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A just sentence for my daughter
May I appeal for a just sentence for my daughter, please!
On July 7, 2014, in the Saipan Tribune, I read “Ex-convict gets 18 months sentence for vicious attack” and this prompted me to compare this case with my daughter’s.
On one hand, you have here an ex-convict who committed a vicious attack, repeatedly punching a man and causing the victim to lose consciousness. Yet he still continued beating the unconscious person mercilessly. The government made a deal with him and dropped all the charges in two separate criminal cases as part of the deal. This person got only 18 months!
On the other hand, you have here a mother of five, who has never violated the law, who protected herself as best as she could while facing a life-threatening attack by a violent man with whom she—to her grief—has had a love-hate relationship. Government prosecutors pushed for the most severe punishment. The judge didn’t go into the history of what had happened and punished her in the heaviest way—20 years! Even the victim guy’s forgiveness and his requests not to punish her severely did not help!
Please compare: ex-convict whom the government’s favors got 18 months. A mother of five, no previous violation of the law, government pushed for a severe as possible punishment, 20 years. Simplifying even more: MONTHS versus YEARS!
I am elderly, a regular Man’amko Center-goer. I have no knowledge of laws and no money to spend for justice to take place. But I feel this with all my guts: Something is very wrong! I ask the powers-that-be, people of heart and compassion, to please help my daughter get a comparatively just sentence and not let our society go downward. My email address is bibbamanamko@gmail.com.
Teddy Guiao
Navy Hill, Saipan
