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Do victims care more about the sentencing process or sentencing results?

By Douglas A. Berman

I always find interesting the debate over victims' rights at sentencing, and this local story from Illinois highlights that some crime victims may care a lot more about speaking out than about sentencing outcomes:As the court proceedings against former police officer Jeff Pelo ended Tuesday, the women he was convicted of assaulting and stalking had the last word in statements expressing the impact the crimes have had on their lives. But victims expressed frustration with the limitations placed on their remarks during Tuesday?s sentencing hearing in which Pelo received 440 years in prison. A woman who was stalked for more than a year criticized Pelo?s defense lawyer, Michael Rosenblat, for asking that portions of victims? statement be removed...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on August 14, 2008 (boomark / email).