STLtoday – News – Missouri State News — Another example of the a-holes running around in city government.
Country Mart’s doughnuts — fried fresh daily in the store — sell for just 52 cents each. That is why the “shoplifters will be prosecuted” signs are displayed in aisle 4 with the pricey pain and allergy pills, and not in aisle 5 beside the glass doughnut case with its tiger tails, jelly-filleds and eclairs.
Then one man’s sweet tooth got the better of him. He stole a doughnut. A single doughnut.
Authorities called it strong-arm robbery. The “doughnut man,” as the suspect is now known, faces five to 15 years in prison for his crime.
found by Aric Mackey
If this doesn’t get thrown out, then I can probably be called a “major methamphetamine manufacturer” because I bought two bottles (right, not one, TWO.) of cold medicine the other day.
If someone sends you to jail for a donut for 15 years based on a single donut, that system is not a bunch of assholes, that system is psychotic.
Victor Hugo is spinning in his grave.
OMFSM!! I’m doomed! While working in a donut shop during high school, I must’ve eaten a hundred “free” donuts, just for QC mind you…
I can’t wait for the follow-up — this guy’s defense attorney should have a fun day. Will Country Mart receive the ? Only time (and hhopper) will tell.
[You should get the UKKMA for OMFSM!!! Har! – ed.]
While I, too, think we throw people into jail far too easily, you gotta remember this man allegedly struck an employee trying to leave the premises with his ill-gotten pastry. That is why it became a “strong-arm” felony. Additionally, the man spends more time than not in jail as it is and this will be his THIRD felony if convicted. We’re not talking a pillar of the community here. I suspect the outcry will get the store to drop the charges but that does not address the problem nor does it commend our legal system.
Sorry authority haters, but the incident as described IS robbery. He used force in the commission of a crime. Will he get 15 years, highly doubt it, but as per the law the charge is correct..
So he stole a 52 cent donut and back handed the employee who tried to stop him, and is potentially facing 15 years? And because of this double whammy crime his bail was set at $25,000? The scum in my area get stuff like this thrown out or have to serve a small amount of community service.
This man doesn’t seem like an upstanding member of society, and because of a stupid donut he may get a free $50,000 ride for 15 years? He should be punished, but no where near as severely like he is facing.
I’m sorry y’all, but you think Canada is loonie?
…eh?
5–Nimby==which is it? Too many people in jail, or its a FELONY!!!
You’re the judge. How many years for this danger to society?
he’s getting 15 yrs because he pissed off the cops by taking their doughnut.
Judging from this guy’s record, he is more in need of social service and counseling help than jail. Which, BTW, would cost much less in the short term and probably return benefits in the long term.
#7, right on. Make him clean public washrooms for a week.
This is his first violent crime and no marijauna was involved…
You’re right – DEATH DEATH DEATH (OK, 30 years, then)
Long live America, never a place where people lose perspective
all right you GOPers, Flame On!
I know Farmington. practiced law there occasionally. He’ll get 15 years.
People are prosecuted by county prosecutors. their incarceration is paid for by the State. thus, the fact that it could cost a few hundred thousand dollars to keep this guy – who is more of a public nuisance than anything else – locked up, is not a deterrent to draconian punishment.
#8 JimR
Actually, in Canada he would be facing essentially the same charge. Theft of a donut plus violence equals the indictable offense of robbery.
Robbery
343. Every one commits robbery who
(a) steals, and for the purpose of extorting whatever is stolen or to prevent or overcome resistance to the stealing, uses violence or threats of violence to a person or property;
The penalty can be even more severe than in the States:
344. Every person who commits robbery is guilty of an indictable offence and liable
(a) where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence, to imprisonment for life and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of four years; and
(b) in any other case, to imprisonment for life.
Don’t be stealin’ no donuts and pushing no clerks in Canada, buddy!
Guess it could be worse — he could be losing a hand…
Cinaedh, actually we are too lenient here. Yes the laws are there but bank robbery gets you 5 years and parole, stealing a doughnut gets you a “please don’t do that again” speech.
Severe penalties are practically non-existent here.
Why is this a problem??
This guy was walking around with 2 strikes. He had to have known that a 3rd would result in some serious jail time. What the hell is he doing stealing donuts and pushing female store clerks around?
These stories come up often in the states that have “three strikes” laws. Last time, we were all supposed to feel bad for a California guy who was going to do 30 years to life for stealing a slice of pizza.
I don’t have the slightest sympathy for this idiot. He should be locked up before he can breed.
#17, Jim
As well, Canada has strong post release programs to help integrate people back into the community. Thus, Canada has a much lower rate of recidivism than does the US.
#17 JimR
I did notice in the Criminal Code of Canada, the penalties for crimes against property were, as a general rule, more severe than crimes against a person. I do suspect there’s more serving the rich than protecting the poor going on in Canada.
#19, #20, I don’t mind the leniency a donut robber would experience here, but the parole board has been criticized with being insanely lenient with violent offenders. The following site has a good summary of what is actually happening here.
…“Many repeat offender statistics in Canada are deceptively low. One of the reasons for this is that Corrections Canada excludes provincial statistics from their rates (federal and provincial correctional departments do not currently share information with one another). An offender serving time in a federal jail who had previously served time in a provincial jail would not be labeled a repeat offender.”
Hmmm, I’ll try that link again…
justicemonitor.ca
6. Depends on how you define “is”. 🙂
16. So what’s the shoplifting rate in Saudi?
18. Liberal-minded people tend to rationalize everything.
#23, Guyver:
Liberal-minded people tend to rationalize everything.
And conservatives simplify everything to black and white arguments. What’s your point?
Are there really still actual Liberals and Conservatives any more? We are having a provincial election this week, and they can best be described as the blah parties. They are generic, lying, robbing, SOB’s who couldn’t solve a problem if you GAVE them the solution. Once in power, Libercons or Coniberals, all behave the same, lie the same, spend the same, waste the same, ignore you the same and get fat off your money the same. Then there’s the Green Party that COULD get somewhere if they weren’t so drastic and unrealistic with their proposed changes. Morans.
Never mind the NDP. The last time they were in power, Ontario almost went bankrupt.
The buried lede:
Masters, who lives in the nearby town of Park Hills, has been arrested more than a dozen times: for being drunk, for shoplifting, for missed court dates, for marijuana possession. He spent most of the 1990s and a stretch from 2000 to 2004 in state prison for the felonies of torching a car to collect insurance and possessing methamphetamine ingredients.
…After [Masters’] arrest, he forgot all about the case. He assumed it had been dismissed. He spent the summer in jail on outstanding warrants. Just before he was to get out, he was indicted Sept. 14 in the doughnut case. His bail was set at $25,000 — well beyond his means.
Masters briefly appeared in court Friday. His case was continued until next month. He is shaken by the possibility of a third felony conviction. A prosecutor could pursue an enhanced sentence. As a persistent offender, Masters could face a murderer’s term.
A grand jury agreed with police on the strong-arm robbery charge. County Prosecutor Wendy Wexler Horn said that it was “way too early to know how it is going to play out” but that the charge seemed appropriate given the allegations. She was aware that some people seemed shocked by the case.
“People are missing the point,” Horn said. “It is not about the doughnut.”
Yes, multiple, repeat, petty, non-violent offender. What are the odds there are mental/alcholol problems present too?
So==IF the two choices were-5-15 years in lockup and back to the streets when completed at $200,000 tax cost
or
1 year in half way house, 3-5 years supervised social work program at $50,000 tax cost
Which would you prefer. Punishment or counselling?? —or raise the counselling cost to whatever you wish. Nature of our Society is still at play.
Since when is torching a car “petty” and “non-violent”, bobbo?
#27, bobbo,
Simply because he is ultimately responsible for his actions.
His mental illness is his fault. His addictions are his fault. His donut compulsion is his fault. That is why he must be incarcerated for a few decades at around $50,000 per year. Any mental counseling he can receive in jail from the Crips or White Power guys for free.
Your tax dollars at work.