Monday, September 9, 2013
5th Period - Zane Mallett - 2/5 - Because He Said He Would
Summary: A man named Matthew Cordle, recently arrested for a DUI, uploaded a public confession video to YouTube. The 22 year old publicly admitted to driving while drunk and taking Vincent Canzani's life. He was ready to take full responsibility for his actions, even accepting any sentence to jail. However he said that if he had taken a "different route" he could probably have a shorter sentence or none at all. The prosecutor, Ron O'Brien, believes that he should have a lengthy sentence and that although the video is moving, he should still pay his full time. The producer runs a site called "Because I Said I Would" which is a website encouraging people to confess to any problems they have through video. When he talked about the video, he included that he had no intention of getting sympathy or even a reduction of jail time for Cordle.
Analysis: Now I think this brings up an interesting topic. Should his sentence length be reduced because of his confession? Should the family determine weather or not he should go to jail? Was this all just one big guilt trip? I agree with Ron O'Brien. I don't think that this video should effect the courts ruling. I believe that the court should have unbias judges on the panel without seeing the video to effect his case. Although the producer of the video said this wasn't aimed at getting sympathy, I believe it was.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/us/ohio-video-drunken-driving-confession/index.html?hpt=ju_t2
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ReplyDeleteI honestly don't care whether he had reason or not to drink and drive. The point is that you don't drink and drive. That is why you have friends there for you to be the designated driver.
ReplyDeleteOr just don't drink. What's the allure, honestly? Have some tea.
While I agree that he screwed up with drunk driving, and yes it is a serious issue, and caused serious consequences, the number of people that actually admit to their mistakes are very low in number. He had the self control to admit to authorities that his drunk driving was his fault, and he bears the responsibility of his actions, which seems reasonable enough of a cause to allow him to have a shortened sentence. He still should do time for his actions, but he admitted to it, and beared the responsibility, which in cases of murder, tends to relieve at least one degree off the sentence, so why would this not apply here?
ReplyDeleteByron Otis-I think his sentence should be lowered from what it would be if he had blatantly lied about running the man down. However, it should not be lowered because of some emotional plea he made to the internet.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an interesting idea. I'm not sure what the law is regarding sentence in accordance with confessions. I suppose there should be something that encourages people to confess (maybe a minority reduced sentence). I do not think though he should be "rewarded" for confessing because it was the wrong doing that people should consider in their ruling. Well, I'm not sure if I agree with what I just said. There should be small compensation.
ReplyDeleteOkay. If you kill a person, you need to go to jail. No matter self defense, accidental, purposefully, whatever the case may be. If you confess you shouldn't get a reduction of your sentence. As my mother puts it, you shouldn't get rewarded for something you're supposed to be doing in the first place. However, I think if you try and exempt yourself from the law, your sentence should be extended.
ReplyDeleteImani Williams 5 period