District Attorney Craig Stedman is critical of Judge Jeffery Wright for only sentencing Ryan Lebus to 5 to 12 years in state prison for driving drunk and causing a fiery 2008 accident that killed a mother of three, badly burned a grandmother and injured the burned woman’s daughter.
The judge’s position is that the DA should have charged Lebus with third degree murder and other non-DUI charges if he felt a longer sentence was appropriate.
According to the Intelligencer Journal New Era, “’It would have been not only improper but unethical to pursue these charges,’ Stedman said. ‘It is especially troubling that a judge suggests we do something unethical as part of the justification for his sentence.’” That it would have been improper is precisely the judge’s point and reason for not administering an even stiffer sentence.
It is tragic that the accident occurred. But 5 to 12 years in prison is not a rap on the knuckles. We side with Judge Wright that the punishment must take into consideration more the nature of the crime, not the tragic outcome. Lebus didn’t just get three months for driving under the influence, which normally would be a long sentence had no accident occurred. He received 5 to 12 years!
Stedman is not ready for prime-time. Remember that he has done NOTHING to earn his elected position. His cronies pushed out the competition in the republican primary and the democrats failed to run anyone. The result? We have an immature, egotistical and possibly evil man making decisions that effect people’s lives. While I didn’t always agree with Don Totaro when he was District Attorney, the contrast between the him and Stedman are incredible. Stedman seems to be enamored with the sound of his voice and the sight of his face on TV. Totaro would have bitten his tongue before speaking an idle word .
I think Carly Simon wrote a song about Stedman – “You probably think this song is about you…”