[fishman]

Though I have little doubt that the DA gave them a pass based largely on the fact that they were Bama football players - he admitted as much by referring to them "working and sweating" - but he may actually have had a better reason for not pursuing the possession of a stolen gun charge.  Two guys in a car with a stolen gun - which guy possesses the gun?  I don't know the state law there, but unless it presumes that the owner of the car "possesses" everything in it, proving who possessed the gun could be a tough chore.  What if there were five guys in the car - whose gun is it then?

In the case at Stanford, giving a lenient sentence because the kid was an excellent student, and high achiever would mean that virtually all Stanford students should be treated with leniency.  I don't think that's the kind of evenhanded justice the judge should be striving for. 

[fishman]

Though I have little doubt that the DA gave them a pass based largely on the fact that they were Bama football players - he admitted as much by referring to them "working and sweating" - but he may actually have had a better reason for not pursuing the possession of a stolen gun charge.  Two guys in a car with a stolen gun - which guy possesses the gun?  I don't know the state law there, but unless it presumes that the owner of the car "possesses" everything in it, proving who possessed the gun could be a tough chore.  What if there were five guys in the car - whose gun is it then?

In the case at Stanford, giving a lenient sentence because the kid was an excellent student, and high achiever would mean that virtually all Stanford students should be treated with leniency.  I don't think that's the kind of evenhanded justice the judge should be striving for.