Homeless man who tried to buy food and toothpaste with fake $20 note jailed for six years

[TU Curmudgeon]

I somewhat agree. I think the Gov should have to be able to prove that you were passing funny money with knowledge of it being that. In this case I think they do have that evidence since he tried twice.

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If you ever go to a police museum, you will see some REALLY crappy quality counterfeit (some of which had actually been passed).

On the other hand, there is a series of British 5 Pound notes that is both:

1. counterfeit; and
2. trading at more than face value.

Spoiler

They were hand drawn and of such good quality that even the Bank of England wasn't sure if they were fake or not.

 

[joko104]

The sentence was reduced on appeal. It was initially 8 years.



This kind of **** is why people end up going into public defense. Some rich kid can crash a car and kill someone, then get away with a far lighter sentence. Try to pass an apparently obviously fake bill to buy ****ing toothpaste and 8 years is the result; oh, sorry, a 'reduced' sentence of 3-6 years. The sentences are in relation to socio-economic status (this reflection requires no assumption that judges actively seek to punish poor people more), not gravity of harm the defendant caused.

The maximum amount of harm he was capable of causing was $100, but apparently, they were such bad bills he caused 0$. You won't get 3-6 years let alone 8 if you get caught shoplifting a $100 shirt, especially if you've got some cash and a white skin.

^ Summary of your message: Hatred of white people and poor people should be able to steal anything they need.

 

[joko104]

This is in New York - so it is DEMOCRATS who sent him to prison.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

^ Summary of your message: Hatred of white people and poor people should be able to steal anything they need.

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." Anatole France (16 April 1844 – 12 October 1924)

PS - I couldn't find the word "white" in his post - could you tell me where it was?

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

This is in New York - so it is DEMOCRATS who sent him to prison.

The only judge on the panel whose political affiliation is listed where I could find it was Justice Sweeny and he is listed as a Republican.

One of the other judges has been a judge since 1988, two since 1990, and one since 2000.

Any knee-jerk conclusion that ALL of the judges were "DEMOCRATS" would appear to be founded on the firmest quicksand available.

 

[joko104]

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." Anatole France (16 April 1844 – 12 October 1924)

PS - I couldn't find the word "white" in his post - could you tell me where it was?

Look again - last sentence: "especially if you've got some cash and a white skin."

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Look again - last sentence: "especially if you've got some cash and a white skin."

You are correct.

Now, would you like to let me know that acknowledging that there is a disparity in sentencing that tends to disadvantage those who have a higher melanin content in their epidural layers and advantage those who have a lower melanin content in their epidural layers amounts to "hatred"?

Once you have done that, you can let me know how acknowledging that there is a disparity in sentencing that tends to disadvantage those who have a lower net taxable income and advantage those who have a higher net taxable income amounts to "hatred".

 

[Moderate Right]

From The Independent

Homeless man who tried to buy food and toothpaste with fake $20 note jailed for six years
​

A homeless man who tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy food and toothpaste has been sentenced to up to six years in prison.
Levi Mitchell, 53, was found guilty of “criminal possession of a forged instrument” after attempting to use the fake bill at a pharmacy in New York City and again at a nearby restaurant.

Cashiers at both establishments rejected the homeless man’s note, before police officers later found him in possession of five counterfeit $20 bills, each worth around £15.

Mitchell was initially sentenced to up to eight years in prison following the March 2015 offence, but he had his sentence reduced to between three and six years by the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division this week.

The court acknowledged Mitchell was trying to buy “basic human necessities” before his arrest.

COMMENT:-

Well, I suppose that one way of looking at this is that Mr. Mitchell doesn't have to worry about food, clothes, medical care, unemployment, or housing for the next few years.

PS - A true cynic would also note that it would actually be cheaper just to provide him with a monthly income of $2,000 than it is to toss him in jail.

PPS - You have to be pretty thick not to realize that the fake money you are trying to pass is not very good when people won't take it.
​

I would wonder how he got the counterfeit money. Did the homeless man take a $20 bill to the printer and print off a few copies? If so, he may not be quite as destitute as the stereotypical homeless person. In any event, we can't have people making and passing counterfeit money. That's why it is against the law. So, I agree with your first statement that now this guy is no longer homeless and gets fed regularly. The second statement is ridiculous. Why don't we just let all criminals go and pay them $2000 per month in basic income and while we're at it, we could pay every homeless person $2000 per month.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

I would wonder how he got the counterfeit money. Did the homeless man take a $20 bill to the printer and print off a few copies? If so, he may not be quite as destitute as the stereotypical homeless person. In any event, we can't have people making and passing counterfeit money. That's why it is against the law. So, I agree with your first statement that now this guy is no longer homeless and gets fed regularly. The second statement is ridiculous. Why don't we just let all criminals go and pay them $2000 per month in basic income and while we're at it, we could pay every homeless person $2000 per month.

The obvious answer to your first question is that he got the fake bills from some middleman and received a portion of the proceeds from passing them in payment for passing them.

Yes, my "PS" is silly. It also happens to be true.

Since you didn't comment on my "PPS" is it safe to assume that you agreed with it?

 

[danarhea]

From The Independent

Homeless man who tried to buy food and toothpaste with fake $20 note jailed for six years
​

A homeless man who tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy food and toothpaste has been sentenced to up to six years in prison.
Levi Mitchell, 53, was found guilty of “criminal possession of a forged instrument” after attempting to use the fake bill at a pharmacy in New York City and again at a nearby restaurant.

Cashiers at both establishments rejected the homeless man’s note, before police officers later found him in possession of five counterfeit $20 bills, each worth around £15.

Mitchell was initially sentenced to up to eight years in prison following the March 2015 offence, but he had his sentence reduced to between three and six years by the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division this week.

The court acknowledged Mitchell was trying to buy “basic human necessities” before his arrest.

COMMENT:-

Well, I suppose that one way of looking at this is that Mr. Mitchell doesn't have to worry about food, clothes, medical care, unemployment, or housing for the next few years.

PS - A true cynic would also note that it would actually be cheaper just to provide him with a monthly income of $2,000 than it is to toss him in jail.

PPS - You have to be pretty thick not to realize that the fake money you are trying to pass is not very good when people won't take it.
​

Why was he jailed for creating money out of thin air? Because the government hates competition.

 

[Moderate Right]

The obvious answer to your first question is that he got the fake bills from some middleman and received a portion of the proceeds from passing them in payment for passing them.

Yes, my "PS" is silly. It also happens to be true.

Since you didn't comment on my "PPS" is it safe to assume that you agreed with it?

Well, my point is that we don't really know how he came into the counterfeit bills. But, I wonder how true your scenario is. Are you saying that your theory is that this homeless guy had fifty dollars in real money and traded to someone for one hundred dollars of fake money? I actually find that kind of hard to swallow, not that it couldn't be true. As far as your PPS goes, I guess I agree with it. I mean we're dealing with someone here who probably isn't a brain surgeon in the first place.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Well, my point is that we don't really know how he came into the counterfeit bills. But, I wonder how true your scenario is. Are you saying that your theory is that this homeless guy had fifty dollars in real money and traded to someone for one hundred dollars of fake money?

Not in the least. The "wholesale distributors" are more than willing to "trust you" to come back with the real money if they give you counterfeit money to pass. In fact, they generally take out insurance policies (frequently with "Guido's Insurance Co-operative") to deal with situations where their "trust" is "abused".

I actually find that kind of hard to swallow, not that it couldn't be true.

I would find it hard to swallow to.

As far as your PPS goes, I guess I agree with it. I mean we're dealing with someone here who probably isn't a brain surgeon in the first place.

Actually he sounds like the type of person who justifies putting the warning "Open mouth before inserting straw!" on the wrappers of disposable straws.