Pubdate: Thu, 03 Nov 2005
Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)
Copyright: 2005 The Herald-Sun
Contact:  http://www.herald-sun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428
Author: Tom Veasey

JUDGES SOFT ON CRIME

The editorial, "Message sent to city drug dealers" [Herald-Sun, Oct. 
26] did not tell the entire story.

City, county, state and federal law enforcement officers are working 
hard to win the war on drugs and put the dealers behind bars. But 
weak, misguided magistrates and soft on crime judges do little to aid 
the officers.

An outrageous example happened Oct. 20. A Durham sheriff's deputy 
arrested a convicted (three times) drug dealer who was armed with a handgun.

This criminal also had $13,000 on his person.

The arresting officer carried the drug dealer to jail and returned to 
work. The magistrate allowed bail at $50,000, which meant that the 
suspect only had to come up with $7,500. He promptly was released, 
found a partner and headed to the deputy's home to do the officer 
harm. Three hours after putting this lowlife in jail, the deputy was 
confronted and had to subdue the attacker and send him back to jail. 
This is outrageous. This individual has three prior convictions on 
drug-related charges and assaulting police officers.

The last conviction was two weeks before, where a soft Durham judge 
gave him probation.

He has yet to spend one day in prison!

Until magistrates set much higher bails and pandering judges give 
much harsher sentences, the problem will only get worse.

It will also be of great benefit if The Herald-Sun would print this 
news. The people need to know what is going on.

Tom Veasey

Durham
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman