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I repeat that I, and the majority of people, do not find a man viciously beating up a 110 lbs women to be a "petty" crime.
In terms of legal precedent...
GBH or Wounding WITHOUT intent carries 5 years top weight in the UK. WITH intent (which I don't think will be the charge brought against Brown has a top weight of life, ie 12 years minimum on the inside)
I believe that the top weight for Felony Assault (with which Brown is charged) is also five years.
Given the cowardly nature of the attacks, the level of violence, and the huge advantage in strength over the victim (as well as the likely existence of prior violence in the relationship) - I would expect that if Brown was found guilty he would be looking at the maximum sentence certainly. As a high profile example of violence against women, would the judge decide to show the world that this a crime that is considered a "petty matter" and all he should have is a slap on the wrists - as dlish considers? Or should he and will he demonstrate that the American legal system takes these kind of abusive assaults seriously?
Mitigating factors? Brown, a physically fit and strong 19 year old attacks a young woman, while she is stuck in a locked car with a seatbelt restraining her from even raising her hands to shield herself from the repeated blows... her head is smashed into a car window, she is choked, repeatedly punched until her mouth fills with blood and she is close to passing out, and according to some reports is even bitten. What mitigating factors do we wish to discus in relation to the above? What might Rihanna have done to be considered mitigation for this attack?
I say again, if he is found guilty, throw the book at him. Five years, very hard time, sweeping up concrete dust with a dustpan and brush in the arse end of nowhere until he is half way into his 20's. He deserves no less, and the American people deserve justice to be done.
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"Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."
The Gospel of Thomas
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