Minimum Mandatory Sentencing

[dellinger63]

Meet Ramone Palmer

Ramone Palmer, 23, is accused of fatally shooting Brian Rollins on Sept. 12. Prosecutors said Palmer, whose name is also listed in court documents as Ramone Riley-Palmer, broke into a home in the 10400 block of South Perry Avenue in the Fernwood neighborhood on the Far South Side, threatened its occupants with a gun and then chased Rollins out of the house and shot him four times.

Now Ramone was sentenced on 10/24/11 to IL Department of Corrections for 3 years for Aggravated use of a Weapon from a car, 2nd offense. Had he simply served the time given (no minimum mandatory necessary) Brian Rollins would be alive today. Had he been given a mandatory minimum for the first offense the 2nd may not have even happened.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...ourt-documents

Next let's meet Lee Cration

A Cook County jury took a little more than an hour Thursday evening to convict a felon in the 2009 Christmas Eve slaying of an elderly Hyde Park man.

Lee Cration killed 79-year-old Ralph Elliott after he tried to rob the senior citizen outside Popeye’s Chicken at 818 E. 47th Street.

After shooting Elliott, witnesses told police Cration rummaged through the dead man’s pockets before fleeing.

Elliott had come to the fast food restaurant to pick up chicken for an annual holiday potluck that he and his wife had hosted for the last five decades.

A review of Cration's record shows he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 28 years on 2/28/84. While serving his time he was subsequently sentenced in 2001 and 2005 for aggravated battery on a peace officer (prison guard) and received an additional 3 years for each offense. Had this animal simply be forced to do his time (34 years) he would still be in and poor Mr. Elliott would still be alive hosting the holiday pot luck he had hosted for 5 decades.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/7...l#.U1vIePaPJMs

So I suppose the lesson to be learned is even before enacting min/mandatory laws let's simply require felons to do the time they are sentenced to, parole board no longer necessary.