worldman, if you were overturning a verdict you wouldn't say taht was the reason either. Although, I think 1 year is a lot more on the mark than 3 years. Throwing a shoe can not be construed really as anything other than simple assault. Which is a misdameanor, punishable by no more than 1 year in jail in the states. I think 3 years was a bit steep.
It depends on who you throw the shoe at. A classic example is if you get into an accident. Hit a regular car and the judge might go easy on you. Hit a state or federal police officer and see if the book is not thrown at you. Same thing goes in this case. If it was a regular guy then maybe yes, but being the President of the most powerful country on earth.....different rules apply.
Try mentioning to a cop that you'd like to kill Obama, vs mentioning to a cop that you'd like to kill your neighbor. The result would be dramatically different, and properly so.
Actually this shoe throwing business has taken too much speed and attention. There may be better methods available but this offers a sure shot and quick method of world publicity all in one go Hope the world becomes a better place where all this is not necessary
To each country their own. Iraq handed down a 3 year sentence which I believe has been reduced to 1 year. India let the guy go. I suspect a reporter hurling a shoe at the British prime minister in the U.S. would likely get a year, or maybe probation, but at least a felony arrest on his record. Each country handles it differently I suppose, and I can only speak to American values.
If the shoe was thrown at Barack Obama? Do you think he should have been given a heavier, lighter or equal sentence?
Rule of law should prevail. I understand the law has a lot of "flexibility" in how it is applied, for instance OJ getting the number of years he did would probably have never happened to anyone but OJ. That said, whatever the normal prescribed punishment is for throwing a shoe at a high ranking diplomat should be used the same, regardless of the diplomat.
We need a new sport on the next Olympics. Shoe throwing!!!! Give this man his freedom back, a new pair of shoes he can practice with and a baby Bush life size cutout board he can throw shoes at all day long!!!
Don't know was is posted or not : Shoe monument for man who threw footwear at Bush TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - An Iraqi town has unveiled a giant monument of a shoe in honor of the journalist who threw his footwear at former U.S. President George W. Bush. .....
Hey, my mom has a picture of Che Guevara, mass murderer of his own countrymen , on her wall! A lot of the folks in Tikrit still idealize Saddam Hussein. Some in the US and Germany still idolize Hitler. Its all good!
You can't challenge people to a dual these days. You cannot threaten them with bodily harm or you will go to jail. Throwing objects at any world leader qualifies as assault. The shoe thrower should have made a java app game and web site of shoes being thrown at George W. if he wanted to get his message across. The pen is truly mightier than the sword, especially with the ability to freely make a million blogs about your rants if you so desire.