Post by sudan on Mar 1, 2007 19:09:45 GMT -5
Pastor wants plea deal for arsonists
The Rev. Jim Parker doesn’t think the three former college students responsible for destroying his church a year ago should serve time in an Alabama state prison.
Motivated by Scripture, Parker, pastor of Ashby Baptist Church in Bibb County, is more concerned with forgiveness and restitution as justice than prison time.
“We had encouraged the state to work out a plea deal that would allow the boys to have a state sentence run concurrently with serving out the/sfederal charges," Parker said. “And that would allow them to come out of prison and begin restitution."
Most others in Bibb County disagree, including the district attorney.
“They are going to have to do some state prison time no matter what happens in the federal system," said Michael Jackson, district attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which includes Bibb County.
Ashby Baptist Church burned in the predawn hours of Feb. 3, 2006. Four other Bibb County Baptist churches were also burned that day. Since the fire, Parker has been talking to a lot of people, including Attorney General Troy King, trying to keep the three arsonists out of state prison. Parker admits the chances of persuading the state are slim, but that isn’t stopping him from voicing his thoughts.
Matthew Cloyd, Benjamin Moseley and Russell DeBusk, all graduates of suburban high schools outside of Birmingham, each pleaded guilty to federal charges in December. Sentencing for those crimes is set for March 28. The plea agreement requests the judge set prison time between seven years and eight years plus one month.
The trio still faces state charges, and Jackson said plea negotiations are ongoing, including a scheduled meeting with the defendants’ attorneys Friday. Jackson said he expects the three will actually face longer state than federal prison sentences. Cloyd and Moseley also face charges in Pickens and Sumter counties for four church fires on Feb. 7, 2006.
“We don’t want these young men to be comfortable in the federal prison," Jackson said. “The state prison system tends to be a tougher place for folks to serve. And also locally the district attorney, like myself, are in the community and more in tune with the citizen’s feelings on these types of things.
“Having talked to the citizens, they want these young men to serve [in the state system]."
In articulating his position, Parker sites the judicial precedence written in Exodus 22:6 of the Bible, which reads, “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thorn bushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
“There is no mention there of prison. There were no prisons for nonviolent crimes. In property crimes, the overarching scriptural approach is restitution."
Parker wants the three to be punished for the crimes. In fact, he said he believes restitution may be a tougher punishment, because it would require them to pay back all costs associated with the crime, including insurance, rebuilding efforts and law enforcement expenses.
“That would follow them for a long time," he said.
In addition to arguing for limited prison time, Parker said his congregation has maintained a ministry to the three arsonists and been in contact with their families.
Jackson said the difference between Parker’s view of justice and his is inherent in the difference between their community roles.
“Our role here is to prosecute and make sure that justice is done for the victims," Jackson said. “The pastor’s role is to try to heal."
Reach Sarah Bruyn Jones at sarah.jones@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.
The Rev. Jim Parker doesn’t think the three former college students responsible for destroying his church a year ago should serve time in an Alabama state prison.
Motivated by Scripture, Parker, pastor of Ashby Baptist Church in Bibb County, is more concerned with forgiveness and restitution as justice than prison time.
“We had encouraged the state to work out a plea deal that would allow the boys to have a state sentence run concurrently with serving out the/sfederal charges," Parker said. “And that would allow them to come out of prison and begin restitution."
Most others in Bibb County disagree, including the district attorney.
“They are going to have to do some state prison time no matter what happens in the federal system," said Michael Jackson, district attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which includes Bibb County.
Ashby Baptist Church burned in the predawn hours of Feb. 3, 2006. Four other Bibb County Baptist churches were also burned that day. Since the fire, Parker has been talking to a lot of people, including Attorney General Troy King, trying to keep the three arsonists out of state prison. Parker admits the chances of persuading the state are slim, but that isn’t stopping him from voicing his thoughts.
Matthew Cloyd, Benjamin Moseley and Russell DeBusk, all graduates of suburban high schools outside of Birmingham, each pleaded guilty to federal charges in December. Sentencing for those crimes is set for March 28. The plea agreement requests the judge set prison time between seven years and eight years plus one month.
The trio still faces state charges, and Jackson said plea negotiations are ongoing, including a scheduled meeting with the defendants’ attorneys Friday. Jackson said he expects the three will actually face longer state than federal prison sentences. Cloyd and Moseley also face charges in Pickens and Sumter counties for four church fires on Feb. 7, 2006.
“We don’t want these young men to be comfortable in the federal prison," Jackson said. “The state prison system tends to be a tougher place for folks to serve. And also locally the district attorney, like myself, are in the community and more in tune with the citizen’s feelings on these types of things.
“Having talked to the citizens, they want these young men to serve [in the state system]."
In articulating his position, Parker sites the judicial precedence written in Exodus 22:6 of the Bible, which reads, “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thorn bushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
“There is no mention there of prison. There were no prisons for nonviolent crimes. In property crimes, the overarching scriptural approach is restitution."
Parker wants the three to be punished for the crimes. In fact, he said he believes restitution may be a tougher punishment, because it would require them to pay back all costs associated with the crime, including insurance, rebuilding efforts and law enforcement expenses.
“That would follow them for a long time," he said.
In addition to arguing for limited prison time, Parker said his congregation has maintained a ministry to the three arsonists and been in contact with their families.
Jackson said the difference between Parker’s view of justice and his is inherent in the difference between their community roles.
“Our role here is to prosecute and make sure that justice is done for the victims," Jackson said. “The pastor’s role is to try to heal."
Reach Sarah Bruyn Jones at sarah.jones@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.