Re: “Bank robber gets 10 years,” Sept. 25
This article raised a glaring injustice with our justice system. Andrew Stevenson’s crime deserved this stiff penalty of 10 years for his disrespect for law and order.
On June 9, 2013 my daughter, Maia Vezina, and my wife, Pat Henman, had their lives seriously altered when hit by a drunk driver. My wife had to be resuscitated twice. My daughter was 19 at the time and is permanently disabled. Both will be dealing with their injuries for the remainder of their lives.
The injustice is that the drunk who destroyed my family’s lives received two years for this inexcusable crime. The criminal is currently eligible for parole after ten months. How is this any less a crime? The bank robber broke the law and was clearly dangerous but thankfully harmed no one physically. The drunk driver broke the law by driving impaired, making the vehicle a dangerous weapon. This crime almost caused the death of two people, and did permanently disable both.
Each day four innocent people are killed by drunk drivers and 175 are injured. When will the judges across this country hand out harsh sentences to these perpetrators who harm others with this heinous crime? The carnage must stop. I believe harsh sentences for drunk drivers who cause bodily harm or death will reduce the frequency of this crime.
Larry Vezina
Nelson