-=> Quoting Jim Henry to Fletcheror@aol.com <=-
 FR><< Armed robbery with a gun is no worse than armed
 > robbery with a knive, or machete, , or any weapon with lethal potential. 
>
 
 FR>I was on a jury a couple years back and we convicted a shoplifter of 
rmed
 >robbery, because he fought with the store clerks and he had a knife on his
 >person. He got 2 years.  (Actually a really hard case to decide, because
 >although the shoplifter started the fight the clerks beat him up pretty 
ood
 >Now, if this guy had had a gun on him it would have been more like 10 
ears.
 >So, in your opinion, should the law be changed to make robbery with a gun
 >worth 2 years or should the shoplifter with a knife be sent up for 10 years
 >just like the gunman?
 JH> The latter.  Send him up for 10 years for armed robbery with a knife. 
    I'm missing something here, as well as every one else, did the shoplifter
    have the knife drawn ready for combat or was it just in his pocket like
    most of us carry one for odd and end chores?
    if it was drawn for combat, then, it was considered robbery with intent 
o
    inflect bodly injury.
    or if it was drawn in selfdefence to prevent bodly injury then its still
    considered armed robery.
    
    But if its in a pocket or sheith then its considdered just shop lifting
    with posesion of a weapon.
    witch is not saposed to add any more jail time then the shoplifting 
harge
    shop-lifting is in most cases a probation and fine charge on the first 2
    or 3 offences and jail time after the 3rd or 4th offence, at least thats
    how it goes down in my neck of the woods according to the local paper. 
... Pandora's Law: Never open a box you didn't close yourself
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