Today's the Day....

Today’s The Day…

By Brian E. Clark

Today’s the day. In a little over two hours from writing this, I am going to go before a Superior Court Judge, and ask him to show leniency and mercy when sentencing, my friend, Ted Taupier, to a set amount of prison time. The thing that bothers me most, is according to the evidence used to convict Ted for Threatening, and Breach of Peace, the State of Connecticut did not meet the burden of proof required to convict. I am very careful on taking public stances on things, and I need all the information before I will take a stance on anything, and in this case, I was given all the evidence the state used, and I’m sorry, maybe Ted is guilty of Breach of Peace (Who isn’t these days?), but he did not threaten anyone.

So, I am to go before a Judge a plead for leniency because, leniency and mercy is right and just. This man does not deserve to go to prison, where he will be warehoused until his time is up. Maybe some probation is in order for the Breach of Peace charge, but prison? Absolutely not!

I’ll end with this. I’ve been in Ted’s shoes. I’ve had to face a Judge for sentencing, and I spent almost 2 ½ years of my life in prison, so I know the trepidation Ted is going through. The difference is, that I was actually guilty of a crime, and I deserved what I got. Innocent men do not need to go to prison. Prison ruins lives. Not only does the Inmate do time, but his family and friends do as well. I righted my wrongs, and was granted a commuted sentence after my time was done, but my record is clean now. But I still know what it’s like to face the business end of a Judge’s Gavel. This is wrong.