Silence Good for 6 Years
- A Joliet man already serving 45 years in prison for the murder of an innocent bystander received an additional six years today for abiding by his gang’s code of silence and refusing to testify against an associate gang member.
Robert Meza, 23, was sentenced for “serious direct criminal contempt” by DuPage Judge Kathryn Creswell. Meza refused to testify in the recent trail of Antonio Aguilar, 21, of Addison, for the 2007 murder in Addison of Lorenzo Salazar-Cortez, 22, of Berkeley. - State law requires Meza to serve 100 percent of the 45-year murder sentence, but only 50 percent of any contempt sentence. Creswell said he should be released when he is 68 years old.
100% of the murder sentence? That's a first. And releasing him when he's 68? Too soon in our opinion, but you take what you can get in this state. As for the contempt charge, the reason the Outfit started to crumble and fade into the background years ago was the massive sentences handed out for RICO stuff and the unwillingness of younger guys to take the full weight of prison for decades at a time, so they made deals, wore wires and talked - something that hadn't been done before. We would hope this is applicable to the younger gangs.
Labels: we got nothing
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
5 Comments:
Ya gets the best deal you can & do what you gotta do !!!!!!!
Check out this winner:
http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/search/inms.asp?idoc=R50045
He shoots at the Police, gets 10 years and only does 3 (must ne the "new" math. The P.O.S gets out and kills 3 more. Wow, good job Cook Co Judges. Maybe a wrongful death suit by the victims families would have you handing down tougher sentences!
You are correct about the gang code!
So what does it matter to him that he gets a little extra, on top of 45 years. Sorry to be negative, but I will bet a months pay that he will be out in 20 years! Now he will be a big man in the joint.
What we need to do is fight for a conspiracy law in Illinois similar to RICO, and the ability to use overhears similar to the Feds. Use it to take down the gangs all the way up. If they, gang members, want to play big shot little killers, dope peddlers and gang bangers, then fill the penitentiary with them. We are better off letting them prey on each other there than on the streets, killing innocent kids, and addicting our kids, just to follow their leaders orders.
No meetings with gang leaders is not the answer. Locking them up (leaders) and giving the next level a message is.
The city and suburbs are just breading more and more gang members, starting as young as 9 or 10 years old. The gang members are not just a bunch of kids. Many are in their 30's and 40's or older.
Come on! Get Phil Cline and the Police Memorial people behind the legislation. We have seen how effective they are. Get the new mayor on board. He talks like he really wants to clean up the city. Ask him for more power to go after the leaders. Get Alvarez on board. Get the police union behind it. Have commanders talk it up to the new super.
Any member of the department will tell you this is the problem, and I would be suprised if any disagree.
I am long retired, but I will support any effort anyway I can. Let are leaders become leaders!
100% time for murder sentences has been the law for over a decade in Illinois.
While I agree that this should be common practice, I wonder how it would hold up under appeal. This is like being punished for taking the 5th.
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