Finally justice may come for Stewart Parnell

Started by widdershins, February 21, 2013, 03:30:21 PM

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widdershins

For those of you who don't know who Stewart Parnell is, he was the owner of Peanut Corporation of America, the company responsible for the 2009 salmonella outbreak in peanut butter which killed several people and sickened hundreds.  Parnell used to serve on the US Department of Agriculture's Peanut Standards Board.  Inspections at his peanut processing facilities found violations so egregious it is impossible to claim that someone who once held his position didn't know he was doing anything wrong.  There were holes in the roofs, birds flying free in the buildings, rainwater dripping down onto conveyor belts and his factories skirted inspections by being mis-registered as a type of business which did not require FDA inspections.

Up until this point Stewart Parnel has been living free in a mansion while insurance is finally settling with victims, the holdings of his corporation, which immediately filed bankruptcy, worth almost nothing.  He, personally, ordered tainted product to be shipped anyway, and he did it repeatedly.  But to this point he has never paid a price for that.  Well, he has FINALLY been indicted, though there are no manslaughter charges, which there very much should be.

//http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/21/17044462-feds-indict-4-in-salmonella-outbreak?lite
This sentence is a lie...

commonsense822

Not to rain on your parade, but he is still going to be free.  He won't get charged on anything related to the deaths of the people.  

QuoteThe charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and others related to contaminated or misbranded food.

He's going to pay a fine, which will only be a small percentage of the profits gained at the expense of those that he harmed.  He will continue living free in his mansion, because people with money rarely see the inside of a prison cell.

widdershins

I never said it was perfect, but at least it's something.  It's a damned site more than you can usually get for someone who held a position of authority in the government.
This sentence is a lie...

commonsense822

Yeah but it's just their little show for the public.  The actual hearing won't happen for a while, until this is out of the public's mind, and in the meantime he will enjoy a free life of luxury.  Then when it comes time for the hearing he will get the slap on the wrist of paying the fine, maybe probation....maybe.  But definitely no prison time.  He walks out with more money in his pocket than if he hadn't scammed the American public, and the government gets it's cut from the "fines" they've imposed upon him to "punish" him.

And almost no one will complain because a large majority of the American public will have no idea that any of this is happening, and of the small percentage of Americans that have knowledge of the situation, most will ultimately be too apathetic but more importantly, to poor, to do anything about it.

Youssuf Ramadan

So many guns in America, so little thought in target selection...

widdershins

Quote from: "commonsense822"Yeah but it's just their little show for the public.  The actual hearing won't happen for a while, until this is out of the public's mind, and in the meantime he will enjoy a free life of luxury.  Then when it comes time for the hearing he will get the slap on the wrist of paying the fine, maybe probation....maybe.  But definitely no prison time.  He walks out with more money in his pocket than if he hadn't scammed the American public, and the government gets it's cut from the "fines" they've imposed upon him to "punish" him.

And almost no one will complain because a large majority of the American public will have no idea that any of this is happening, and of the small percentage of Americans that have knowledge of the situation, most will ultimately be too apathetic but more importantly, to poor, to do anything about it.
Exactly, which is a large part of what is wrong with this country.  There are not one, not two, but three distinct levels of class-dependent punishment in this country.  This first level is the one we all see.  Prison time for shoplifting a loaf of bread to feed your family.  The second is the punishment level for the rich, usually a "stiff" fine, though it is usually far below the amount they stole.  The third is for the ruling class and usually involves no punishment whatsoever, just forced retirement, as is true in the case of Mark Foley, who was caught red handed emailing underage boys for sex, actions which, apparently, violated no laws since several investigations resulted in no criminal findings.

Now there's some change that needs to happen, but it never will.  Those in power would have to give up power to make that change, which is never going to happen.  Personally I think nobody in government should have the power to grant immunity from prosecution or to pardon a criminal.  Not the governor, not the president.  It has the effect of making it impossible to prosecute those in power.  No matter what they do wrong, even if charges are brought, they can just be pardoned or granted immunity.  And that's if you even dare to charge them in the first place.  Nobody should be exempt from the law.
This sentence is a lie...