Sentence far more severe than crime

Please do not commit a crime anywhere, especially in Waynesboro. If you do commit a crime, get an attorney who will defend you against the prosecuting attorney. Do not ask for a jury trial. Do not let your attorney do this for you.

On June 2, in a sentencing hearing for Wendy Sprouse, her embezzlement case was to have a judge trial (“Judge upholds 22-year sentence for embezzlement,” June 3). Her lawyer got it changed to a jury trial through the Waynesboro court system. She did not appear before the court for this. She was told later, by a letter from her attorney. Wendy had been tried before for embezzlement in Rockingham County.

The prosecuting attorney asked for a 60-year sentence. The jury gave her 22 years. The judge would not overrule a jury-recommended sentence. Her new attorney asked for some time and some mental help. The prosecuting attorney would not deal. He said he was going to make an example of her by giving her a lot of time.

The time is too long. Virginia Code sentencing guidelines for her crime is one to three years, as her probation officer recommended. The jury was not told this. The jury did not know all the facts. I have served on a jury before here in Waynesboro but will not do it again. If you don’t get all the evidence or facts, you are playing with someone’s life. So stay away from jury trial, if possible.

On June 3, in another embezzlement case, a lady who had previous charges got a sentence of two months and two weeks. A deal was made between the attorneys.

What’s the difference? No difference in the charges but a lighter sentence.

The prosecuting attorney in Wendy’s case referred to her as a pretty lady who used her looks. He used this in the trial and in sentencing. As her attorney said, looks had nothing to do with her crime. The money was paid back and her pretty looks are what got her the time? In other cases in Waynesboro, money has not been paid back but the sentence was much smaller.

On June 11, a woman charged with murder got four years and two months after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter (“Hamby pleads guilty,” June 12). Maybe murder is the way to go. Don’t steal. But take someone’s life.

The jury found Wendy guilty, so she should pay for her crime. However, they shoud not have asked for her life. Her family is devastated by this sentence. Her husband has lost a wife. Her children have lost their mother. Her mother and father have lost a daughter, all over $17,000. Her life is worth more than this amount.

Prosecutor Thomas Weidner said no one is a winner. It looks like to me he won, and the jury won. So I hope they are happy, as a lot of people are not.

Kitty Sprouse

Waynesboro

Editor’s note – Mrs. Sprouse is the mother-in-law of Wendy Sprouse.