What are your thoughts on celebrities and legal punishments?

Rebecca W: What are your thoughts on celebrities and legal punishments?
Yes, this is mostly related to the recent Paris escapade ,but I’m trying to look at this from a wider angle. Most celebrities get lighter penalties than average Joes. What do you think of the justification of this treatment. As in, why are some people apt to believe they really shouldn’t be punished, aside from them maybe being a fan of the person.
I’m sure average joes get pretty sweet deals when they have either a good lawyer or a solid case ,but I mean people who actually did something wrong and deserve the maximum punishment.
Manifree(can’t read the rest) actually makes a sound point ,but this could be argued in the sense that any punishment could be made to be rewarding to society. If they made people who stole things work in soup kitchens would it not be helpful to society? I’m just making the point that just because a person is talented or famous otherwise it shouldn’t make them immune to the law.
The only thing that really made me mad is the reasoning for why she shouldn’t be punished saying that she provides entertainment and excitement to the world. If that’s the case I guess anyone who contributes anything shouldn’t be punished.

Answers and Views:

Answer by jthoms9800
You’d be surprised on how many average Joe’s get good deals.

I’ve worked in the field for almost 7 years.

Answer by chappye7
They get away with murder, this Hilton thing is a slap at the American people, we would get hard time she gets 23 days at a special wing of the prison, please.

Answer by MenifeeManiac
Look at the seriousness of the crime, versus society’s need to punish criminal behavior, versus alternative sentencing/punishments that may be in society’s best interest.

I think it was Keith Richards who was busted with drugs in Canada, and was forced to perform a free concert, with the proceeds going to a charity. Would society have been better off with Keith rotting in jail, probably scoring smack to pass the time?

Just my opinion.

Answer by athorgarak
As justice is supposed to be blind, perhaps this would be a novel and good thing to try:
having the defendant’s identity hidden until after the verdict. Names need not be mentioned, nor addresses, etc..
This would go a long way toward ending favoritism.

Answer by irishizes
Let’s see…isn’t there an old adage that goes…money talks BS walks..and once again the ones with the money and power/ pull get comfortable cells with room service? Bet I wouldn’t get that..would be doing the whole enchilada and thrown in with the worst of them and doing good to get a bread crumb. But then Paris isn’t the first to walk away from something …I can name a few without blinking.

Answer by TALON
Its all about the $ $ $ ! If she can pay for special treatment and the state/govt. can make $ $ $ then she will get special treatment. When Dallas Cowboy star Michael Irvin got a fine for his cocaine rap, I pro rated his salary to the fine then adjusted his fine to my salary. At the time I would have paid $ 250 to get off a criminal drug rap!
Why do people believe they should not get punished? Because they have a low moral compass, and if they got into trouble they wouldn’t want to be punished

Answer by Ravenskeep
Let’s really dig into this one. Why are politicians exempt from criminal charges, punishments? The “illustrious Honorable” governor of Ohio pleaded nolo contendere to a crime that would have put me behind bars for a year or two. He got a pleasant slap on the wrist, and got to remain governor. The governor of NJ has a trooper driving him along a freeway at nearly 100 miles an hour, no seat-belt. He wrecks and America’s collective bleeding heart goes out to him. He walks with an $ 84 ticket for not wearing his seat-belt. Being a celebrity or a politician and getting a “rep” only makes you more famous.
Paris Hilton is begging off this – she can pay a $ 700/hour lawyer to get her off. I get a ticket, I can’t afford a day off, hell, 2 hours off, to go defend myself, much less the lawyer.
Book ’em, Dano – put her celebrity butt in jail, take her kids away (she seems to have proved she is an unfit mother), and let her ignore jail panties.

Answer by RightandWrong Not Left and Right
I feel that celebrities should be treated the same as “Average Joes” when they break a law. However, having a celebrity go to jail, in my opinion, can do more harm than good in some situations. Many of these celebrities are looked upon by young kids as role models, even though they should not. Having these celebrities do community service instead of jail time (depending on the crime committed) can both do good for the community and the kids who idolize these celebrities, while at the same time keeping another person out of our already crowded prisons. Is this fair? Most would say no. But it is a solution to a difficult problem.