Donna Brock
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Gwen
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Geez.....another 15 year sentence. I guess the judge has no descretion as it is mandatory. How old is DB anyway? I don't know if I feel sorry for her or not. On one hand, I see she probably meant well when she came there. However, in my very humble opinion, she victimized Misty as much as Ron did if the ads on CL were true. She should have been a role model for her .
Note: when I say 'victimized' I mean that in that she contributed to the deliquency and immorality of a young girl.
Note: when I say 'victimized' I mean that in that she contributed to the deliquency and immorality of a young girl.
No - she pled no contest (or rather according to her "my lawyer pled no contest":waitasecand we heard the phone call with her mom where she said she wasn't doing boot camp and anything else - they could give her jail and if they thought she was bad now just wait till she got out.
That's the call they played at her sentencing which was later.
:smile:
Do you usually get a slightly better deal when you plead guilty instead of no contest? I'm trying to think it through logically in my head but I can't decide which would be more favorable to a defendent. If either would be looked at more favorably.
krt
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Which I am sure that ALL the Crosins have the means to pay the fines.............NOT
jessigirl
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Oy veh is right !(I've tried to say this exact phrase several times, but could never come up with a spelling that would be recognizable, yours is perfect, tho I'd never know if it's spelling is correct& don't care just as long as its recognizable)
Glad to see ya back:heart:
I believe the defendant is allowed to provide character witnesses (to say how great they are, this was a one time thing as they've never known her to do it in the past, she's not likely to do it again, etc.) prior to sentencing. Often times people who know the defendant will write letters to the judge in support of the defendant. GGMS seems to have already written one such letter for RC (at least I assume that's what the letter is that was filed with the court).
Does anyone know if the judge in this case has any discretion in sentencing (perhaps probation) or is he bound by the 15 year minimum mandatory?
MADJGNLAW
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Croslin co-defendant pleads to drug charge
Donna Brock arrested with Croslin in undercover sting
Posted: June 16, 2010
"Snip" http://staugustine.com/news/local-ne...ds-drug-charge
Picture of DB at link above
By RICHARD PRIOR
A woman who befriended Misty is facing at least 15 years in prison after pleading Tuesday to a drug trafficking charge.
Donna Michelle Brock, 44, was arrested with Misty Croslin in an undercover operation in January, pleaded no contest.
The first-degree felony carries a maximum punishment of 30 years in prison. It calls for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a $100,000 fine.
Brock stood unmoved with little change in expression as Assistant State Attorney Jackie Roys explained the terms of the plea offer.
Defense attorney Michael P. Hines said he hoped to give the judge reasons to go below the minimum mandatory at his client's Sept. 1 sentencing.
Judge Wendy W. Berger said she didn't believe she had the authority to do that but would research it.
She said she at least would be willing to consider anything Hines could offer to make sure the sentence stayed near 15 years.
Brock also agreed to testify truthfully against "any co-defendants" if the prosecution asks her.
That means Croslin, her only co-defendant.
Misty Croslin, is tentatively scheduled to go to trial August 23, 2010 on the same charge Donna Brock originally faced.
She also faces another seven trafficking charges in Palatka.
Circuit Judge Terry LaRue in Palatka told her on June 3 that Aug. 16 is her "last-chance plea date" to work out a deal with the state on those charges.
Ronald Cummings; Hank Jr. "Tommy" Croslin Jr., and Hope A. Sykes were also arrested during the January sting operation.
Hope Sykes was sentenced April 26 to 15 years in prison.
(Tommy) Hank Jr. Croslin pleaded no contest on June 3. He is scheduled to be sentenced this summer around June 21st.
Ronald Cummings is negotiating for a 15-year sentence on five trafficking charges in exchange for testimony at any future trial.
Misty Croslin is now the only defendant left who has not pled.
Donna Brock arrested with Croslin in undercover sting
Posted: June 16, 2010
"Snip" http://staugustine.com/news/local-ne...ds-drug-charge
Picture of DB at link above
By RICHARD PRIOR
A woman who befriended Misty is facing at least 15 years in prison after pleading Tuesday to a drug trafficking charge.
Donna Michelle Brock, 44, was arrested with Misty Croslin in an undercover operation in January, pleaded no contest.
The first-degree felony carries a maximum punishment of 30 years in prison. It calls for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a $100,000 fine.
Brock stood unmoved with little change in expression as Assistant State Attorney Jackie Roys explained the terms of the plea offer.
Defense attorney Michael P. Hines said he hoped to give the judge reasons to go below the minimum mandatory at his client's Sept. 1 sentencing.
Judge Wendy W. Berger said she didn't believe she had the authority to do that but would research it.
She said she at least would be willing to consider anything Hines could offer to make sure the sentence stayed near 15 years.
Brock also agreed to testify truthfully against "any co-defendants" if the prosecution asks her.
That means Croslin, her only co-defendant.
Misty Croslin, is tentatively scheduled to go to trial August 23, 2010 on the same charge Donna Brock originally faced.
She also faces another seven trafficking charges in Palatka.
Circuit Judge Terry LaRue in Palatka told her on June 3 that Aug. 16 is her "last-chance plea date" to work out a deal with the state on those charges.
Ronald Cummings; Hank Jr. "Tommy" Croslin Jr., and Hope A. Sykes were also arrested during the January sting operation.
Hope Sykes was sentenced April 26 to 15 years in prison.
(Tommy) Hank Jr. Croslin pleaded no contest on June 3. He is scheduled to be sentenced this summer around June 21st.
Ronald Cummings is negotiating for a 15-year sentence on five trafficking charges in exchange for testimony at any future trial.
Misty Croslin is now the only defendant left who has not pled.
Donjeta
Adji Desir, missing from Florida
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Hmm, that's a bit strange if the attorney and the judge are not quite sure if she can sentence DB below the min. mandatory or not and have to research it. Shouldn't they know that sort of thing? Surely the issue has come up before in both of their careers.
Hope got 15 years. DB will probably get 15 years based on this. RC is negotiating for 15. I seen fifteen.
Hope got 15 years. DB will probably get 15 years based on this. RC is negotiating for 15. I seen fifteen.
krkrjx
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
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Citizens in jurisdictions nationwide need to cry out for mandatory minimums for violent crimes, especially crimes against children. Until then, such offenders will be given leniency more often than not. Leniency is not, however, much of an option for our players who are charged with crimes that ARE covered by mandatory minimum sentencing laws. This seems bass-ackward and we can all be outraged about it but bottom line is until we ALL ask our legislators to take action to protect citizens (and especially children) from violent offenders, bass-ackward is the way it will be.
I am not in favor of letting our players off easy just because OTHER crimes are not punished appropriately. The consequences of our players' actions were no secret and thus it is not "unfair" to sentence them according to the laws. What is unfair is that current laws do not mandate strict sentencing for violent crimes.
All MOO, of course.
OneLostGrl
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My guess in this instance is the Pre-sentencing investigation.
OneLostGrl
I'm going against the grain- I'm going sane
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http://www.sao10.com/victim-criminal_justice.asp
....
"A new criminal punishment code became effective October 1, 1998. The code provide a range of recommended sentences in most felony cases. The court must sentence according to these guidelines unless it states clear and convincing reasons why it chooses to sentence differently. Usually an Assistant State Attorney will be able to indicate to you the sentence that will be recommended by the code unless some of the information needed to calculate the sentence has not been received."
Interesting.
Zoe Bogart
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"I plead 'not guilty', Your Honor."
She pled "guilty".
He pleaded "no contest".
One may use "pled" or "pleaded" as past tense of "to plea".
Oy vey! (Oh woe)
Oy! (shortened term for Oy vey!)
Oy vey iz mir. (Oh, woe is me.)
End of lesson. The teacher in me just had to answer those questions. :angel:
To remain strictly on topic, methinks DB's attorney must have told her it was better to plea than to stand trial, especially with the video evidence against her. A trial could have sent her away for a much longer time. I'm sure the bad stuff would have been the focus "running wild with Misty" rather than the initial reason for her being involved, "getting close to Misty to find Haleigh" since the Haleigh case isn't relevant to the drug case. They probably assumed a jury would have been tough to break. Facing a jury trial and sentence of 25 years must be a lot scarier than pleading and taking 15 years and hoping the judge has some mercy for slightly less.
CarmelEyesD
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"Kelly said a condition of Brock's plea agreement with prosecutors is that she testify against her co-defendants if called upon. Kelly had no other comment on the plea deal."
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100616/ARTICLES/6161016/1002/news01?p=1&tc=pg
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100616/ARTICLES/6161016/1002/news01?p=1&tc=pg
azwriter
Sister Mary Wanna
Hi MDMommy,
If you would like the laws where you live to be as strict as the Maxium in Florida for drug charges, all you need to do is contact your state legislators and lobby for tougher sentencing. Or, make sure you are voting for candidates who will address making the laws harder for punishing drug offenders. These law makers won't do it unless they hear from the citizens.
Go for it!
azwriter
azwriter
Sister Mary Wanna
I applaude your advice, krkrjx! It's not enough to vote for the candidates. You have to keep in touch and let them know you want tougher laws and sentencing. They need citizens' input to enact new laws. Thanks.
azwriter.
:::Making a stab at this:::
The judge is asking the attorney to provide a legal basis for considering less than the minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years. I'm sure the judge knows the sentencing guidelines backwards and forward in this case, but she is asking for exceptions to the law (if any). For instance, we've already heard about the boot camp and the Youthful Offender's Program which might allow a judge to consider exceptions to the minimum mandatory in sentencing younger adults to a lesser sentence (although I'm sure this would NOT apply to Donna Brock). I'm also not sure whether this is at the judge's discretion or whether the DA would have to agree to or at least recommend it.
Laws are constantly challenged and loopholes in the law are found all the time. It's what attorneys do and it's not up to the judge to do the lawyer's work for them. Once the attorney gives the judge something to work with, say they cite a previous case where a sentence was overturned due to XY&Z or perhaps a sentence was commuted due to XYZ circumstances, then the judge can research that case law, or exception to the law and the judicial decisions made within it and then make their own decision. Well, that's how it works in general, but in this instance, the judge is asking for any type of legal precedent to deviate from the sentencing guidelines mandated by law.
From what I've read about the minimum mandatories in Florida (which is minimal), they pretty much put the power within the District Attorney's Office and take it out of the hands of the judge.
I hope this made sense. At least this is the way I would try to explain this process.
Whisperer
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I hope there are others writing to the judge, if not, the judge will consider the ONE letter he/she has. I have seen accused child molesters get off easy due to letters. The criminals with attorneys know this will help them in the courtroom.
Time for a letter-writing campaign. The judge will consider all letterss that are written to them. I have read letters that have been written in their files. It is usually the parents and grandparents but I have also seen acquaintences....they wrote because the accused begged them for a letter....the more favorable, the better. Rc knows the game.