Regarding "Chats With Teen Girl Get Lafave Arrested" (Metro, Dec. 5): Stop the presses. Call out the National Guard. Fly in all the network anchors for the story of the year: Debra Lafave speaks to co-worker. ...more

December 11, 2007

On Nov. 1, with little fanfare, Congress accepted a long-needed correction to prison sentencing guidelines for people caught selling crack cocaine. ...more

November 19, 2007

Talk about a travesty and miscarriage of justice! Let me see if I have this straight. Mr. Hunt was charged with negligent homicide, manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice. But, because of a plea deal, he was only charged with the manslaughter count. Prosecutor David Ward stated, "The plea was below (sentencing) guidelines." Dear God, may I ask you who obstructed justice? Did the Bemis family offer and agree to this plea? I was Bobby's spiritual leader and youth minister for many years. He was a troubled youth, but a day prior to his death, he had called me asking "Mr. P, you always said if I was ready to straighten my life out, you would help. Do you still mean that?" I responded that I did. Bobby's next question was "When is the next youth meeting?" I told him tomorrow and that we would pick him up. He was elated. Bobby's tomorrow came but was cut short as his untimely death occurred. Doing Bobby's funeral was a heartbreaking task for me. Now, I have questions for Mr. Hunt and Mr. Ward. Did Mr. Hunt give Bobby a "plea deal?" Did Mr. Hunt give Bobby a reduced sentence? Because of Mr. Hunt dastardly deed, will Bobby only serve seven and a half years? Will Bobby receive ten years probation? Who determined that Bobby's life only had a value of $5,000? Bobby had a lifetime ahead of him. Now, last but not least, I ask if justice was served? The answer is "no." Only obstruction and miscarriage of justice. ...more

November 13, 2007

One of the first cases the Supreme Court heard when it began its current term involves the sentencing disparity between offenders caught trafficking in crack cocaine versus the powdered form. ...more

October 14, 2007

A former Wharton High School student who had a nearly two-year sexual relationship with her teacher and coach told a judge Monday she doesn't want the teacher to go to jail. ...more

October 9, 2007

TAMPA - A former Wharton High School student who had a nearly two-year sexual relationship with her teacher and coach told a judge today she doesn't want the teacher to go to jail. ...more

October 8, 2007