[FLHTbiker]

I can't believe this

This 430-pound convict is out of a Canadian prison because the facility could not accommodate his massive frame. The Quebec Parole Board cited Michel Lapointe's health and good behavior as reasons for his early parole. "Big Mike," as he's known, was serving time for conspiracy and drug trafficking.

The Quebec Parole Board said this week that it based its decision for an early release on Lapointe's health, along with factors such as good behavior and the support of his wife and mother.
The two-officer board stressed that Lapointe was not violent and did not pose a risk to society.
Lapointe will have to follow a series of conditions, such as finding a job and staying away from bars. He will also have to meet with a parole officer on a regular basis over the next three months.
A former chef, Lapointe was arrested on drug-related charges in 2006. In February 2008, he pleaded guilty to all of his charges. At the time of his arrest, Lapointe weighed 375 pounds.
Defense lawyer Clemente Monterosso said the prison's poor diet caused his client to gain more than 50 pounds.
Following the court's decision to release Lapointe, his mother, Claire Lapointe, said her son has always had weight problems. She said the problems were exacerbated while he was in jail.
Convicts' weight has also been an issue in the United States. In one case, a 500-pound New York man accused of selling knockoff guitars was arraigned in a pickup truck in a parking lot because he could not fit into the courthouse.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
2008-11-13 14:27:45

[chucktx]

so, if ya doin time, get fat and get out????????

[FLHTbiker]

Seems to me they could have put him on a restricted diet which would make serving his time seem even more of a punishment.

[chucktx]

agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Art_NJr]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

Seems to me they could have put him on a restricted diet which would make serving his time seem even more of a punishment.

Agreed, but prison space is wasted on non-violent offenders. The article didn't include the amount or type of drug(s) the guy was convicted of selling, but it don't take much to get a long prison stint & there are child-molesters & murderers out on the streets who pose a far more serious threat.

[FLHTbiker]

Art, if your convicted of a crime you do the time. Murders and child molesters should be put to death within 30 days of entering prison. The appeals time is way to long. I think the old west had it right. Go to a fair trail, get convicted and sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. Usually the next day at dawn, done.

[Art_NJr]

Originally Posted by FLHTbiker

Art, if your convicted of a crime you do the time. Murders and child molesters should be put to death within 30 days of entering prison. The appeals time is way to long. I think the old west had it right. Go to a fair trail, get convicted and sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. Usually the next day at dawn, done.

Agreed in principle, but not in application.

Considering that state & local gov'ts. get more $$$ from the federal gov't. than it costs to keep a person locked up ($38,000/year per bed w/ a body in it here last I looked) & privately-owned prisons generate even more revenue, it behooves the gov'ts. to keep as many people locked up as possible. (The U.S. has more people locked up per capita than any country in the world).

Then consider 2 guys who both got 90 days - the 1st for no drivers license & the 2nd for driving drunk - and running off the road, killing the passenger in the car. Then consider a guy convicted of rape & murder who gets the death penalty, before DNA technology is developed. Sits on death row for 15+ years & then DNA & related forensic testing is finally done, proving beyond the shadow of a doubt the guy is not guilty.

The system's broke & I don't look for it to be fixed anytime soon.

[FLHTbiker]

I figured you would come back with this type of a reply.

[Sleepy]

must have been a slow news day to put this one out for public consumption. I'll never figure out the legal system here.

[FLHTbiker]

Bob, the legal system here is so out of wack that the criminals have more rights than the victims. Nice to hear from you.

[GreyBear]

Howdy,
I would like to weigh in on this one because both side have valid points. The US DOES lock up more folks than any other country in the world and a lot of the folks doing time are no violent offender. Crimes such as "drug trafficking" can be anything from a couple of grams to a couple of tons. Yet the judge has no options in sentencing. So you lock up a Columbian importer that got caught with 50 kilos the same amount of time the yo yo with an 8 ball. Somethings wrong there. Especially when the costs just keep rising.
In SC recently they raided a processing plant and arrested hundreds of illegals. (YAY!!!!!) Some 40 or so were not immediately deported and granted hearings for humanitarian reasons. BUT< they lcoked one of the tracker ankle bracelets on them so they could keep track of them. Seems to me that this is an option that could be used to help bail us out of the hole we have dug ourselves into. They already use these to keep track of some on parole. Why not put them on house arrest. They would have to keep a job and if they didn't it would be community service 6 days a week 10 hrs a day. (An incentive to get a real job). They would be housed at home eat, at home, be responsible for thier own medical expenses etc. Then we could keep the prisons for the violent offenders. And cut our costs way down.
I realize that many feel that this isn't enough of a punishment and perhaps it isnt. But we are talking about tax money, streamlining the system and getting the best deal for the buck. With the added saving we could spend more to police the correctional officers who are, as a whole, usually more crooked than the cons they are paid to guard. Better than half of the contraband that is in the prisons come in with the cooperation of the guards.
As to child molesters and murders being done soon as the trials over. Well in a perfect world thats a good idea. In our society, with the "patriot" act, secret courts issuing sneak and peek search warrants and the rest of the governments end run around the Constitution, I prefer to keep the checks and balances in place. Even though they have been watered down so badly.
Of course I have a weird view on the death penalty anyway. To me, a family member of the murdered/molested party should be the one to put a bullet in the perps brain. We make it way to sterile. (Speaking of sterile...why the hell do they use a alcohol wipe on the guy strapped to the gurney before they hot shot him? )
Ride Free......

[kenfuzed]

What I don't get is, he wasn't too fat to fit in there 9 months ago. What the hell are they feeding them in that prison to pork up 50 pounds so fast! You want to save the tax payers some money? Stop feeding them so much!!! Send him down to Sheriff Joe in Arizona. A few weeks in his tent city prison and he won't be gainin so much weight.

Maybe his mom kept bringing him a cake per day with a file in it. Trouble is nobody told the poor guy that he wasn't supposed to keep eating all of them cakes.

[cowboy]

Yep Sheriff Joe of Maricopa Co AZ should be the head dude in the US & let all the jails become tents & pink draws to wear that might make fat boy loose some pounds & still do his time

[Panthera]

This was in Canada, they let murderers out after 7 years, he had to have been a major player to get time for drugs.

[FLHTbiker]

Originally Posted by GreyBear

Howdy,
As to child molesters and murders being done soon as the trials over. Well in a perfect world thats a good idea. In our society, with the "patriot" act, secret courts issuing sneak and peek search warrants and the rest of the governments end run around the Constitution, I prefer to keep the checks and balances in place. Even though they have been watered down so badly.
Of course I have a weird view on the death penalty anyway. To me, a family member of the murdered/molested party should be the one to put a bullet in the perps brain. We make it way to sterile. (Speaking of sterile...why the hell do they use a alcohol wipe on the guy strapped to the gurney before they hot shot him? ) Ride Free......

That is so he doesn't get AIDS or Hepatitis. Needles are to good for them and a bullet is to quick. A 6 foot drop in a noose is better, that way they get to choke and kick for awile.