the random musings not worthy of new thread thread

[Diomedes]

Thank Allah for that.

[Seabiscuit36]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-morales0131,0,6854942.story

Plea deal rejected for man who killed 2 in crash
Judge says deal wasn't 'adequate'; man had blood alcohol level of .32 percent

Friends and family of defendant Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano leave the Howard County Circuit Court after Howard County Circuit Judge Lenore R. Gelfman rejected his plea agreement. (Sun photo by Kim Hairston / January 31, 2008)



By Tyeesha Dixon | Sun reporter
8:38 PM EST, January 31, 2008
Article tools
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Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo  Print Reprints Text size:  The victims' and the defendant's loved ones filled the courtroom Thursday, expecting Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano to be sentenced to prison for the crash that killed a Marine corporal and his date Thanksgiving night 2006 in Columbia.

Howard County Circuit Judge Lenore R. Gelfman had accepted a guilty plea in September from Morales-Soriano, an illegal immigrant from Mexico whose blood-alcohol level at was four times the legal limit at the time of the crash, authorities have said. And prosecutors said then that they would ask for an eight-year sentence.

But many of those family members gasped when Gelfman announced Thursday that she had rejected the plea agreement and instead ordered a trial.


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"I do not find that the proposal, no matter how well thought-out, is adequate," the judge said.

Gelfman, who will not preside over any subsequent trial, did not further explain her reasoning. But Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino said the judge apparently found an eight-year term to be "too little."

"We appreciate and understand the judge's thinking," Broccolino said after the proceeding Thursday. "We thought we had a fair and balanced plea negotiated ... You never know. It's like a jury verdict." Under the terms of the plea deal, Morales-Soriano, 26, of Laurel could have served a maximum of eight years. Because of factors including his age and history, state guidelines said Morales- Soriano should not get more than four years on each count.

If he goes to trial and is convicted on all counts, Morales-Soriano could face up to 20 years in prison.

Morales-Soriano had pleaded guilty in September to two counts of negligent manslaughter in the deaths of Cpl. Brian Mathews, 21, of Columbia and Jennifer Bower, 24, of Montgomery Village.

Morales-Soriano's Nissan Sentra slammed into the back of the red Toyota Corolla that Bower was driving. The car was stopped at a red light on Route 175 at the intersection of Route 108 in Columbia.

Judges can reject a plea after reviewing victim impact statements and other evidence in a case, even after accepting it, but attorney Christopher Brown said the move is "very unusual."

"I don't know who the judge is or who the parties are, but sometimes the facts are very sensitive to the judge," said Brown, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland School of Law and partner with the Brown, Goldstein & Levy law firm in Baltimore.

Mathews' sister, Heather Hoppe, said she agrees with the judge's choice, but her goal is not retribution.

"I hope that because this goes to trial ... that Maryland looks at their laws, and alcoholism is brought to the attention of more people," Hoppe said outside of the courthouse Thursday.

"As far as the sentence, it really doesn't matter to me ... There's really no such thing as closure."

Authorities believe Morales-Soriano entered the country illegally from Mexico, prosecutors have said. The crash added fuel to a debate about whether illegal immigrants should be issued licenses. Morales-Soriano used a license is sued to him in North Carolina in 2004 to legally obtain a Maryland license the next year.

Although Maryland is one of only a few states that currently allows foreign-born residents to obtain a driver's license regardless of their immigration status, Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration announced this month that in two years it will begin requiring proof of legal residency for all driver's license applicants.

Prosecutors said after the September plea hearing that they expected Morales-Soriano to be deported after he completes any prison sentence.

Morales-Soriano had been previously charged in other driving-related incidences in Prince George's and Howard counties, including one in which he refused a Breathalyzer test. But none of those cases resulted in convictions.

Caroline Cash, Mothers Against Drunk Driving's regional executive director for Maryland and Delaware said her organization plans to point to crashes such as the one that killed Mathews and Bower to push for the required use of ignition interlock for all convicted drunk drivers. With ignition interlock, the driver must blow into a tube that is connected to the engine of a car. If alcohol is detected, the car won't start.

"Maryland has this law," Cash said. "It's just not being used to the extent it should be."

Before Gelfman announced her decision, David Bower read a statement about his daughter, who was studying to become a licensed psychologist.

"She had a kind heart and a great potential for helping others," Bower said. "She was growing up. She was embracing her life."

Mathews' mother, Trudy Mathews, noted her son's "short but profoundly courageous" life.

"Not only was Brian's life taken, but the spirit of our lives was taken as well," she said. "My family is broken."

Mathews, who had been scheduled to finish his military service in June 2007, had plans to become a teacher, his mother said. The 2003 Howard High School graduate had come home for the holidays and was on his second date with Bower when the crash happened.

In an allocution through his attorney, Morales-Soriano apologized to the victims' families.

"I am truly sorry for what I have done to you," his attorney read from a translated statement. "Everyday for the last 14 months it has been hard to survive.

When given the opportunity to address the court, he said in Spanish, "I have no words," as he looked down at the floor and wiped tears from his eyes.

Goldbloom said a trial will likely begin in the spring.

tyeesha.dixon@baltsun.com

[rjs246]

I've recently become obsessed with hunting down and eliminating stray ear hairs. 99 times out of 100 there is no ear hair and I just look like an icehole with my fingers in my ear, but that one time out of 100 when I latch on to a little farger with its roots dug into my brain I could just come all over the place.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

That sounds like a nice blurb for grouphug.

[phillymic2000]

Another 6 inches of snow, fargin 26th snow event this year, we've doubled the last two years as far as hours plowing and salting. We have used 32 tons of salt on the lots and 3 tons on sidewalks, the last two years combined we used 42 tons on lots and 4 tons on sidewalks. Trucks have taken a beating,  Man I hate snow right now.

[Diomedes]

I love snow...what are you, public works accountant or something?

[phillymic2000]

Yeah, kind of Director of Facilities for a school district, so I plow withthe crew and have to watch the books for the budget, being salary sucks this time of year.

[Diomedes]

I'll drive plow truck for fun.  Those trucks are bad ass.  Got any female drivers?  I love a woman drives a big truck.

[SunMo]

so Exxon makes 11.7 billion in profit last quarter and gas is still around $3/gallon...what is wrong with this picture?

[ice grillin you]

I'll drive plow truck for fun.  Those trucks are bad ass.  Got any female drivers?  I love a woman drives a big truck.

me tarzan you jane.....arrrrrrrrrrgh!!!

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

so Exxon makes 11.7 billion in profit last quarter and gas is still around $3/gallon...what is wrong with this picture?

You don't work for Exxon to reap the benefits?

[Seabiscuit36]

Exxon makes $1300 dollars a second


and wingbowl teets

[Sgt PSN]

Her legs are farging nasty looking.  Actually, she's pretty much hideous all over except for her fake mammories. 

[ice grillin you]

She's philly.

[phattymatty]

i can't take my eyes off that sweet tattoo behind her.