FLORIDA CRIMINAL LAW MUST BE AMENDED
Jennifer Mee was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole when she was 19, but her case highlights some serious flaws in the mindset of those responsible for her lengthy sentence and the logic behind the Florida law that says that those who are part of a fatal robbery are equally guilty of murder as the person who committed the actual murder.
Jennifer arranged a date with a young man she had met on Facebook, however, her intention was to rob him with the help of two male escorts. He alone, on the other hand, was under the impression that he was going on a date with Jennifer. She at no time had the intention of killing him.
The question is “Who is responsible for the discharge of a firearm?”
It really should be the person who owns it. To suggest that others are equally responsible is to say, “Passengers in a motor vehicle are just as guilty of driving under the influence as the person behind the wheel.” It all boils down to placing sole responsibility on the one in control of the firearm and no one else.
In Jennifer’s case, she had nothing to do with the actual murder. It was not premeditated or intentional.
His crime does not fit the definition of murder but manslaughter.
What really shocked people was when his sentence was announced, “Life without the possibility of parole.”
How could a judge justify the sentence Jennifer received when there are premeditated murder cases that give criminals a much lesser sentence and can see the light at the end of the tunnel?
The Governor of Florida has the ability to grant clemency to any inmate, so it’s up to him to do the right thing in Jennifer’s case.
Why does the United States sentence criminals to life in prison without the possibility of parole when other countries do not have such harsh sentences?
It is indisputable that some criminals cannot be rehabilitated, but Jennifer’s is not one of them. Her crime seemed to be based on logic: “If she hadn’t done such a thing, then this wouldn’t have happened.”
It’s fair?
There was a media frenzy at Jennifer’s trial because when she was 15 she gained notoriety as the “hiccup girl” when she had incurable cases of hiccups. When she turned 19, the hiccup problem was cured. There was a lot of emotion at Jennifer’s trial, as you would expect in a trial where the victim died, but the judges are supposed to get over all the emotion. It seems that this was not so in the case of Jennifer. How could there be any justification for Jennifer’s award?
I have written letters to politicians in the United States but have not received a single reply. If this is how they respond to people who question the way they treat human beings, is it any wonder that people turn to other means to express their point of view, as was the case with Black Lives Matter after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis?
I wish politicians would listen to what is being said and not try to politicize every single event that comes along, be it the coronavirus, the economy, or the Black Lives Matter protests.
Is it any wonder that Black Lives Matter protests have taken place recently (2020). America needs to find alternative ways to deal with crime and not just lock it up and throw away the key.
what i would like
1. That adolescents should not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
2. That when an older person is involved in a crime with a minor then the balance of responsibility must fall on the older person.
3. That whoever is in possession of a firearm should be held responsible for any outcome/death after it is fired.
4. That the sentences of those convicted as minors be reduced and the money destined for juvenile programs be saved.
5. That many criminals are sent to the community for voluntary community work.