Man sentenced to write letter of apology to victim's family every week for 15 years

[alexmst]

A Florida man convicted of killing an Iraq war veteran in a car crash has been sentenced to send a letter of apology to his victims family every week for 15 years.

Andrew Gaudioso was told the weekly letter is part of his probation and if he fails to comply he will be jailed for 15 years.

A judge in Florida decided on the unusual punishment after his victim's family said they did not want to see 22 year old Gaudioso go to jail.

Instead they told prosecutors they wanted to Gaudioso to remember the man he killed and how he had served his country.

Gaudioso had been convicted of killing soldier Thomas Towers in a March 2008 accident.

He was speeding to work in rainy conditions when when he lost control of his vehicle, crossing over into the opposite lane and and slamming head on into a car being driven by Towers.
The young soldier was on leave from a deployment in the Middle East.

Gaudioso suffered a brain injury in the crash in Tavares, Florida, and has since expressed remorse for the accident.

Investigators said drugs could have played a part in the crash but a lawyer for Gaudioso, who negotiated the plea deal, said they had no proof.

He was charged with vehicular manslaughter and faced up to 15 years in jail.

The Towers family asked the judge to spare Gaudioso from jail telling prosecutors they wanted him reflect on the loss of their son's life.

As part of the probation sentence he must send 780 letters over the next 15 years to apologise for his actions.

He is also banned from drinking alcohol for 15 years and will be monitored for drugs.

Lawyer Laura Hargrove said Gaudioso was pleased with the sentence

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ology-family-week-15-years.html#ixzz12frmOwFq

 

[Aardvark154]

I truly wonder if they will still feel this way in seven let alone 15 years.

 

[blackrock13]

I truly wonder if they will still feel this way in seven let alone 15 years.

I like these kind of sentences. The sandwich board worn outside a store saying, 'I was covicted of stealing xxxxx', works well along with a little energy expended painting park benches and picnic tables.

 

[Aardvark154]

I like these kind of sentences. The sandwich board worn outside a store saying, 'I was covicted of stealing xxxxx', works well along with a little energy expended painting park benches and picnic tables.

Yes, but for petty theft, not for vehicular manslaughter/aggravated DWI.
Further I wonder how the victims family are going to view this a decade from now, will it be monthly “rubbing salt into the wound?”

 

[blackrock13]

Yes, but for petty theft, not for vehicular manslaughter/aggravated DWI.
Further I wonder how the victims family are going to view this a decade from now, will it be monthly “rubbing salt into the wound?”

I'm going to assume the family may have been a heads up on the sentence and if they had any reservations, they would have said something.

 

[fuji]

Hopefully the judge had enough sense to stipulate the letters be delivered to the court, or to a lawyer's office, or delivered by way of his probation officer, so that the family can come by and collect them whenever they want to. That way it's a weekly task for him, but not a weekly reminder for them.

 

[Keebler Elf]

This is a stupid decision. But I'd expect no less from a judiciary that gets elected.

So is someone going to review the letters and determine if they are "sincere" enough? What constitutes sincere? If the letter isn't good enough 10 years down the road, does he then go to jail?

As amusing as it is to see judges make up bizarre rulings, there's something to be said for consistency. Does it make you as a person feel better to know that the fact that the victim was a serviceman probably played a role in the decision? How will you feel when it's your loved one who is NOT a serviceman and you get a "lesser" ruling.

There's a reason for appeals. And this is one of them. That said, churning out form letters beats going to prison. So I dunno how appreciative I would be if it was my family member who was killed. Not to mention the rehashing of memories over and over again.

Dumb ruling.

 

[anon1]

The widom of Soloman, bravo to the judge.

 

[GotGusto]

That ruling is retarded.

 

[blackrock13]

That ruling is retarded.

Not wanting to be accused of playing favourite by some, why do you feel that way?

 

[GotGusto]

Not wanting to be accused of playing favourite by some, why do you feel that way?

KE expresses my sentiments exactly:

This is a stupid decision. But I'd expect no less from a judiciary that gets elected.

So is someone going to review the letters and determine if they are "sincere" enough? What constitutes sincere? If the letter isn't good enough 10 years down the road, does he then go to jail?

As amusing as it is to see judges make up bizarre rulings, there's something to be said for consistency. Does it make you as a person feel better to know that the fact that the victim was a serviceman probably played a role in the decision? How will you feel when it's your loved one who is NOT a serviceman and you get a "lesser" ruling.

There's a reason for appeals. And this is one of them. That said, churning out form letters beats going to prison. So I dunno how appreciative I would be if it was my family member who was killed. Not to mention the rehashing of memories over and over again.

Dumb ruling.

 

[blackrock13]

KE expresses my sentiments exactly:

Fair enough.

 

[Mervyn]

Sincertiy is only one issue, the article didn't specify , but do they letters even have to be original ? is there a loophole that would let him send the same letter over and over again ?

I don't mind alternative punishments, but something along the line of requiring him to volunteer so many hours at an instituion that helps those with brain injuries might have been more productive.

 

[blackrock13]

Sincertiy is only one issue, the article didn't specify , but do they letters even have to be original ? is there a loophole that would let him send the same letter over and over again ?

I don't mind alternative punishments, but something along the line of requiring him to volunteer so many hours at an instituion that helps those with brain injuries might have been more productive.

If these letters are conditions of his sentence, I think it could be considered a violation really quickly and things would change.

 

[callou]

What a stupid punishment. If I was the family of the victim, I would get tired of the letters. Why not make the guilty party do work that is related to promoting awareness and remembering the sacrifice that they paid? I guess something like that would make too much sense. There should be mandatory I.Q. tests for dumb judges.

 

[red]

its stupid and creepy

 

[rama putri]

I'm going to give the benefit of doubt to the judge on this one. We have to start looking at other methods of punishment, and I do mean punishment, since it's clear the current and historical methods aren't working on some - in fact sending many people to jail seems to provide them training on how to be worse / more evil when they get out - and ultimately more of burden to society than reformed.

 

[red]

I'm going to give the benefit of doubt to the judge on this one. We have to start looking at other methods of punishment, and I do mean punishment, since it's clear the current and historical methods aren't working on some - in fact sending many people to jail seems to provide them training on how to be worse / more evil when they get out - and ultimately more of burden to society than reformed.

i agree with alternative forms of punishment/rehabilitation- just not this particular one.