Sunday, December 9, 2007

Daily News Reports Of Smart Judge In Ruling


It is refreshing to hear that the Police trying to overstep their bounds are kept in check by a judge with common sense. Since 9-11 and the Patriot act, there have been many law enforcement agencies that have tried to peg U.S. citizens with "terrorism" charges , and may with success. But in a small town in south louisiana this was not to happen to a U.S. Citizen.


Even though the writeup from the local paper "The Bogalusa Daily News" was somewhat slanted and seemed to be a little upset that the defendant was not charged with terrorism. The system for once worked and the proper decision was made.


Although Bogalusa police charged Stogner with terrorizing, Judge Martin Coady dismissed the charge against Tommy Stogner on Sept. 9 in state district court in Franklinton. In return, Stogner, 53, pled guilty to two unrelated felony counts of criminal damage to property. He was sentenced to probation for five years and received a suspended two-year prison sentence.


Coady also ordered Stogner to stay on medication and attend mental health meetings.
"The court believes he is not a terrorist," Rick Wood, spokesman for the District Attorney's office, said. "These were just the writings of an unstable person," he said, adding the DA's office never accepted the terrorizing charge.


Stogner has a long mental illness record and even smeared feces all over his cell while in jail. It was quite obvious that he had medical issues and not terrorism issues!


Score 1 for the justice system. Although Bogalusa police charged Stogner with terrorizing, Judge Martin Coady dismissed the charge against Tommy Stogner on Sept. 9 in state district court in Franklinton. In return, Stogner, 53, pled guilty to two unrelated felony counts of criminal damage to property. He was sentenced to probation for five years and received a suspended two-year prison sentence. Coady also ordered Stogner to stay on medication and attend mental health meetings.
"The court believes he is not a terrorist," Rick Wood, spokesman for the District Attorney's office, said. "These were just the writings of an unstable person," he said, adding the DA's office never accepted the terrorizing charge.

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