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Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
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CraveRecords
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Who gets to decide that what he did is equal to jail time and not counseling and community service. Counseling is going to do much more positive for him than sitting in a jail cell. All the bitching in the comments is like trying to set an eye for an eye, which rarely works out.
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Ginmar Rienne
06/22/09

@CraveRecords:

Oh, please. Since when is bitching on a board the same as punching somebody?

If he did it to a guy you can get his ass would be in jail this very minute.
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GoldenRatioφ (aka -girl11)
06/22/09

@Ginmar Rienne: Seriously, are you a prosecutor or something? Or even a lawyer? Where are you coming up with all the shit you are saying?
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htrodblder
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
So Michael Vick goes to JAIL for killing some dogs, and Chris Brown beats the crap out of a young girl and gets probation? Am I the only one who thinks this is a little wacked?
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formergr
06/23/09

@htrodblder: I personally don't think it's at all whacked, and find it really bizarre that this particular example keeps coming up in discussions about Chris Brown and Rihanna.

Michael Vick systematically tortured then killed multiple dogs, and ran a gambling-based enterprise for (I believe) a number of years. So multiple documented offenses. And some really sick ones, too. Chris Brown beat the crap out of his girlfriend, yes, but he is just as young as her (so don't know why you felt that had to be pointed out), and it was *first* offense.

Legal jezzies have pointed out that this is standards. Also, torturing and murdering? Worse to me than a beating. Even if it's "just" a dog. It's a living being, regardless, imo.

And as someone pointed out above, Martha Stewart got months in jail for acting on a stock tip. Yes, illegal, but imo nowhere near as bad as Chris Brown beating his girlfriend, and certainly not as bad as Michael Vick. My point? Really that there is none, we can't go comparing apples and oranges, it just doesn't work.
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whats_in_a_name
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Can we get a definition of hard labor? Because I may be a freak or something but I actualy find a lot of the tasks that are normaly considered to be hard labor rather relaxing, not in a sitting by the pool drinking a beer kind of way, but in a mindless repeditive task that doesn't require any thinking kind of way.
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carrot-toss
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Not that I agree with what she did, but Martha Stewart went to jail for telling secrets for financial gain for what, like, two months?

Chris Brown badly beats his girlfriends verrry publicly, not only inflicting physical and emotional pain but sending a msg that this is an acceptable relationship dynamic, and doesn't see a day?

If anyone wants proof that money has more value than a free-from-terror human life...
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Evie Havok
06/22/09

@carrot-toss: Other abusers without Brown's money have gotten the same deals because they are first time offenders. It's not always about money. It plays a part but since this is his first time being charged they are not being as hard on him.
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lalaland13
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
When my brother got a DWI, he had to work it off in an animal shelter. So maybe some enterprising cat or dog will pee on Chris Brown. -
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LaComtesse
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
I forget--did Rihanna press charges or did California? If SHE did, this is probably too little, if California did, this is WAY more than most people would get, I think.
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vgnvxn
06/22/09

@LaComtesse: Only the government can prosecute criminal cases, FYI. Though if you are unwilling to cooperate, the prosecutor will sometimes drop the charges since it would be too difficult to go ahead with the case without the victim's consent.
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reynwrap582
06/22/09

@vgnvxn: A former friend of mine drove off in his car with his wife halfway hanging out of the back seat while trying to reach in and take her purse back from him. He stopped, she attempted to grab it again, and he began driving again. Five witnesses, including an off-duty EMT. His wife didn't receive any physical injury (amazingly enough), and the prosecutor knew that without her testimony or physical evidence, all the witnesses in the world wouldn't do a lick of good, and dropped the charges.

Unfortunately, the government's position is that an assault or any other crime is a crime against the state (as in, all of us), not a crime just against the victim, but juries tend to only see crimes as crimes against the victim, and not the state.
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GoldenRatioφ (aka -girl11)
06/22/09

@reynwrap582: @Ginmar Rienne: If the DA's office only considered assault a crime against the victim, then whenever the victim refused to testify, there is no way they could go forward, even if they had tons of other evidence. Generally, charges have to be dropped if the victim doesn't want to testify, and if the prosecutor doesn't feel it's appropriate to subpoena her. However, if there are other eyewitnesses, it is still appropriate to go forward, because the victims may still be in danger, even if they refuse to cooperate with the police. It's not necessarily a bad thing that the govt. considers assault to be assault, even if the victim does not. Most of our victims do not want to cooperate.
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Ninja Robot Pirate
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
I'm surprised he plead guilty instead of going full out with the victim-blaming in court. I wonder if this will finally get people to stop defending him. My mom still thinks Rihanna "must have done something to set him off" so probably not.
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keldo
06/22/09

@Ninja Robot Pirate: Well here is what the JUDGE said to him about just showing up:

"Mr. Brown, I think it's commendable that you took responsibility for your conduct," said Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg

How low are our standards for perpetrators of domestic violence?
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Penny
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
How about saying away from women in general until he learns not to hit them?
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kookla
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Now maybe Chris Brown and Naomi Campbell can hook up. They have so much in common.
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EKane
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
I think instead of sentencing people to clean up graffiti and trash on roadways and calling that hard work, people should be sentenced to do the same jobs an immigrant would do upon reaching America. The immigrants get a break, the criminals get a taste of real hard work, and no one can cry foul that "immigrants are taking all of our jobs."

I think it would nip all that "mexxxicannnz suxxkkk" mess in the bud.
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crackheadmaddy
06/22/09

@EKane: "immigrants"? plenty of immigrants are doctors, engineers, cab drivers, teachers- really anything...
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EKane
06/22/09

@crackheadmaddy: I know many immigrants hold jobs that aren't deemed undesirable in American culture, I'm referencing factory work and underground occupations that Americans do not recognize as being important to our economy.
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That-Dude
06/22/09

@EKane: The immigrants get a break, the criminals get a taste of real hard work.

I get to play baseball?

WTF?

What would happen to all the IMMIGRANTS that depend on those jobs.

WTF?
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k122n
06/22/09

@EKane: uh, who do you think cleans up graffiti and trash on the highways that's not covered by 'work programs' such as this?
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EKane
06/22/09

@That-Dude: They get paid and rest and criminals get to work pro bono. I'm obviously pro-immigrant anti-criminal and too far to liberal to run for office. Duhhhh...
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EKane
06/22/09

@k122n: [egov.cityofchicago.org]

... but that link is just me being an asshole.

I'm not saying eliminate the cleanup crews completely because trash does need to be picked up. I'm saying introduce actual "hard labor" to deter criminals from committing crimes again. Picking up trash and painting over graffiti isn't exactly hard work* and isn't enough to deter crime.

*I'm assuming that people actually COMPLETE their hours which doesn't happen.
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EKane
06/22/09

@EKane: And for the sake of my first argument, my definition of hard labor isn't picking up trash- its the work that many immigrants do when reaching this country to support their families. Working 12 hour shifts in agriculture/farming, manufacturing, and construction = hard work in my mind.

See [pewhispanic.org] for a sample of migrant work positons.
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cherry_blossom
06/22/09

@EKane: As sort of an aside to this, I live on a road that gets cleaned by people sentenced to do community service/hard labor. Every Monday and Wednesday, they come through and clean up all the shit that the drug dealers and crackheads leave all over the place. They are the only reason that our street ever gets cleaned- we don't get street sweepers, city workers, etc. So, yeah, even though other people seem to think this is the "easy" work for people that deserve something more taxing, I for one am glad they do it.
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That-Dude
06/22/09

@EKane: I don't think you have an understanding how state budgets and the privatization of prison systems work . . . regardless of your political persuasion.
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EKane
06/22/09

@cherry_blossom: I agree that some work that needs to be done wouldn't get done without community service but Chris Brown needs to do a little more than picking up trash in retribution for his crime.
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EKane
06/22/09

@That-Dude: Actually I do, my initial statement is extremely idealistic and mostly in jest.
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bess marvin, girl detective
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
par for course. it was his first offense. anything expecting more knows little about the legal system. i've always been of the mind that he needs to be rehabilitated, not to be locked up in a more violent atmosphere.

in addition, i wish victims of abuse were also given mandatory counseling.
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bess marvin, girl detective
06/22/09

@bess marvin, girl detective: anyone*
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Penny
06/22/09

@bess marvin, girl detective: I'm of the same mind.
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EKane
06/22/09

@bess marvin, girl detective: I concur. I think Rihanna needs counseling just as much as Chris does, and I would also agree that rehabilitation is key. Giving Chris Brown (or anyone for that matter) an excessively long sentence only fills up space in jail, and ultimately means that the justice system has effectively churned out yet another crazyass hardened criminal.
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unmoldednicole
06/22/09

@bess marvin, girl detective: She does NOT need counseling as much as she does. She could use counseling and DV education to learn how to look at warning signs of abuser and how to safely get one with her life, if she wants to be in a realtionship with him or (hopefully) not.
Looking at your bf's text and getting pissy and naggy about it DOES NOT EQUAL punching biting and threatening to kill someone.
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bess marvin, girl detective
06/22/09

@unmoldednicole: yes, she does. to ignore the damage it has done to her psychologically and emotionally is stupid. also, she mentioned in the police statement that she was physically abusive to chris in the past. she needs to learn that she can't physically attack people as well.
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Brigit
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Is anyone here familiar with the domestic violence counseling programs and their effectiveness?
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reynwrap582
06/22/09

@Brigit: My mother worked for a DV program in Washington state for 14+ years. Plenty of safety plans and convictions of abusers included counseling for the abuser. She's fairly confident she never saw it really work, only that the types of abuse they would use changed from physical to emotional, verbal and financial.
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Brigit
06/22/09

@reynwrap582: Thanks. This is beyond disheartening.
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Triana Orpheus
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
First strike, asshole. You got off pretty easily,so get yourself together and get out of the spotlight. You will never be seen the same way again.
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Dodgergirl
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
Ugh. I guess at this point all I can hope is that he actually gets something out of his counseling.
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Trulymadlyme
06/22/09

In reply to Chris Brown Reaches Plea Deal, Avoids Jail Time
180 days of hard labor?

Wah? Is picking up trash off the side of the highway hard labor? No surprising about probation. I'm starting the Chris Brown violate probation and go to prison pool tomorrow.
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Hooplehead
06/22/09

@Trulymadlyme: Strike one. Let's hope that strike two doesn't involve another lady, but whatever it involves, he is screwed when it happens. Getting his misdeeds on the record and getting him the hell away from her was about the best we could realistically hope for.
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That-Dude
06/22/09

@Trulymadlyme: Is picking up trash off the side of the highway hard labor? Do you really want to go back to Jim Crow Mississippi?
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Trulymadlyme
06/22/09

@That-Dude: No, but other than that I've got no clue what hard labor is going to be. Got a gander?
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RedHotz
06/22/09

@That-Dude: Excuse me but it doesn't matter what color you are in the state of Kentucky they will have your ass out picking the trash up off the side of the road.
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