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Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner

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Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 16th, 2007 @ 10:23PM (17 years ago)

I would be interested in seeing if Judge McDonald-Burkman's little experiment works out. If this criminal doesn't make his parole or leaves his home will she make a public appology to Mr. Rees and the community?

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 16th, 2007 @ 10:28PM (17 years ago)

If I raised my kids the same way that these Judges treat criminals then my kids would know that I don't mean what I say and that they don't have to be responsible for their actions.

If my child does something wrong and breaks the rules they are punished. They get the full sentence involved, gorunded for 2 weeks, no phone priveleges etc... If I were to tell them they were grounded and then at the onset of the grounding let them go with no punishment then what did they learn? They learned that they can continue to act up and in the case of criminals, continue to commit crimes and they won't be punished for it.

Shock probation should be used very seldom and never when an assault, robbery or murder takes place.

Make Louisville a safer place. VOTE!

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 16th, 2007 @ 1:04PM (17 years ago)

I would hope that a Judicial Official would always consider the needs of the people vs. the needs of someone in jail/prison. It sounds like Eggert asked for a release and the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch your system" fell right into place.

Mr. Eggert, when you were a public defender you defended scum becasue they were assigned to you. Now you choose to defend only those that can pay the high dollars that your firm charges. I wonder if you ever lose sleep over your choice to get scum like this put back on the street.

Judge McDonald-Burkman, How can you in good cncience give any reason for releasing Ottman back upon this community? Like it said in the article just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something.

If these SOB's had to actually start serving the time they received instead of getting free passes from people like you then maybe they would quit treating the system like the joke that attorneys like Eggert and Judges like you that flaunt the system. The punishment and sentence that criminals receive should never be watered down. Forget "time off for good behavior". Forget "shock probation." Do the crime/Serve the time!

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 17th, 2007 @ 3:22AM (17 years ago)

Louisvillians are paying the price for trying to act like Seattle or San Fransisco. We are letting the liberal media and liberal politicians take over. Instead of thinking and acting conservativly and moderately we have allowed that segment of society that believes in rasiing children with options and giving them choices to infiltrate the leadership positions in government. Poitical races have become popularity contests. We have had to put up with too many decisions about reforming prisoners with well wishes and the "Now don't do that any more Billy or mommy will get really mad" attitude that we have failed to see that punishment is a deterent to crime, The recidivism rate was less when criminals served harsh sentences and weren't pampered. Prison should be something that they should think about before committing a crime. Criminals should understand that if they commit crimes they will get real sentences and not get some phoney sentence that sounds good for the news media but actually means somethng entirely different.

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 17th, 2007 @ 9:01AM (17 years ago)

I read the Courier-Journal everyday. I know, I know it is a liberal biased rag, but it is the only game in town. Every once in awhile they actually print the truth. Here is an editorial comment that was posted by Rebecca Grignon concerning the John Rees debacle.

Applauds Rees

I was saddened to read the story of Kentucky Corrections Commissioner John Rees. It is frightening to me to realize that a person can shoot another human being numerous times and be considered for shock probation just because they were under age when they committed the crime. I applaud the actions of John Rees, who was willing to put his own freedom on the line in order to protect the public.

Unfortunately, I speak with the experience of one whose life has been tragically changed by a violent juvenile offender. My husband, Louisville Metro Police Officer Peter Grignon, was shot numerous times in the face and head by a teenage boy in 2005. The young man who murdered my husband had a long history of juvenile offenses which also included shooting someone. I have often wondered how different my life would have been if Peter's killer had been in jail that horrible morning. If only someone had taken a stand then and kept his future assailant incarcerated where he belonged.

I am told that when Rees made his decision, one of the people he thought of was my husband. How glad Peter would be to know that the memory of his sacrifice would help to make this community a safer place in which to live. It is time for us to hold our children accountable for their actions. We must build in them a respect for the law which does not began only at 18 years of age. We must teach them that violence is unacceptable and has consequences regardless of age.

I would ask that the citizens of the commonwealth who have been so supportive of me and my family now step forward and lend their support to Rees.

He should not suffer for doing what is right. Dan Ottman should have to serve out his sentence so that he and other juveniles like him can learn that shooting someone is not something that everyone just walks away from. Perhaps if someone could have taught my husband's killer that, Peter would still be keeping our streets safe today.

REBECCA GRIGNON

Louisville 40299

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 18th, 2007 @ 12:32PM (17 years ago)

Do you realize that none of the criminals that get released have served anywhere near the amount of time that they were sentenced to serve. All of them committed a crime and either a judge or a jury decided that they earned a requisite amount of time in jail or prison.

All of a sudden they get their attorney to ask his/her Judge pal if they can go home early. They are really sorry and they won't do it again. Yeah right! Once they are sentenced it shouldn't be up to a local Judge to decide whether or not they can get out early. There is a Parole Board to decide that. There are higher authorities to decide on commuting sentences. pardons etc... It should be left up to them to make those decisions.

The idea that criminals repent after serving a little over a month of their sentence is outlandish at best. They denied ever doing it an fought tooth and nail to avoid being caught. They didn't commit a crime then walk into the Police station and say, " I made a big mistake and did something wrong, please arrest me." A lot of man hours go into these investigations to bring them to trial. A lot of victims lives are shattered becasue of what they did. They should be punished not given a slap on the wrist for their actions.

If this pattern and practice of letting these guys off without consequnces for their actions is allowed to continue then so will their criminal behavior. If these Judges continue to act irresponsibly then we should make the public aware of it and make sure that they do not get voted back in.

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 18th, 2007 @ 4:48PM (17 years ago)

Once again we have a Judge living in her own little dream world that is more concerned with doing a favor for a fellow attorney than diong what is right for the community. I would venture to guess that she has little or no chance of seeing this little scumbag in her gated community. Too bad for the victim and family of the guy that got shot. I guess they will really have to start watching their backs now that he is out.

Like Paul said: "Remember the Law that you are using ?ALLOWS? you to grant shock probation it doesn't ?Guarantee or Demand? that juvenile be granted probation." Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do something. Some of these Judges should realize that the safety of the community should always take precedence over the desire for a criminal to get out of jail early.

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 18th, 2007 @ 4:54PM (17 years ago)

Using Judge McDonald-Burkman's logic, every juvenile that murdered someone would be eligible for shock probation even after they turned 18 and are in prison. Some logic!

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 18th, 2007 @ 7:01PM (17 years ago)

Thank God there are still folks like Mr. Rees who are willing to stand up for what is right and not bend for idiotic rulings like this one. I am praying for you Brother!

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 18th, 2007 @ 11:59PM (17 years ago)

Oh my God! What was she thinking? Let's see a guy convicted of shooting someone...yeah that's a good pereson to release back into the community. I'm sure the youth learned his lesson. Why is it that she would even think he would be worthy of an early release? Oh yeah as someone posted earlier she is probably doing a favor for a buddy in hopes that she will line up a job at a high end lawfirm when she leaves the bench.

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 19th, 2007 @ 8:55AM (17 years ago)

Well the results are in. Judge Judith McDonald-Burkman has fined Rees $500 and coincidently orfered him to pay all of Eggert's fees. (I bet that will be a well padded bill). The Attorney's for the State Cabinet are appealing and in the meantime they will abide by these type rulings even though they are clearly wrong.

AS many people have reiterated in this article, She is wrong to even consider someone like Ottman for release into the community along with any other Judge that thinks a slap on the wrist for violent criminal offenders and a promise to sin no more is sufficient punishment for shooting another individual.

SHAME ON YOU JUDGE JUDITH MCDONALD-BURKMAN!

Local Judge issues Contempt of Court order to Corrections Commissioner...

July 24th, 2007 @ 10:43AM (17 years ago)

The termidity of this woman is appalling! How in the world can she justify releasing this young gang banger after he shot and tried to kill someone? How can she justify releasing him after she accepted the jury's recommendation of 10 years in prison? Her lack of conscience in this matter to the needs of the community and the needs of the Justice administration and the needs of Law Enforcement where certainly outweighed by he needs to accommodate a punk shooter and his attorney. Try and remember this Judge McDonald-Burkman, your job is an elected position and you have blown any chance of getting re-elected in my book. Barry Willet is in the same boat.