News (Media Awareness Project) - US MS: Editorial: Drug Abuse Isn't A Crime Without Victims |
| Title: | US MS: Editorial: Drug Abuse Isn't A Crime Without Victims |
| Published On: | 2004-11-21 |
| Source: | Hattiesburg American (MS) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-21 13:06:27 |
DRUG ABUSE ISN'T A CRIME WITHOUT VICTIMS
Suspects in two brutal Pine Belt crime cases were brought to justice
in the past week, resulting in lengthy sentences behind bars.
The first involved an April 12 home invasion in Rawls Springs in which
homeowner Steven Spencer was shot five times in front of his family.
He still has three of the bullets lodged in his body.
On Monday, Forrest County Circuit Judge Bob Helfrich sentenced
teenagers Channin Terrell Wilson and Domiano Ratcliff to 60 years each
on armed robbery and aggravated assault charges. Ten years of the
sentences were suspended.
Two other suspects, Mark Steven Turner and Jessie Arneel Wilson, were
also involved in the incident but cut deals with the district
attorney's office. Jessie Wilson got a 20-year sentence with 10 years
suspended; Turner was dealt a 10-year sentence with three years suspended.
Wilson and Ratcliff, who pleaded guilty to the charges, apparently
just picked the Spencer home at random. They got away with $60 in cash.
On Friday, Helfrich sentenced Cedric Hands for his role in a May 13
armed robbery and kidnapping of a Dandy Dan's Amoco station clerk and
firing on three police officers.
Hands, who pleaded guilty to the crimes earlier this month, will
likely have to serve 40 years in prison.
While there is no apparent connection between the two incidents, there
was at least one common thread. In both incidents, the defendants told
Helfrich they were on drugs when they committed the crimes.
To his credit Helfrich cut the defendants no slack when they blamed
their actions on drugs.
"By your actions you have terrified a family," Helfrich told the
defendants in the home invasion.
"Drug abuse is no excuse."
On Friday Hands told Helfrich that he was high on drugs when he
committed his crime.
He also apologized to store clerk Dana Davenport.
"That counts in your favor," Helfrich told Hands. "Drug use does not
count in your favor."
If there is anyone who thinks that drug abuse is a victimless crime,
they should look at those two cases for refuting evidence.
They can look at how illegal drugs have changed the lives of the
Spencers and Davenport, who still have nightmares about their
experiences.
Suspects in two brutal Pine Belt crime cases were brought to justice
in the past week, resulting in lengthy sentences behind bars.
The first involved an April 12 home invasion in Rawls Springs in which
homeowner Steven Spencer was shot five times in front of his family.
He still has three of the bullets lodged in his body.
On Monday, Forrest County Circuit Judge Bob Helfrich sentenced
teenagers Channin Terrell Wilson and Domiano Ratcliff to 60 years each
on armed robbery and aggravated assault charges. Ten years of the
sentences were suspended.
Two other suspects, Mark Steven Turner and Jessie Arneel Wilson, were
also involved in the incident but cut deals with the district
attorney's office. Jessie Wilson got a 20-year sentence with 10 years
suspended; Turner was dealt a 10-year sentence with three years suspended.
Wilson and Ratcliff, who pleaded guilty to the charges, apparently
just picked the Spencer home at random. They got away with $60 in cash.
On Friday, Helfrich sentenced Cedric Hands for his role in a May 13
armed robbery and kidnapping of a Dandy Dan's Amoco station clerk and
firing on three police officers.
Hands, who pleaded guilty to the crimes earlier this month, will
likely have to serve 40 years in prison.
While there is no apparent connection between the two incidents, there
was at least one common thread. In both incidents, the defendants told
Helfrich they were on drugs when they committed the crimes.
To his credit Helfrich cut the defendants no slack when they blamed
their actions on drugs.
"By your actions you have terrified a family," Helfrich told the
defendants in the home invasion.
"Drug abuse is no excuse."
On Friday Hands told Helfrich that he was high on drugs when he
committed his crime.
He also apologized to store clerk Dana Davenport.
"That counts in your favor," Helfrich told Hands. "Drug use does not
count in your favor."
If there is anyone who thinks that drug abuse is a victimless crime,
they should look at those two cases for refuting evidence.
They can look at how illegal drugs have changed the lives of the
Spencers and Davenport, who still have nightmares about their
experiences.
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