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Mon 9 Aug, 2004 07:59 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A man required to wear a signboard stating "I stole mail. This is my punishment," outside a San Francisco post office was reasonably sanctioned, a U.S. federal court has said.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed on Monday a lower court's order that required mail thief Shawn Gementera to wear the sign, noting the public humiliation was intended to "break" him of an illusion he had committed a victimless crime.
Paired with requiring Gementera to write apologies and lecture at a high school, the "somewhat crude" condition he wear the signboard provided an opportunity to "repair his relationship with society," the court ruled.
Gementera had argued the signboard served no purpose other than to humiliate him.
!!!
What do you think of this, Col? A sandwich board for a letter...
The humiliation was only because he delivered the letters way faster than the US Postal Service could, and they were shamed indeed. I'm making this up, but it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility and conspiracy theory.
i think in some ways this is maybe a better punishment than jail or a fine cos he will maybe realise hes really hurting real people stealing mail....
if he cares at all that is
i think maybe the justice system isnt totally without creativity...
I wish someone would steal my mail. It's all bills or advertising anyway.
:LOL:
Your wish is my command!
(I do wonder what the mail actually was... probably waxing advertisements or something of the like.)
I don't know about everyone else, but I get a lot of coupons in the mail. Maybe that's what he was after...
'Three more of these and I'll have myself a free sachet of conditioner.'
I never get coupons. I always get these stupid garden tools manuals; I wouldn't mind, only I never need garden tools, want them, or have any intention of blowing my money on them.
I find it very honourable to be someone who has never owned a lawnmower.
garden tools manuals...how freaky
well i don't get coupons either
i only get bills and 'do you want a loan' or 'do you want a credit card' mail
in fact i cant remember the last time someone actually wrote to me
i live in a student area so i mainly get restaurant flyers stuck through my door..bloody hundreds of em...
Mr. Gementera's mail theft was a little more significant than simply taking someone's junk mail.
Here's the
press release from the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California.
Thanks, Set. We can see that it's far more serious... I suppose that he was taking mail indiscriminately so as to find cheques?
Poor you, Col. Perhaps I should write to you?
hehe thanks for the thought drom
You'll be in Greece, 'though, won't you?
mm yeah but not for so long
Then there was the gas station in MD last month that made the theft walk with a sandwich board announcing "I stole gas". The perp was supposed to walk for 3 hours instead of jail time. Came very late, walked 45 minutes for the CNN cameras, and then cried to the manager of the store, who let her sit down for almost an hour, and then she left.
Humiliation doesn't even work for some, they gladly pander to the press and laugh about their theft.
Go figure.
good one set 
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