Wow, while there's no question these penalties would act as a deterrent as well as set a precedent, don't you have to sometimes wonder about the world justice systems?
A Swedish driver who was recently caught speeding is now looking at a hefty fine. Well it's a tad more than hefty, depending on what the judge decides, he'll be forking out up to $1 million for his little error in judgement! Granted, this guy was no ordinary speeder. Driving a 570 horsepower car, he was caught cruising at 290 km/hour down Swedish highways. I have no idea what the fine would be in Canada, but in Sweden, they base the amount on income. Speeding is also considered a criminal offense, so not only will this guy be broke, but he'll carry a criminal record with him for the rest of his life. It's pretty safe to say you won't catch him pulling a stunt like that again but isn't the price a bit steep for the crime?
Meanwhile in Maryland there's another situation and another punishment which I would say is a little on the harsh side.
Anthony Graber is facing 16 years in prison because he had his video camera rolling in the wrong place at the wrong time. Graber was filming on his motorcycle when a police officer pulled him over - by cutting him off and waving a gun at him. When Graber put the video on YouTube, police raided his home, took his computers, and laid felony wiretapping charges on him.
Apparently in Maryland it's unlawful to record anyone unless they are aware of the fact.
Now there's no disputing the fact Graber "broke the law," as far as Maryland laws are concerned that is, but does his crime really warrant a 16 year prison sentence?
And then we have Canada - where one never knows quite what to expect. An innocent bus passenger is taking a trip when suddenly another passenger decapitates him and then proceeds to consume parts of him. What happens to the assailant? Well, he undergoes a psychological assessment in a comfy environment and if memory serves me correctly, he's pretty much a free man today.
Hmmm...
Sometimes there's just no rhyme or reason to it all. Somewhere though, one would think there should be some sort of a happy medium.
