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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMissouri woman gets 4 years in prison for hitting teacher
A Cole County woman who assaulted an elementary teacher was sentenced to four years in prison.
Thirty-five-year-old Joann Rutherford was sentenced Wednesday for felony assault on school property.
She was arrested after hitting a teacher at Pioneer Trail Elementary School in Jefferson City last March.
The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports Rutherford went to the school to contact her son. Rutherford's custody of the boy had been temporarily suspended and staff tried to stop her from seeing the boy.
Prosecutors say Rutherford hit a teacher and grabbed her son but was prevented from taking him out of the building. The school was briefly locked down until Rutherford left.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/17/4015539/missouri-woman-gets-4-years-in.html#storylink=cpy
dballance
(5,756 posts)Last edited Thu Jan 17, 2013, 10:53 AM - Edit history (1)
It would seem probation and community service - perhaps at a school - would be more appropriate. Now the people of KS or the US have to support her totally for 4 years and we can add one more person to our number of incarcerated and keep the US number one in the world. It would seem more logical to me to let her keep supporting herself and maybe do some good for the community.
I'm just saying.
LisaLynne
(14,554 posts)It seems a bit much, just from these details. Unless this woman had a history of running around punching people...
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)i'm interested to know why that order was in place to begin with...
dballance
(5,756 posts)So I am with you. Perhaps there's a lot more about her history that led to the sentence. I'd love to know. But, of course, papers have limited space for stories so I understand why all the background isn't there.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Probably for good cause.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)to hit someone.
bighart
(1,565 posts)what her criminal history, if any, is. Dose she have prior convictions for violence? Was the child removed for his own safety?
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)and she only got 3.5 years. This happened just 10-15 minutes from my house.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20130103/NEWS01/130103011/Ronette-Ricketts-sentenced-stabbed-fellow-teacher
Shankapotomus
(4,840 posts)I don't know if I would feel right someone getting four years for hitting me. Abuse has to be taken seriously but if I was not permanently physically or emotionally scared and it was just a heat of the moment, one time confrontation, I would consider requesting leniency from the court.
Undaunted
(22 posts)HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Why did she lose custody of the boy? Does she have a history and/or record of assault? These things may have had some bearing on her sentence.
randome
(34,845 posts)backscatter712
(26,355 posts)If she's a first-time offender, and doesn't have a history of acting like a psycho, this sentence would be excessive. But if the justice system's had prior dealings, and gave her a chance to clean up her act previous times, eventually they'll bring the hammer down.
Paladin
(28,202 posts)And I don't view a 4-year sentence as excessive in this case, from what facts are available.