Moral Dilema of the Day - Cancer Patient gets 10 month Prison Sentence for Shoplifting

[Scerpi]

A Severe Cancer Patient Stole Groceries Worth $109.63. She Was Sentenced to 10 Months
https://news.yahoo.com/cancer-patient-stole-groceries-worth-164852689.html

Yikes, Seems pretty straight forward doesn't it... That's way to extreme for both the crime and the person's circumstances (Stage 3 cancer).

Yet, a deeper look into the case reveals this women is a habitual offender, with a lengthy record including child endangerment, welfare fraud and 13 previous theft convictions... which escalated her current conviction to a felony with up to a possible 16 month sentence.

DA Defends Sentence...
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/...ith-ovarian-cancer-was-justified-da-says.html

When the Pennsylvania Governor caught wind, he decided to get involved to try to get this woman's sentence reduced or changed to house arrest. Of course, people are "outraged" over her sentence... claiming it's a death sentence.



Not sure what to think on this... I mean, is it the State's issue that this women decided to get "caught" shoplifting for the 9th time?... Which actually means she does it all the time. Is mercy deserved in this case?

People seem to get emotional about these stories... woman, cancer, seemingly extreme sentence. Should the justice system take these intangible factors into account?

Thoughts?

 

[Badger67]

Could they enforce house arrest accurately?

 

[uncommon]

I dont think cancer is that much of a factor. 10 months for 100$ in food seems unwarranted even considering a repeat offender.

 

[Swing]

I mean, there's probably gonna be a tenth time. I dunno. Is there a reasonable sentence that would actually deter her from continuing to do this? In terms of what would be fair, I'm more befuddled by the low severity of the crime and her refusal to stop than by her having cancer.

 

[bobgeese]

Too bad.

 

[Renard]

I don't have a strong opinion. Bad ppl get cancer too though.

 

[vengeful]

Too bad.

Got to agree and I'm sure if she needs "sergery" that badly, you still get medical treatment while in jail. In fact, prisoners typically have better healthcare than a lot of actual employed people.

Can't sympathize with someone that has double-digit convictions and still isn't getting a full year in prison.

 

[Damien Karras]

if the sentence restricts her access to surgery and treatment then I see this as completely immoral. But if she's able to continue receiving the proper care she needs while serving then she has to do her time.

That said, depending on the kind of treatment, I don't knwo that being in prison would help with recovery. Especially if she will undergo chemotherapy which weakens the immune system and prisons aren't exactly the cleanest places.

 

[Seano]

Sad story but the law is the law. I'm sure every person who breaks the law could think of something sad to tell the judge.

 

[panamaican]

I don't see the moral issue. She's not a minor, she's not mentally handicapped as far as I'm aware. 10 months for shoplifting doesn't seem excessive for a repeat offender.

 

[Scerpi]

I don't see the moral issue. She's not a minor, she's not mentally handicapped as far as I'm aware. 10 months for shoplifting doesn't seem excessive for a repeat offender.

Agreed... There's lot's of people who disagree however. I'm thinking that they're just reading the headline and not really looking into the circumstances surrounding the punishment.

And it appears that no matter the sentence, she's going to go right back to stealing anyway.

If she's been caught that many times, it pretty much means shes been stealing non-stop...

 

[JimmyFresno]

Don't fuckin steal. It's really that simple.

Not there aren't people who would give this woman the literal shirt off their back if she needed the assistance.

My 70yo mother has stage 4 bone cancer. No excuse to steal.

 

[Koro_11]

Someone being healthy or ill, man or woman, black or white, should have absolutely no bearing on the sentence. The law should apply to all equally, nothing to discuss here imo.

 

[Deleted member 159002]

Did she steal because she had to put all her money toward medical care? Is she on Medicaid? Does Medicaid not cover the services she needs?

These are crucial questions on which this dilemma hangs, and the 'journalist' in the OP link doesn't ask or answer any of them. Awful journalism.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Now she’ll have all her hospital bills paid for

 

[nostradumbass]

John Fetterman's check was 63 cents short. Send him to jail too imo.

 

[BEER]

Did she steal because she had to put all her money toward medical care? Is she on Medicaid? Does Medicaid not cover the services she needs?

These are crucial questions on which this dilemma hangs, and the 'journalist' in the OP link doesn't ask or answer any of them. Awful journalism.

This is the only question I have.

Was she stealing food because she couldn't afford to eat due to medical bills?

I kind of imagine that's not the case, though. A hundred bucks goes a long way at a grocery store. If she were stealing bread and beans, I'd be outraged at the sentence.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

Should chop off he hands, at least one, but hey, repeat offender, so maybe both!

 

[Dirt Road Soldier]

I dont think cancer is that much of a factor. 10 months for 100$ in food seems unwarranted even considering a repeat offender.

Eventually, you HAVE to throw the book at people when they wont stop breaking the law. Sucks that she has cancer, but thems the breaks.

 

[ocfightfan]

She can get treatment while behind bars.