via Woman Who Pushed 16-Year-Old Friend Off Bridge Sentenced To 2 Days In Jail | HuffPost
Sometimes, you have to wonder about plea deals and punishments fitting the crimes committed. In Vancouver, WA, a 19-year-old pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Her punishment of two days in jail and 38 days on a work crew equals broken ribs, severe bruising, and punctured lungs for her victim.
It seems the victim saw someone else jump off the bridge and had hesitation about following suit. Something inside of her warned her that this wouldn’t be the thing to do. Then, the perpetrator thought she’d help her out by pushing her off the bridge. Consequently, what started as fun on the bridge resulted in an awful incident.
Does this punishment seem fair? This incident was captured on video and posted on YouTube. The victim has to live with this painful and traumatic experience for the rest of her life. Let’s not forget about the cost of medical care and therapy. I believe there’ll be a lot of therapy to cope with this.
However, I can see the perpetrator pleading to misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Pushing the victim off the bridge wasn’t a wise choice. Something should’ve given her pause to not do it, but she took action. And, she’ll have to live with her decision for the rest of her life. She’ll probably need therapy as well. It wasn’t a surprise to see her crying in court. Thinking about the incident brings tears to my eyes.
While I think she possibly should’ve received more punishment, I’m glad I didn’t have the responsibility of deciding her fate. The justice system has ills that vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. What is harsh in one isn’t in another. It all rests on the location, crime, jurors, and judges. Public opinion may weigh in but ultimately they’re powerless.
