Calif. judge gives man light sentence because of 'lack of punishment ... of far left groups.' Yet Antifa members are on trial one county away.

In his sentencing memo Thursday, U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney made it clear why he was letting Tyler Laube off lightly.

It wasn’t just because of what Laube did or didn’t do – the defendant had already confessed to beating a journalist at a 2017 Southern California rally and pleaded guilty to violating riot laws as part of a white supremacist gang.

Laube deserved a light sentence, Carney said, because prosecutors should have focused on leftist groups.

In a 22-page memo, Carney repeatedly said prosecutors have “ignored” violence committed by Antifa and instead focused on targeting people like Laube – Trump supporters and members of the far right.

…

The federal judge’s strong words – and clear political bent – are as unusual as they are uninformed, legal experts told USA TODAY.

“He’s really gone off the deep end,” said John Donohue, a professor at Stanford Law School.

  • tacosanonymous@lemm.ee
    781·
    7 months ago

    Sounds like clear grounds for an appeal. I wish that kind of absolute bias would be grounds for removal.

    • quindraco@lemm.ee
      551·
      7 months ago

      Yeah, easy-peasy appeal material. The First Amendment absolutely bans modifying someone’s sentence based on whether they’re left or right wing. This judge just flat-out confessed to violating the Constitution.

      • vortic@lemmy.world
        33·
        7 months ago

        A not-guilty verdict can’t be appealed, but the length of the sentence resulting from a guilty verdict can be appealed, at least in certain situations.