Judge’s Sentence Draws Fire

I understand that judges do not compare sentences. But it is clear from statistical data that sentences from judges of the same court system are comparable. Sentencing Practices Quarterly published by the Los Angeles Superior Court shows that in the last half of 1990, none of the 163 individuals convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Los Angeles County received sentence of straight probation, and that all were sentenced to serve at least some jail or prison time.

Consider the case of Leonard Matthews, a former Inglewood school district principal, who was also sentenced on Nov. 15 in another Superior Court. Matthews pleaded no contest to the charges of embezzling $4,000 of school district funds, and he made full financial restitution. Matthews, like Mrs. Du, had no criminal record. Judge Gordon Ringer sentenced Matthews to six months’ house arrest by electronic device and three years’ probation.

Did the sentence Karlin gave Mrs. Du reflect the gravity of the offense, as compared with the sentence given to Matthews by Ringer? Clearly, it did not.

Although mandatory sentencing may have brought different results, I believe judges should be given broad discretion as it relates to sentencing. In this case that discretion was abused.

No amount of structural reform will create a perfect criminal justice system. Thus, in the final analysis, we must trust judges to exercise their best judgment. The ultimate judgment rest with the people at the ballot box.

REP. JULIAN C. DIXON, D-Los Angeles