NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A man is facing a possible 20 years to life in prison after being accused of stealing $31 worth of candy bars from a New Orleans store.
The New Orleans Advocate reports 34-year-old Jacobia Grimes pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday.
Orleans Parish prosecutors chose to charge Grimes under a statute that boosts the alleged candy theft to a felony. The law applies to those who’ve been convicted of “theft of goods” at least twice before. Grimes has five prior theft convictions, making him a “quad” offender under the state’s habitual-offender law, and facing 20 years to life.
Grimes’ attorneys, Miles Swanson and Michael Kennedy, said his prior guilty pleas were for similar shoplifting attempts.
Grimes, who was released on bond, is due in court Wednesday.
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Information from: The New Orleans Advocate, http://www.neworleansadvocate.com
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If they really want to punish this guy just lock him up for a few years and feed him nothing but Peeps®. That’ll teach him.
I don’t know about this case, but locking somebody up for 20 years for stealing $31 in candy seems excessive. Surely there is more to this case. Has anybody talked to the Prosecutor. What is his reasoning.
Bart Simpson is pissed too.
Btw, did anyone see that report on how prisoners in Germany are treated in comparison to the US on 60 Minutes last night? Fascinating. That would never fly here. Too many guns in our culture to begin with. But it was enlightening as to how messed up our own prisons have become, and the total lack of rehabilitation, which isn’t even considered regarding our system of incarceration.
Heck in Texass he’d be executed, no foolin’!
the three strikes laws that states have passed have resulted in these kinds of sentences for people with relatively minor and nonviolent offenses. iirc california reformed its version after similar cases.