A Veteran's History Has An Impact In A Court Room

Photo: Timothy Oldani, a former Marine convicted of selling stolen equipment, could have spent nearly five years in prison. A federal judge gave him five months. Andrew Spear for The New York Times

Defendants Fresh From War Find Service Counts in Court -- New York Times

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When Judge Robert C. Chambers handed down Timothy Oldani’s federal sentence for selling stolen military equipment on eBay, he gave the former Marine a break.

In Iraq, Mr. Oldani had performed the jangling work of detonating improvised explosive devices and had seen six of his fellow Marines burned alive in an armored vehicle. He left the service with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress syndrome that, the judge concluded, had clouded his judgment. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the prison term could have been nearly five years; Judge Chambers decided on just five months, with three years of supervised release and treatment.

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My Comment: I guess there are some of us who are above the law .... to a certain point.

As to what is my take .... I am weak when it comes to veterans .... especially those with Purple Hearts. Because there was no violence involved, I would also have given him a lighter sentence.