From every murder story these days...

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Sat Mar 15, 2003 6:57 pm

"The alleged gunman, 20-year-
old Ronnell Wilson, could face the
death penalty."<p>
*****This comes across in every murder story now. Here in New York, there has not been an execution in many years. It just seems so misleading. No one is going to face the death penalty here for a while. <p>(Aside; This guy killed two undercover cops. I'd gladly kill him myself. Sorry, jmcg.)

rumymommy · **Joined:** Tue Aug 06, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 138

Not to mention the "alleged gunman" issue. The death penalty stuff should be a decent way down, since you aren't talking Texas.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sat Mar 15, 2003 7:09 pm

And there came a time when someone, somewhere, said, "Put up high the maximum sentence for the crime he's charged with." And so we did.
Anyone who covers cops and courts knows that it's almost always misleading. I know that it's wildly premature. Let's not talk about what the suspect might get, on the "off-chance" that he might be found "not guilty."<p>[ March 15, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>

gullyj · **Posted:** Sun Mar 16, 2003 3:52 pm

When potential penalties are used it is best to offer the range from minimum to maximum such as:
"A conviction could bring a sentence ranging from a rap on the knuckles to losing a pound of flesh.'

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