Sidney Sweeting, DDS

Most Bahamian citizens have been complaining for a long time about the lenient sentences given to the criminals who are destroying the very fabric of our society and fearing that the day is not far off when the rent in the fabric will be beyond repair.

Prominent in the news the past several days has been the case of Maurice Clemmons who shot four policeman in a cafe in Washington State. Let us consider his prior history. He was first incarcerated at the age of 17 facing sentences totalling 108 years. His sentence was reduced to 47 years by Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas which then made him eligible for parole. The Governor was interviewed today and stated that "if he had known that he would do something like this he would not have pardoned him." Pardon me Governor, but did some kind of light not go off in your head when you read his history of felony charges? What do these rapists, murderers and pedophiles have to due to give these judges and Governors some clue that they are evil people and should never be allowed in the presence of civilized people, ever.

Another case not long ago, in the US was the eleven year old girl who was kidnapped and held for 18 years and was forced  to have children for him. This monster had been sentenced to a prison term of fifty years for kidnapping a woman and holding her hostage for a period until she escaped. Then a parole board decided that he should be released. The question has been raised as to whether those people on the parole board would want him as their neighbour.

I am sure we can all recite cases of Bahamian criminals being released on bail, paroled or just given a slap on the wrist which makes us question the integrity or legal ability of the presiding judges. We are all tired of the statement that "the sentence given was the maximum allowed by law." Then change the law. We have had enough, we are sick and tired – sick of the rampant crime and tired of the press conferences promising to do something.