Why are criminal punishments so uneven?

**Mwynn** · 10-08-2007, 07:30 PM

Former Mellon Bank employees sentenced for tax return shredding
Saturday, October 06, 2007
By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two former Mellon Bank employees charged as part of the tax-return shredding case in 2001 were sentenced to probation yesterday in federal court.

Denise Philpott, 52, of Shaler, was ordered to serve three years probation, including six months home detention, and perform 100 hours of community service.

David Bryant, who was the midnight shift supervisor in Mellon's processing facility, received the same sentence.

Mellon had a contract with the Internal Revenue Service and Financial Management Service beginning in 1993 to serve as a processing center for tax returns, vouchers and checks received in Pittsburgh. Most of those came from upstate New York and New England.

But in 2001, as the April 29 deadline approached, there were still tens of thousands of returns left to process. A manager at the center realized they would never complete the work, and she ordered employees to hide and shred them.

In all, 77,000 tax returns were destroyed. Eight former employees have been charged.

Four have pleaded guilty and four others still have their charges pending.

Ms. Philpott and Mr. Bryant were the first to be sentenced. They faced a possible prison term of 21 to 27 months, but the government moved for a reduction because both defendants provided substantial assistance in the case.

After listening to Mr. Bryant apologize for his role in the crime, U.S. District Judge Gary L. Lancaster asked him, "The one question everybody has, how did you think you were going to get away with this?"

"There was no thought involved, really," answered Mr. Bryant, 41, of Wilkinsburg. "I can remember on the 28th of April, everything happened so fast."

He said he got a call from his supervisor telling him what to do.

"Myself and the other manager, we just did it."

As part of a federal investigation into the matter, Mellon agreed to pay $18.1 million to cover the costs for interest lost from the time the checks were shredded to when replacements were sent, as well as the cost to move the processing contracts.

Then, in June, Mellon Financial Corp. agreed to pay $16.5 million to cover civil damages and penalties from violations of the False Claims Act.

Mellon is at war right now with the other banks in Pittsburgh. One of them is going to end up running this city. Then running it further into the ground.

dano · 10-08-2007, 07:55 PM

because juries are morons

**Buckyrig** · 10-08-2007, 07:57 PM

Hey, see if you can prove that all jurors are products of the suburbs.

kdmelrose · 10-08-2007, 08:00 PM

At the risk of disrupting the Lament of the Disenfranchised Would-be Juror, I don't think there were any juries involved in this case.

**Buckyrig** · 10-08-2007, 08:05 PM

Strictly a cash transaction, eh?

Justice is not for sale!

Not in my country, dammit!

Justice41 · 10-08-2007, 09:16 PM

Check the political affiliation of the Judges for the answers

**Mwynn** · 10-08-2007, 09:31 PM

I would not even call this a slap on the wrist, they all got time outs.

chaosgoat · 10-08-2007, 09:37 PM

Because it's a white-collar crime. Our legal system can't justify the same sentences for shit like this as for petty theives who rob convenience stores. The law is in favor of middle- and upper-class criminals.

wisper · 10-08-2007, 09:41 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCS14PoQc2M

**Mwynn** · 10-08-2007, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justice41

Check the political affiliation of the Judges for the answers

Not sure it needs to go that far, the banks run this city. Mellon did their best to cover this all up. Now they have merged with Bank of New York, they think they can topple the other banks in the city.

wisper · 10-08-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwynn

Not sure it needs to go that far, the banks run this city. Mellon did their best to cover this all up. Now they have merged with Bank of New York, they think they can topple the other banks in the city.

dude it's a done deal..BIG $$$$
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_New_York_Mellon

**Mwynn** · 10-08-2007, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisper

dude it's a done deal..BIG $$$$
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_New_York_Mellon

I know I was hired right after the merger. They are dirty dealing, and business is good. Now you look at that 1 trillion in assets and understand that the city is broke, and schools are closing. Some schools are still using outdated books, and crime is up.

wisper · 10-08-2007, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwynn

I know I was hired right after the merger. They are dirty dealing, and business is good. Now you look at that 1 trillion in assets and understand that the city is broke, and schools are closing. Some schools are still using outdated books, and crime is up.

that town has been taken...Zombies

http://carnegiesciencecenter.org/def...px?pageId=307#

dano · 10-08-2007, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdmelrose

At the risk of disrupting the Lament of the Disenfranchised Would-be Juror, I don't think there were any juries involved in this case.

Fooey!

**Troy Wall** · 10-08-2007, 11:49 PM

Every time I find myself in court, which is usually on a monthly basis for some bullshit traffic charge, I'm amazed at how uneven punishments are. Here in LA, you get fined $75 for pleading guilty to fleeing from an officer. Plead guilty to a speeding ticket and it's triple that, easy. I mean, really, $75 for taking The Man on a chase?

10-08-2007, 07:30 PM	#1
Mwynn On THE EDGE Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Haven Posts: 23,240	Why are criminal punishments so uneven? Former Mellon Bank employees sentenced for tax return shredding Saturday, October 06, 2007 By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Two former Mellon Bank employees charged as part of the tax-return shredding case in 2001 were sentenced to probation yesterday in federal court. Denise Philpott, 52, of Shaler, was ordered to serve three years probation, including six months home detention, and perform 100 hours of community service. David Bryant, who was the midnight shift supervisor in Mellon's processing facility, received the same sentence. Mellon had a contract with the Internal Revenue Service and Financial Management Service beginning in 1993 to serve as a processing center for tax returns, vouchers and checks received in Pittsburgh. Most of those came from upstate New York and New England. But in 2001, as the April 29 deadline approached, there were still tens of thousands of returns left to process. A manager at the center realized they would never complete the work, and she ordered employees to hide and shred them. In all, 77,000 tax returns were destroyed. Eight former employees have been charged. Four have pleaded guilty and four others still have their charges pending. Ms. Philpott and Mr. Bryant were the first to be sentenced. They faced a possible prison term of 21 to 27 months, but the government moved for a reduction because both defendants provided substantial assistance in the case. After listening to Mr. Bryant apologize for his role in the crime, U.S. District Judge Gary L. Lancaster asked him, "The one question everybody has, how did you think you were going to get away with this?" "There was no thought involved, really," answered Mr. Bryant, 41, of Wilkinsburg. "I can remember on the 28th of April, everything happened so fast." He said he got a call from his supervisor telling him what to do. "Myself and the other manager, we just did it." As part of a federal investigation into the matter, Mellon agreed to pay $18.1 million to cover the costs for interest lost from the time the checks were shredded to when replacements were sent, as well as the cost to move the processing contracts. Then, in June, Mellon Financial Corp. agreed to pay $16.5 million to cover civil damages and penalties from violations of the False Claims Act. Mellon is at war right now with the other banks in Pittsburgh. One of them is going to end up running this city. Then running it further into the ground. __________________ www.goldengoatstudios.com Buy Digital Webbing Comics. Or Bucho will foreclose on the orphanage. The Edge issue one Diamond code : NOV121048 The Edge Online The Edge Facebook

10-08-2007, 08:00 PM	#4
kdmelrose Pope of Appalachia Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: In the conservatory, with a candlestick Posts: 7,567	At the risk of disrupting the Lament of the Disenfranchised Would-be Juror, I don't think there were any juries involved in this case. __________________ Robot 6 at Comic Book Resources

10-08-2007, 09:31 PM	#7
Mwynn On THE EDGE Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Haven Posts: 23,240	I would not even call this a slap on the wrist, they all got time outs. __________________ www.goldengoatstudios.com Buy Digital Webbing Comics. Or Bucho will foreclose on the orphanage. The Edge issue one Diamond code : NOV121048 The Edge Online The Edge Facebook

10-08-2007, 11:49 PM	#15
Troy Wall Big Real Estate Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,478	Every time I find myself in court, which is usually on a monthly basis for some bullshit traffic charge, I'm amazed at how uneven punishments are. Here in LA, you get fined $75 for pleading guilty to fleeing from an officer. Plead guilty to a speeding ticket and it's triple that, easy. I mean, really, $75 for taking The Man on a chase? __________________ If you don't understand why Ant gets a random tongue on her pussy - listen to rap until you get it. It's hip hop culture, mainstream black culture. It's sexy and nasty because that's the opposite of white bread culture. --Jack the R.

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10-08-2007, 07:55 PM	#2
dano . Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Penna Posts: 922	because juries are morons

10-08-2007, 07:57 PM	#3
Buckyrig I Coulda Had a VH Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Steve Buscemi's Couch Posts: 11,600	Hey, see if you can prove that all jurors are products of the suburbs.

10-08-2007, 08:05 PM	#5
Buckyrig I Coulda Had a VH Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Steve Buscemi's Couch Posts: 11,600	Strictly a cash transaction, eh? Justice is not for sale! Not in my country, dammit!

10-08-2007, 09:16 PM	#6
Justice41 Piss Off Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 9,419	Check the political affiliation of the Judges for the answers

10-08-2007, 09:37 PM	#8
chaosgoat Uh-huh... Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,441	Because it's a white-collar crime. Our legal system can't justify the same sentences for shit like this as for petty theives who rob convenience stores. The law is in favor of middle- and upper-class criminals.

10-08-2007, 09:41 PM	#9
wisper Isreal/Iran October 2008 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Send Money. Maryland 20910 ,U.S.A. Posts: 3,557	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCS14PoQc2M