makes no apology for her incompetence |
PROBATION? Chicago armed robber (and armed home invader) gets PROBATION(!)
Chicago isn't safe. And the sentence for a pair of thugs committing a pair of Class X offenses with aggravating factors should outrage everyone in Illinois. But especially gun owners. Two armed men committed an armed robbery and home invasion not even two blocks from Wrigley Field. And miracle of miracles, the police caught them.
Cook County prosecutors from Kim Foxx's office then take a perfectly good, open and shut case and plea bargains it down to armed robbery. One guy gets 8 years, and the other gets probation. That's right, probation. While neither sentence falls within the guidelines promulgated under Illinois law (they pick and choose which laws they enforce in Chicago), but PROBATION for committing an armed robbery with a gun?
I'm surprised Cook County residents aren't screaming out their windows that they're not going to take it anymore.
How does that serve as a deterrent to other criminals? It doesn't. And that's why Chicago has a violent crime problem.
A Cook County judge handed down that sentence last week.
From CWB Chicago:
Robert Zajler of Des Plaines and 24-year-old William Haley were accused of attacking the 46-year-old victim as he entered his home in the 3800 block of North Clark Street around 2:45 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2017. Armed with a handgun, the two allegedly entered the victim’s home, stole his phone, and drove away in a silver car.About 45 minutes after the home invasion, patrol officers saw Zajler and Haley step out of a vehicle that matched the robbers’ getaway car near Belmont Avenue and Clark Street. The two were stopped and subsequently identified by the victim. Police said a handgun was recovered from the men’s vehicle.Zajler previously served a four-year prison sentence for strangling a robbery victim in the 700 block of West Brompton in Boystown in 2012.Last Wednesday, Zajler, and Haley each pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm. In exchange for their pleas, prosecutors dropped a series of additional felonies against each man.Judge Nicholas Ford sentenced Zajler to eight years in prison with credit for 509 days time served. Zajler will have to serve 85% of his sentence.On the other hand, Haley was given two years of “second chance probation” by Ford who also fined both men.
Armed home invasion, from the ILCS page:
(3) While armed with a firearm uses force or | ||
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(a)(3) is a Class X felony for which 15 years shall be added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court. A violation of subsection
The armed robbery charge has the same sentence:
Sec. 18-2.
Armed robbery.
(a) A person commits armed robbery when he or she violates Section 18-1; and (1) he or she carries on or about his or her person | ||
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(2) he or she carries on or about his or her person | ||
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(a)(2) is a Class X felony for which 15 years shall be added to the term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
But the crack team of prosecutors, along with the crack legal mind sitting on the bench, ignored the sentencing guidelines. Mope #1 got 8 years, and while he supposedly will serve 85% of that sentence, I wouldn't bet on that.
Mope #2, William Haley (above) got "second chance" probation.
Pardon me, but I don't see a darn thing about "second chance probation" in the ILCS statute spelling out penalties for invading someone's home while robbing them at gunpoint.
Chicago doesn't have a gun problem.
Chicago has a criminal justice problem.
And oh, by the way, do you really think this is the first time they've robbed someone and/or done a home invasion? Probation? Really?
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