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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences

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Joe_B
John T. Ford
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Were the sentences handed down to the East Texas church arsonist too harsh?

Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Vote_lcap30%Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Vote_rcap 30% 
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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Vote_lcap70%Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Vote_rcap 70% 
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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Empty Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences

Post  John T. Ford Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:13 am

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13814678#

Jason Borque, 20, has been sentenced to five life sentences for arson and three 20 year sentences for attempted arson while his partner in crime Daniel McAlister, 22, has been sentenced to 2 life sentences. Do you think these sentences were too harsh? Members may vote in the poll below and are encourage to post a comment. Guest may participate also by joining.
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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Empty Compassion

Post  Joe_B Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:01 am

This is an opprotunity for the church victims to "practice what they preach."

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Post  John T. Ford Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:05 am

All accounts I have read reflect the church members are doing just that. In fact I think they have been very supportive of these two. Is there something I am missing?
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Post  Joe_B Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:31 am

You are right, I have read those words too. Do the two criminals know?

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Post  John T. Ford Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:46 am

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13818703

There's an article on KLTV about just that. I am sure the two arsonist know how the church members feel. This is a terrible situation from start to finish. I am sorry to see these two spend the rest of their lives in prison but, serial arson of churches is a serious crime!
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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Empty The punishment fit the crimes

Post  Preachers Wife 903 Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:58 am

As a member of a church that burned to the ground, I hate the idea of these men spending most of their lives in prison. However, our laws are in place to protect the public and deter crime. Giving these men the benefit of doubt, I am certain that after about the third church burned, they understood fully the ramifications of their actions and the potential consequences of them. Thankfully, one consequence was not loss of life.

I believe the arsonists pled guilty and opted for the judges sentence because they knew that it would become clear to the jury and to the public the measures they took to inflict as much damage as possible which could have resulted in loss of life. The public may never know everything about these fires but I am certain that the punishment fits the crimes.

After a long night of watching a beautiful church building burn to the ground, all that was left was smoldering ashes. The media left and all that remained were a few church members and of course the exhausted firefighters. I thanked my God then and there that they had not suffered harm. The firefighters in East Texas are heroes. Law enforcement in East Texas, the Texas Rangers, and the FBI are heroes.

Lastly, I confess that forgiveness has not come easy. The days and weeks following the fire were very difficult. And God reminded me that as much as He loves me, He loves all, including the arsonists. As a Christian, I am not perfect - far from it, and i know that sin is sin. Some sin has greater consequences, but all sin is the same to the Lord. And as God forgave, I must follow.

As I look forward and get on with my little life, I will never forget these young men. I am so thankful, not that my church burned, but that God has allowed me to grow and learn and overcome through Christ Jesus.

Peace be with you.

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Post  LittleSouthernMama Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:01 am

plain and simple...

the behaviors exhibited by these wackos is pathological and serial in nature. they didn't stop, instead, they accelerated. these kind of behaviors are rarely rehabilitatable and often escalate as the perpetrator seeks more extreme situations to fulfill whatever sick need they are fulfilling. add in the hate crime factor, and i don't see young men that have long lives ahead of them...i see sick men that have been raging against society by burning and pillaging in ways that could easily lead to the murder of some innocent person.

not too harsh. crime sucks and sometimes, just sometimes, justice is served.
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Post  Caught Between a Rock Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:14 pm

I completely agree that these two men committed extreme crimes. But our justice system is punishing these two men with punishments even cold blooded killers aren't held to!!!! It is sickening to me that our justice system is more concerned about brick and wood than human lives. DISGUSTING!!!!!

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Post  LittleSouthernMama Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:42 pm

caughtbetweenarock...

there is a difference between a person that commits a crime once in the heat of the moment and a group of criminals that participates in serial criminal behavior. chances are...in fact, i'm sure more than statistically supported, that the serial arsonists in question would escalate to murder. it happens. serial, compulsive behaviors work like that. those kinds of crimes have the highest recidivism rates. why? i don't know. maybe a career criminologist will come to our humble corner of the interwebz and dialogue with us about it, but from a sociological perspective serial criminals DO re-offend and the offenses snowball in terms of intensity. yes, it was just wood...this time. next time? society may not be so lucky.
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Post  John T. Ford Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:21 pm

Preachers Wife 903 wrote:
I believe the arsonists pled guilty and opted for the judges sentence because they knew that it would become clear to the jury and to the public the measures they took to inflict as much damage as possible which could have resulted in loss of life. The public may never know everything about these fires but I am certain that the punishment fits the crimes.

I agree that the full motive for these two arsonist, if revealed would have been even more devastating to their public image. As it stands now, all normal thinking people realize the potential destruction these two could have caused beyond burning all the churches, without knowing the details of their motivations and actions.

However, there are still some who believe this punishment is too harsh for Borque and McAlister. The majority of those who believe this sentencing to be to harsh I would assume is because they do not know the details of this case and therefore do not realize the how dangerous and malicious these two were. The others who reject this sentencing obviously simply have a disdain for religious people. I am amazed after reading some of the comments posted under these stories on KLTV how much hate and anger towards Christians exist within our own community.

I agree that our laws are set up to punish and to deter further crime. In this case, I also believe the deterring factor is important to prevent other angry hate filled people from lashing out with violence against Christians in our own community. These two got what they deserved!
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Judge sentences arson suspects to multiple life sentences Empty Life Sentences

Post  XXStatus Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:12 pm

I'm happy with the sentence. I personally wish it were true life sentences, but hopefully they won't be total nut jobs when the get out.
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Post  Joe_B Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:29 am

XXStatus wrote:I'm happy with the sentence. I personally wish it were true life sentences, but hopefully they won't be total nut jobs when the get out.

I'm with you. The forgiveness showed by the victims will have a profoundly positive effect on the criminals, if they have a soul. Prison will only make them worse. With all the charges stacking up, it looks like they will die in prison. Plus, if the victims are happy with the judges decisions, justice is served. I would like to see the criminals sweat and toil on rebuilding the churches, then go to prison.

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Post  XXStatus Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:22 am

I hadn't even thought of that Joe. What a great thing it would be to see them work 16 hours a day rebuilding each and every church and then go to prison. I personally am not a big fan of many Churches, denominations and religions but these two guys started out very young with extremely deadly behavior. No doubt that behavior would have resulted in loss of innocent life had they not been caught. Yes, I think they will both be much worse if they were to ever get out of prison.
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Post  Joe_B Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:03 am

OH AND WHEN OLD CONVICTS THAT HAVE LIVED OFF YOUR TAX DOLLARS FOR 60+ YEARS ARE RELEASED, THEY GET SOCIAL SECURITY AFTER NEVER HAVING PAID IN A DIME. NOW THAT'S PUNISHMENT....TO YOU AND ME.

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Post  John T. Ford Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:39 pm

Serial arson reflects serious mental disorders in these two. I am not sure one can easily be "rehabed" for such an illness. It may be better that these two remain in prison to protect society from even further tragedies in the future!
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