishment. I'm glad that people in her community are trying to help her. It is surely not fair that she has to go to jail for something that she clearly wasn't a part of. A life sentence in jail is also very extreme and not fair. I think that flaws like these need to be changed so that there are more instances that judges can use in order to sentence people for certain crimes. It is true that the criminals in the jails cost a lot of money and the more people are in there that don't need to be, the worse it is going to be to pay for the jails. I hope everything works out for Ms. George and people in her type of situation in the future.
Nick Yehle (per.4)
12/12/2012 11:08:29 pm
... she should go to jail. in her trial she should have been pled guilty. someone who does this many drugs and then blames it on her husband is absolutley crazy!
Bronwyn P.1
12/12/2012 11:35:49 pm
I think that it would be bertter if they found a better way to punish someone for the crimes they persue. When they do a serious murderous crime then yes, they should be sentenced to a life in prison. But if they are selling drugs like Mrs. George did, then there should be a more resonable punishment. Like for example, 3 years in prison or depending on what drugs she was selling 5 years.
Cara Period 3
12/13/2012 01:40:27 am
I completely agree with this movement. Serious crimes such as rape, murder, ect should be sentenced life in prison, and possibly even death deppending on the severity of the case. Selling drugs does not call for life in prison, although the jdges hands were ties, they should have more lee way. I agree with browyn when she says that the court should assign maybe 5 yeras and up to 10 depending on the drugs.
Jesse per3
12/13/2012 02:17:05 am
This country's prison system sucks. Especially when it comes to drugs, this country is obsessed with "the drug war." We learned about this type of sentencing in American legal and heard of a guy who got a life sentence for stealing 100 dollars worth of dvds. It was a third offense but still that's a ridiculous sentence. I wrote an essay in the class about how discretionary sentencing is far superior because the judge can rule based on the specific case and not just broad outlines that don't include all the circumstances of the case. I'd break this lady out of jail myself if I wasn't so lazy.
Alexia M period 6
12/13/2012 07:12:27 am
I dont understand how if someone who is coopertive with the police will get a reduced sentince. Everybody should be coopertive and it doesn't make sense to reduce a sentince because they did what they were supposed to do. If you committed a crime, you should pay the consequences no matter what. Second, I like the idea that the judges have more freedom to change laws to make them suitable for the Eighth amendement. It is kind of silly to think that just because she was found in possesstion of drugs that she gets a life sentince. Something about that needs to be changed. Third, the prison should try finding a way to not pay so much for the prison. The people who are not violent should be their major concern, not the people who commited crimes. Overall, I'm glad to hear that there are improvements in the law system and hope that the country can find a way to fix the problems we are in.
Alexis Lavallee period 5
12/13/2012 08:04:04 am
This woman probably did not deserve a life sentence. People who commit major crimes like murder and rape should be sentenced for life, not a woman who was caught with her ex boyfriend's drugs. It would certainly make a lot more sense for her to be sent to a rehabilitation program rather than being held in prison. She should have some punishment, seeing how what she did was illegal, yet it shouldn't be a life sentenced to prison. Judges should be able to have more freedom in the deciding of sentences pertaining to certain cases.
Daniel Peladeau Period 6
12/13/2012 08:54:16 am
I think judges should have more control over sentences because she got a life sentence for a drug related crime. She wasn't actively involved with the drug dealing and the judge even stated that. It isn't fair that her boyfriend and his group of friends ganged up on her so they could get a lighter sentence. They get 10 years in prison while she gets a lifetime in prison. They really need to rethink this law before more people are put in jail for smaller crimes while worse crimes get short sentences. They also need to find a way to pay less for medication and necessities for inmates. Many people need medication because they get old because of their life sentences. Hopefully, all of these problems will be solved very soon.
jarell period 4
12/13/2012 10:29:43 am
think shes absolutly crazy that she thought that she would get away with blaming it on her husband and shes should have pled guilty at the trial. escpecially because she did so many drugs.
Gabbie Demers period 5
12/13/2012 10:37:21 am
I total agree with the fact that there should be a more wide spread power for judges. I really hope that this will get passed especially to find out the amount of money there spending on inmates as oppose to kids who actually want to do something with there life.This is mind boggling to me. I hope that in this case as long as she really is telling the truth and she is just stuck in the middle. I think it is really a big deal that this system is changed not just for this but for future cases.
wenli period 3
12/14/2012 12:27:59 am
I started my research paper off with a statistic similar to yours. It really is ridiculous. Yes she definitely deserves some type of punishment but a life sentence is way too harsh. The fact that the judge agrees against the court laws makes me question a lot.
Danika Wayss Period 6
12/14/2012 12:42:16 am
I think that punishments should be given based on each individual case not a crime in general. Each cases is so different so it is impossable to deside on a fair punishment for a whole crime. What may be a fair punishment for one case maybe too severe or to minor for another. I always thought a judge's job was to deside on a punishment after they hear the case; however, how is a judge expected to do that job if there are already expected punishments desided for most crimes.
Yannick period3
12/16/2012 05:15:16 am
I think thats not fair. In my oppinion should Ms. George go in prison but not for lifetime. Her boyfriend should go in prison for lifetime and Ms. Gearge for a few time.
Jessica Period 1
12/16/2012 06:23:51 am
The Prison System does have to be changed and fixed. People all the time are convicted for the crimes somebody else did. Ms. George should be punished for her crime of selling drugs but not so severely as a life sentence. The laws should be changed and prisoners who commit crime should be able to plead innocent until proven guilty, because there are people in jail today that should not be there.
Jessica (Period 3)
12/16/2012 07:08:13 am
I think that the law that put Ms. George in prison in Florida is completely ridiculous. She received a life sentence in prison for having drugs in her house that she didn't even know were there, but in the same state, if you murder someone you can get off with 10 years in jail. Now that is absurd. 12/20/2012 04:45:38 am
This is very unfair because it might have been the boyfriend selling the drugs and life sentence seems a little harsh. They cannot however let trial judges make their own sentence because that would be based too much on opinion. I think the judge then has too much power if you do that.
Makenzie Driscoll Period 4
12/20/2012 10:09:38 am
I do not think Stephanie George should have been given a life sentence. The judge should have had more say in the sentence if she was the one incharge at the trial... expecially since this is because this is the first time she was arested. I think the amount of money they spend on each inmate a year is crazy, they should be spending more on there schooling system then on the people that made bad desitions and are suppost to be punished, not having more spent on them then some people make in a year...
Mackenzie Egan Period 6
12/24/2012 01:09:21 am
i don't think she should have been given a life sentence. I think this because i personally don't think she had anything to do with it. I think it was the boyfriend selling drugs, and she had no clue they were in her house. Also, it's CRAZY how for murdering someone, you can have at least 10 years in jail. But, having drugs in your house, which you might not have even known about, you get a life sentence? not right.
Jonathan Provencal Period 4
1/1/2013 09:18:26 am
It's unfair that the woman had received a greater sentence than the ex-boyfriend. If the judge said, "Your role has basically been as a girlfriend and bag holder and money holder but not actively involved in the drug dealing, so certainly in my judgment it does not warrant a life sentence...", the lady should not have received a life sentence. If the ex-boyfriend was the main dealer, he should have been put in for a longer sentence.
Andrea Henninger period 5
1/3/2013 04:37:15 am
In my opinion she should have to go to jail because the drugs were in her house, however I think that it is absolutley ridiculous to make her serve a life sentence. Lastly, I don't really understand why she has to serve a longer sentence than her ex-boyfriend, because if they were his drugs he should be the one to get in more trouble.
Victoria Curley
1/5/2013 09:59:00 pm
It's funny to think people who rape and murder people do not even get that much time. In my opinion this movement is a good idea. This young female does deserve to be placed in prison for some time for having the drugs, but not the rest of her life. I think judges should have a little more freedom as too the different circumstances to crimes.
Leah Fitz-Simon Period 6
1/6/2013 08:10:58 am
I don't think that it was fair for her to go to jail. She was framed by her boyfriend who was the one that actually committed the crime, so he should be the one to go to jail, not her. I also think that the law that caused her to go to jail should be reconsidered or revised. It was because of that law that the judge had to make this decision, and this innocent girl was sent to jail.
Kailyn Carr Period 5
1/7/2013 04:24:24 am
In what world does having drugs in your house warrent a life sentence!? I mean, seriously? Not for nothing but that is a complete waste of resorces considering all of the money it takes to incarcerate someone. It would cost about $750,000 to keep this woman locked up for 15 years, when she was simply in possession of drugs... Yet everyday absolutely guilty people walk away free and clear on legal technicalities, and to boot, have committed far worse crimes. They should let her go and put her into a rehab program as well as parole.
EricaHammond (Period3)
1/7/2013 10:24:32 am
It does not make sense to me how someone can kill someone and be let out of jail about 25 years later, but yet someone who is set up with drugs can be sentenced life! This is where our legal system is so crooked and messed up. The judge knows what is right, he know that Ms. George truly did not do anything wrong. But sadly his hands are tied because of how poorly many of our laws are written. Many of these laws need to be fixed for circumstances such as this one, but by doing so, it may result in another hole. Fixing one problem may simply result in another problem. Giving the judge leeway or creating a law with more lenience may result in a circumstance where someone may be guilty and everyone knows it deep inside of them, but because of the way a law is written or because of the evidence found, that person is let off, without any penalty.
Talia p.3
1/9/2013 10:44:36 am
Perhaps being and dating a drug dealer is a poor life choice. By being involved in this, she acted against the law and deserves the punishment for it. Also, allowing judges to have more freedom seems like it would provide the opportunity for a biased trial.
Evan per1
1/9/2013 10:56:08 pm
i really dont think just bcz she got caught with drugs she didnt really do taht big of a crime i only think life sentente should be if you killed some1 or a nother big crime but drugs is bad but not to go to jail for life
Jacob McMullen Per5
1/10/2013 10:19:53 am
I think that the trial judges should have more of a say in the final decision in a case like this one. I am not saying that she should not be in trouble, but just not be sentenced to life in prison. Also at the rate of $50,000 per year, the state would spend more than one million dollars before she turns fifty years old, which is absurd. Comments are closed.
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