Judge throws 17-year-old honors student in jail for missing classes

[QuickZ06]

Yeah send the good kids to jail that have a ton of responsibility at such a young age, that will show um.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

17 year old honor student spends day in jail for being late for school [VIDEO]

[video]http://www.khou.com/video/yahoo-video/Honor-Student-Jailed-for-Absences-153847275.html[/video]

HOUSTON—A judge threw a 17-year-old 11th grade honor student from Willis High School in jail after she missed school again.

Judge Lanny Moriarty said last month Diane Tran was in his Justice of the Peace court for truancy and he warned her then to stop missing school. But she recently missed classes again so Wednesday he issued a summons and had her arrested in open court when she appeared.

Tran said she works a full-time job, a part-time job and takes advanced placement and dual credit college level courses. She said she is often too exhausted to wake up in time for school. Sometimes she misses the entire day, she said. Sometimes she arrives after attendance has been taken.

The judge ordered Tran to spend 24 hours in jail and pay a $100 fine. Judge Moriarty admitted that he wants to make an example of Tran.

“If you let one (truant student) run loose, what are you gonna’ do with the rest of ‘em? Let them go too?” Judge Moriarty asked.

Tran said she is working so hard because she is helping to support an older brother who attends Texas A&M University and a baby sister who lives with relatives in Houston. Tran said her parents divorced “out of the blue” and both moved away, leaving her in Willis. Her mother lives in Georgia, she said.

“I always thought our family was happy,” the teen said tearfully.

Tran lives with the family of one of her employers. They own a wedding venue. She works at the Vineyard of Waverly Manor on weekends and at a dry cleaners full time.

“She goes from job to job, from school she stays up ‘til 7 o’clock in the morning,” said her friend, co-worker and classmate Devin Hill.

Great solution, judge.

Late for school? Clap 'em in irons.

 

[Acala]

[video]http://www.khou.com/video/yahoo-video/Honor-Student-Jailed-for-Absences-153847275.html[/video]




Great solution, judge.

Late for school? Clap 'em in irons.

It's the law that is wrong. In fact the whole idea of government-run education is wrong. But if you are going to have the rule of law, then everyone, including judges, have to follow the law even if they don't like the result in a particular case.

If you want this judge to ignore the law when he wants, what can you then say to a judge who ignores the Constitution when he wants? You can either have the rule of law, where everyone follows the rules as written, or you can have the rule of men, where men in power do what they want. You can't have both.

This case should not be used to argue for judges to ignore the law, but to argue for changing the law.

 

[phill4paul]

This country has gone to hell in a hand basket. Everything is about compliance and control. 'Land of the Free' my ass.

 

[tod evans]

Just think.........She could have got pregnant dropped out, drawn a bigger check than she's getting working two jobs and avoided arrest if she'd played the game.......

Instead she tries to be responsible and do the right thing..........

 

[libertyjam]

I keep thinking what do you expect from a judge with a name like that? Judge Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes evil nemesis! He probably secretly delights in handing out unjust sentences to mostly upstanding people just to live up to his infamous name! The more innocent the better!

 

[Danke]

It's the law that is wrong. In fact the whole idea of government-run education is wrong. But if you are going to have the rule of law, then everyone, including judges, have to follow the law even if they don't like the result in a particular case.

If you want this judge to ignore the law when he wants, what can you then say to a judge who ignores the Constitution when he wants? You can either have the rule of law, where everyone follows the rules as written, or you can have the rule of men, where men in power do what they want. You can't have both.

This case should not be used to argue for judges to ignore the law, but to argue for changing the law.

Let's not confuse the Constitution with silly Statutes. I'd prefer going the Common Law route where there needs to be an injured party, not just a remedy for a broken statute, etc.

Which makes this case ironic, the "victim" from the lack of school attendance (or "education) is also the defendant that is fined/jailed.

 

[KCIndy]

This has already been discussed in this thread:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?378256-Judge-throws-honors-student-in-the-pokey

But I'm glad to see it reposted here in General Politics where it will get more attention, because IMHO it NEEDS more attention. This judge is, at the very least, a small minded, self-aggrandizing bully.

I hate bullies.

There is a Change.org petition making the rounds in regard to this case, and it has already garnered more than 6K signatures. Here's the link if anyone cares to sign it and pass it along, as I've already done:

http://www.change.org/petitions/lan...?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

The petition link comes from this follow-up story of the case:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/345746/20120526/diane-tran-texas-honors-student-jailed.htm

As far as I'm concerned, this judge shouldn't be holding office. Voting him out in his next election (2014) isn't good enough. My opinion is that he should be impeached and removed from office immediately, so he can't abuse his ill-deserved power any longer.

Oh, and the kicker??

According another local news source (KHOU - Houston) the judge couldn't be interviewed about the controversy on Friday. He - get this - wasn't available, because he took Friday off.

Guess he was too tired to work.

 

[Lishy]

BUT SHE NEEDS TO GO TO THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM!!! HOW DARE HER!!!! I WILL MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF YOU DAMN IT!!!!!

 

[truelies]

It's the law that is wrong. In fact the whole idea of government-run education is wrong. But if you are going to have the rule of law, then everyone, including judges, have to follow the law even if they don't like the result in a particular case.

If you want this judge to ignore the law when he wants, what can you then say to a judge who ignores the Constitution when he wants? You can either have the rule of law, where everyone follows the rules as written, or you can have the rule of men, where men in power do what they want. You can't have both.

This case should not be used to argue for judges to ignore the law, but to argue for changing the law.

What is missed here is that 'rule of law' is insufficient if the laws are immoral. Such 'laws' deserve no support or cooperation from anyone. Those who help in any way to enforce such 'laws' are themselves aggressive criminals.

 

[Lishy]

SHE'S PLAYING HOOKY!! THROW THE BITCH IN JAIL!!! LA-LA-LA-LA-LA, I DON'T HEAR YOU!!!!!!

(What's going on in the Judge's mind?)

Man, Anonymous is gonna have fun with this story...

 

[KCIndy]

I didn't start this petition; I discovered it via a local news story. But I did sign, and I'm passing it along in case anyone else wants to:

http://www.change.org/petitions/lan...?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

I hope the so-called judge gets an earful.

 

[Origanalist]

What a story. This is rediculous. This girl doesn't need jail (like half the people in there), she needs to start looking out for herself. And the dam judge should be hung by his non-existent nuts for doing this instead of counseling her to start taking care of herself.

 

[Origanalist]

double post

 

[Acala]

Problems

What is missed here is that 'rule of law' is insufficient if the laws are immoral. Such 'laws' deserve no support or cooperation from anyone. Those who help in any way to enforce such 'laws' are themselves aggressive criminals.

And so it is for the judge to determine which laws are moral and which are not?

What this judge should have done is enforce the law as written and then use that injustice as a springboard for his own public denouncement of the law.

 

[Acala]

Let's not confuse the Constitution with silly Statutes. I'd prefer going the Common Law route where there needs to be an injured party, not just a remedy for a broken statute, etc.

Which makes this case ironic, the "victim" from the lack of school attendance (or "education) is also the defendant that is fined/jailed.

What you are suggesting is a change in the law, with which I agree. Change the law, don't ignore it.

 

[tod evans]

What you are suggesting is a change in the law, with which I agree. Change the law, don't ignore it.

I'd like to add to this;

Repeal laws.....don't write new ones.

Legislation is what has moved the "just-us" department way off kilter and even entertaining the idea that legislators can "fix" bad legislation is foolish.

 

[Danke]

What you are suggesting is a change in the law, with which I agree. Change the law, don't ignore it.

I ignore these so-called laws that I am not party to.

 

[Anti Federalist]

And so it is for the judge to determine which laws are moral and which are not?

What this judge should have done is enforce the law as written and then use that injustice as a springboard for his own public denouncement of the law.

I was always under the impression that a judge and jury was supposed to do exactly that: judge.

"Zero Tolerance" laws may mandate that you spend five years in prison for carrying a firearm.

But is there not a difference to be judged between a gang banger with 10 prior convictions carrying a Kel-Tec 9 and a grandmother in a bad neighborhood with no prior record carrying a revolver to try and protect herself?

If judges and juries are not there to judge and decide each case based on both the law and justice and the individual circumstances, then why bother?

Just have the cops summarily execute everybody.

It's getting to that point anyways.

 

[Lishy]

Was there even a jury in this case? And what the hell is up with that judge's beliefs anyways? Why NOT talk to the news to defend his decision? What the fuck is the moral of the story supposed to be!? I think the internet should unite and exploit him for wasting tax payer money! That judge needs to get out, and that girl needs saving! I am so angry at this story!