Thread: Prison sentences

Do you think prison sentences in Russia are handed out fairly? For example, this guy
(Телекомпания НТВ. Официальный сайт | Новости НТВ | Американца осудили за контрабанду) is getting three years for taking two old and virtually worthless coins out of the country. This guy killed 5 people and is getting 22 years. (Телекомпания НТВ. Официальный сайт | Новости НТВ | Американца осудили за контрабанду)

In Russian word "fair" is not applicable to the phrase "prison sentence."

Originally Posted by sperk

Do you think prison sentences in Russia are handed out fairly?

LOL. It's a funniest question I heard the last time. I can give another example to compare: Several years ago some mafia tycoon recieved a quasi sentence for a proved in court organization of a contract murder. (He didn't spend a single day in jail). In the same year my acquaintance recieved a real sentence (5 years) for stealing a nickel bar from a factory. He worked as a lorry driver there and some guy put the bar into his lorry (my acquaintance didn't even know about that). Security guards found the bar on the check point (the factory exit) and the guy was charged with stealing and spent almost 5 years in a jail.

@Sperk -- Well I don't think a fair justice system is considered to be among Russia's strong points....

Wow I feel really sorry for your acquaintance, Basil77. Is he still in prison?

Is it the case that you can get off if you have a very expensive lawyer (like OJ Simpson...) or is it more case that it's random or based on something else?

Originally Posted by Hanna

Wow I feel really sorry for your acquaintance, Basil77. Is he still in prison?

Thanks, Hanna. Actually the poor guy isn't just my acquaintance, he is my wife's cousin. The story took place 10 years ago when I wasn't married yet so he was just my acquaintance back then. The sad irony that he is the only person who was convicted for stealing from that plant during last 20 years while everyone in my town knows guys who were stealing nickel and other non-ferrous metals from there by railcars during 90s and they are doing quite well by now (living in good houses and driving expensive cars). Actually the whole plant was stolen and now it's used mostly as a storage. The only guy's fault was being not too smart and too naive to sign the "confessions" (he was forced by cops who needed to report about "cleared" case).

I think that comparing to the USA (don't know about other countries) Russian sentences for violent crimes are rather mild. It's almost impossible to get life sentence for killing a person, and even for brutal crimes sentences often fall between 15 and 25 years. But "crimes against State/nation" are punished comparatively harshly. This situation is a part of juridical tradition.
Is it fair? It depends on your outlook. )

Also I really doubt that this American will have to go to jail for real.