More

TBO.COM WFLA The Tampa Tribune Community
Welcome


• Make TBO your Home Page
• Advertise with us
• Web site feedback

Breaking News Nation/World - Front Section Metro Sports Business Baylife Friday Extra Opinion Births Obituaries Classified Recent Editions Archive Contact Us The Tampa Tribune Home Page Pasco County Tom Jackson Northeast Tampa N.W. Hillsborough South Tampa Central Tampa Brandon Plant City Pinellas County Hernando County Highlands County Community News Home Page News Weather Things to Do Sports Traffic AP en Espanol Classified Real Estate Careers Autos Personals Relocation Multimedia Reports Information On Demand Health Shopping Consumer Education Your Money Travel Games TBO.com Home Page Yellow Pages White pages Email search Maps and Directions Financial TV Listings Trib Archive Corrections Contact Us
  
  
  

  





Balance Sought In Troublesome Punishment

Published: Nov 13, 2005

advertisement

Weeks down: One. Weeks to go: 103.

Will we still be agonizing over the sentence given Jennifer Porter when her time has been served? Or will her role as the centerpiece in a wildly public confluence of ancient prejudices and animosities have been reduced to a blessed footnote?

Clearly, confinement in her parents' Lake Padgett East home is anything but hard time, and from the looks of the letters to local newspapers, most of us would have preferred seeing the 29-year-old dance instructor sentenced to a life of rock breaking.

Lost in the heaving discontent is that, officially, Porter's only crime was in leaving the scene. Two precious youngsters died, yes, but investigators concluded their deaths were utterly accidental. On the count of fleeing, judges retain wide latitude, as was clarified in Dade City on Thursday.

James Bettis, who knocked then-7-year-old Jeremy Reeves, who recovered, off his bike with his car in March 2000, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene and no contest to culpable negligence. He will get probation when his case comes before Judge Lynn Tepper in January, says his attorney, Bob Focht. It required a trip to the appellate court, but in the end, Bettis' sentence turned out to be rather similar to Porter's.

For those keeping score, Bettis is black, Reeves is white. Isn't that what it's all about?

Community Service, Indeed

It bears reiterating: By accepting a plea and risking prison, Porter afforded prosecutors and the region an enormous favor, because a trial would have been more than ugly; it would have been ruinous.

In defense of his client, Barry Cohen would have put the University Area on trial. The community's violent crime statistics would have been introduced, demonstrating why people of any color feel threatened there. As a teacher at a nearby school, Porter would have been aware of the danger.

Jurors would have been asked to put their wives, sisters or daughters in Porter's position. Would such a tactic have improved or abraded racial relations?

In short, because her actions quickly morphed from isolated incident to event of mass concern, Porter's guilty plea defused a racially charged powder keg that could have exploded across the Bay area.

Weighing Benefits, Responsibilities

Cohen's single misstep came during a news conference, convened to defend Porter's sentencing, when he hauled out the disgraceful old canard that begins, "What kind of mother ..." and in this case concludes, "allows her children to cross a busy, dark street unescorted?"

Shame on him. How and why Lisa Wilkins' offspring wound up at the tragic point of impact is so beside the point that a response is not merited. This entire episode is about Porter exclusively.

In blending mercy with justice, Judge Lamar Battles found plenty of mitigating circumstances, not least among them the severe emotional trauma and regret for what she had been party to.

Bottom line: What benefit would have accrued to society by having Porter serve some part of her sentence behind bars? Besides massaging the overactive consciences of the perpetually guilt-ridden, that is.

Although she acted shamefully in her moment of crisis, Jennifer Porter's record is otherwise crystalline. Sending her to Lowell would have delivered no message, extracted no justice or satisfied any appetite, save revenge, the worst scale imaginable.



Write a letter to the editor about this story
Subscribe to the Tribune and get two weeks free
Place a Classified Ad Online







 

Return to Top   


News | Weather | Hurricane Guide | Things to Do | Sports
Consumer | Classified | Careers | Autos | Relocation
Shopping | Your Money
TBO.com Is Tampa Bay Online
©, Media General Inc. All rights reserved
Member agreement and privacy statement



TBO.com The Tampa Tribune WFLA Hernando Today Highlands Today Weather Center Florida Info