So basically, a man was convicted, sentenced, and released on bail. Then they forgot to tell him to report to prison.

[Dinner]

The state dropped he ball on this one and it needs to take a hit for that.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The state saves a whole lot of money by letting him walk, and it seems clear that he is rehabilitated. I say re-sentence him to a bunch of community service, perhaps talking to young felons and such. So at least they get some semblance of their pound of flesh.

This would also keep the state out of the position of punishing his wife and children. Instead, the state of Missouri gets some free service time and good PR despite their bureaucratic incompetence, plus they don't have to pay his room and board for several years.

I'm good with that. Commute his sentence to community service and the state can pretend its criminal justice system is intended for rehabilitation.

[rah]

YES. that's actually the bigger question here. What is the intended purpose of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, punishment, or revenge?

[Ben Kenobi]

Statute of limitations does not apply...the man was arrested (AND Convicted).

The rationale behind the statute of limitation is that the state cannot prosecute after a period of time has passed. This is to prevent things like this from occurring. While it's true on a technicality that the statute doesn't apply, I would argue that the spirit of the statute should prevail.

Part of the criminal justice system provides for timely prosecution. Would you say the man should be charged if his case took 13 years to resolve?

[Sava]

YES. that's actually the bigger question here. What is the intended purpose of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, punishment, or revenge?

Nowhere do you mention justice.

[DinoDoc]

YES. that's actually the bigger question here. What is the intended purpose of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, punishment, or revenge?

Yes.

[The Mad Monk]

Nowhere do you mention justice.

Yes he did, right between criminal and system.

[Sava]

[Imran Siddiqui]

Isn't punishment and justice similar enough for "hard on crime" folks? You punished for your crime. What other meaning of justice do you have?

[Sparta28]

Funny

[Patroklos]

YES. that's actually the bigger question here. What is the intended purpose of the criminal justice system, rehabilitation, punishment, or revenge?

Its certainly not to set the precedent that if you can manage to remain a fugitive long enough you can get away without consequences. Remember this was a violent crime he participated in.

[Aeson]

He got married, so really he's been in jail the whole time[/albundydefense]

[AAAAAAAAH!]

Why? He committed a violent crime. Why shouldn't he be required to serve time in jail?

It's clear from his conduct after the conviction that robbing someone with a BB gun was just youthful indiscretion... why lock him away for 13 years?

[Ben Kenobi]

if you can manage to remain a fugitive

He wasn't a fugitive. He didn't try to run. The cops just forgot about him and didn't even remember until now, after his sentence had he been arrested would have expired.

I agree, if he had been a fugitive all this time, that would be one thing. But it's not. The cops shouldn't get a do-over because they screwed up here.

[Tuberski]

My feeling is that if you put him in jail now, for 13 years, you will turn him into a criminal. You will unhabilitate him.

ACK!