Via ABCNew.com:
“I’ve been doing this for 32 years now and I, quite frankly, have never researched that particular issue, but my gut is telling me you can’t do that,” attorney Nathaniel White told ABCNews.com today. “This isn’t something that happens every day. It’s a very unusual situation.”
The demand shocked both the woman and her attorney, who failed to challenge the judge’s request in court Friday but now says he doubts its legality.
Kimberly Lightsey, 30, was facing four counts of child abuse for an incident on Halloween 2011 when she left her four children, ages 2 to 11 at the time, at a hotel while she went out “partying,” her attorney said.
She left her children with another hotel patron named Simone at the hotel who also had children. Lightsey said the woman had agreed to watch the kids.
Several hours later, Simone texted Lightsey to find out her room number.
“Apparently, Simone had been doing a little partying of her own and forgot where Ms. Lightsey’s room was,” White said. “In the meantime, one of the children who has to use a wheelchair because of physical limitations he has, he had gotten out into the hallway and managed to turn himself over in the wheelchair, so he’s out there hollering.”
Authorities were called and Lightsey was eventually charged with four counts of felony child abuse. She was convicted on all counts.
Prosecutors asked for a 32-month jail sentence in court, but Judge Ernest Jones Jr. had another idea.
At Lightsey’s Friday sentencing, the judge proposed two years of house arrest and 13 years of probation, with the condition that she agree not to have any more children during that time.
“I admit that when he threw that out there about no kids, that’s when I was a little stunned,” White said. “I just sat there and I looked at the judge without saying anything because at that point I don’t want to blow it because the judge hadn’t definitely decided yet what he was going to do.”
White said that on the one hand, he was worried that if he spoke up, the judge might get irritated and send Lightsey to jail.
“On the other hand, my mind was screaming, ‘I don’t think this is legal,’” he said. “‘I don’t think you can do that, judge.’”
“The judge looks over at my client and says, ‘Well, what do you think? Or you don’t like that?’” White recalled.
“She had turned around and looked at the back of the courtroom where her boyfriend was,” White said. “And she said something like, ‘My boyfriend and I were thinking once things settle down of maybe having a child.’”
White said Jones answered with, “Well, you’ve already got four.”
[Read entire article here]
Though, ABC is never my first choice for media. I could not find another detailed write up regarding this story from alternative news sources. I post this story and my personal thoughts to bring light on the police state we live in.
The plea held a sentencing of two years house arrest and 13 years probation. With that probation this Florida woman was ordered not to have any children during the 13 years or she violates the terms. The woman’s attorney failed to challenge the legality of this sentencing. So, I ask who’s working for who? This is insanity! Never take a plea!
A few personal thoughts
Ok, let me start my thoughts off with in no way shape or form do I ever condone any short of child abuse or bad parenting. I am not posting this to focus on the “crime” committed. I would like those who read to focus on and think about the punishment handed down for said crime. There are actual victims to this crime, so I personally classify what this women did as a crime, therefore should hold punishment.
Let’s take a long look at the punishment handed down to this mother of four. Two years house arrest and 13 years probation. What are the terms of her probation? She cannot have anymore children during the 13 years. To me this is plain insanity and illiterates show of force and or controlling. Are the courts testing us in ordered to see just how much we will allow them to do? What is the punishment or real reason behind NOT allowing this woman to reproduce? Are the courts setting her up to fail? Did they add the no children for 13 years in hopes one crime will turn into multiple crimes therefore they can cage her and stack on the fines for financial gain?
The court system has been out of control for decades, but most recently is getting worse. We need to start holding not just cops, but judges accountable for their actions as well. I can continue to go on about this matter, but I think ill end it here to leave room for others’ comments.
This post was submitted and authored by Jeff Herrmann. Anyone can share their stories, ideas and/or thoughts on police by filling out the form on CopBlock.org’s submit a post tab, just click here.
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Fact is she agreed to stop breeding to avoid 5 years in prison.
And from another article, “One of her children suffers from epilepsy and cerebral palsy and needs constant care.
At the time, Lightsey was serving four years of probation after pleading no contest to child abuse. She had been charged with hitting her six-year-old son in the face with a belt in 2009.”
Maybe CB can send her some cash…
Sounds like she has already reproduced four times too many.
I think the punishment is just, and since she agreed to the plea deal everything should be legal.
This woman definitely does not need to reproduce.
I actually don’t have a problem with this sentence. It would seem to me that it fits the crime.
If someone damaged property with a bomb it’s probably going to be part of their sentence not to make any more bombs. Crime against your own kids, you’re not to make anymore of those either.
I would say this is a much better sentence than prison. It’s a logical and just sentence and costs the tax payers less money.
this whole thing doesnt sound right to me- all of these penalties for picking a bad babysitter? really?
seems to me the last time a government tried enforcing reproduction it didnt work out so well. apparently Judge Ernest Jones Jr is not a student of history. Ernie, you Hitler, and Henry Ford have a lot in common.
Ernie, you seeem to be patterning your life after Roland Freisler, the nazi judge who ran the kangaroo court for hitler. you remember, everyone before him was guilty, and he wouldnt even let them speak in their defense before having them executed? i guess you think that’s the way it should be in florida.
@common sense
hey bud, glad to see you have your title up with your name.
She does need to stop breeding. Why should the children have to suffer because she is to stupid to practice birth control. Look at the octomom. Just think how screwed up her children are going to be when they get old enough to leave.
Sorry, but it is better that the judge throw the book at people than for them to start playing games and dictating in areas that judges have no business interfering with. This is the reason for statutory penalties, to prevent judges from acting like tin gods or as parents of young children. Judges aren’t parents, they are part of a legal system for dealing with delenquent adults and should behave accordingly.
While it would be wise of her not to have more children, that call should not be his, yours, or mine to make.
Is now illegal to leave your kids with a baby sitter?Why was the sitter not charged with anything?From here it seems that she was the one guilty of neglect or abuse.Do we arrest the parents who’s children get abused at school or at day care.No we don’t.Because trusting the wrong person is not a crime.Is she a piece of shit,yes but so is common sense,and he is no criminal,as far as we know.
I think that she did indeed commit a crime, and as she has committed the same crime before and was still on probation for that crime while she committed this one, an intent is established. Therefore, take her kids away AND lock her up, with mandatory psychological therapy while in prison.
I don’t have the legal knowledge to say whether outlawing a person from reproducing is legal, nor whether agreeing to such a demand of a judge is legally binding, but it seems very, very wrong to me. It would open a can of worms wherein bothersome citizens can be brought up on a bogus charge and be given a choice between 5 years in the pen or being sterilized, reducing the potential size of the populace that will protest against its governmental masters. Scary stuff.
Much of what government does is social engineering. Most of the woes in our society can be traced back to bad parenting. Neither make it okay to regulate bodily functions.
The comments saying that this is okay frighten me. If you don’t stand up against abuse of power today because you can rationalize such government-sanctioned use of force, then who can you expect to stand up when the focus of that abuse is turned to you?
Follow this to its logical conclusion. Do we make her eggs illegal? Do we fine her for menstruating and call it attempted reproduction? What if she freezes her eggs and uses them AFTER her “sentence” elapses? Do we fine the fertility clinic for aiding and abetting? Will we need to set up new databases and another federal “authority” to police these clinics just in case? If she gets pregnant, do we accuse her of committing a crime? Will police be in the delivery room to collect the newborn to be stored in the evidence locker while she awaits trial? If those police do not care for the newborn, they are guilty of child abuse and the cycle starts anew.
This judge is now guilty of assault and abuse of power under color of law. If we’re really so interested in the punishment fitting the crime (as opposed to the blatant self-righteousness), he should be committed to psychiatric evaluation as well. For him to think it’s okay for somebody in his position to even think such a thing makes him a VERY dangerous person.
Please read The Scarlet Letter. IF this woman has committed a crime (it is unclear if she or her intended babysitter are truly at fault), I don’t see how 13 yrs probation is appropriate either. I’m not the same person I was 5 yrs ago, let alone 13. Let’s save the heavy duty punishments for the heavy duty crimes. This is the problem with a society that calls half of what it can think up felonious: We become bloodthirsty and eager for the next effigy to throw under the bus… so long as it isn’t us.