First of all, tough on crime laws sucks, big time. They can have a life-long negative impact that can follow a person to their grave. These laws and others like them, not only leaves a mark on the individual caught in their web, but entire communities and the people who live in them, creating a forever cycle of poverty.
A 30-year-old's youthful act shouldn't be used against a person to ruin their life 30 years later. It's suspect the guilty plea Mr. Rzeplinski pled to as a 19-year-old youth never showed up on any background checks which allowed him to purchase a gun, or several guns. Then out of the blue, wallah, boom. Someone was able to dig deep, had to be very deep, and pull up an old conviction from 30 years ago to use against him? Could it be it had more to do with facing possibly a hefty lawsuit over the way Mr. Rzeplinski was taken down by SWAT, as described by a neighbor and spouse, and not as much a conviction from 30 years ago? That's one of many strategies, abuses actually, police often use in an attempt to silence their victims.
Hoping all charges will be thrown out on appeal.
Stay strong, Mr. Rzeplinski. I don't care who you are, what your belief system is, your political affiliation. This is wrong. But then again, many of us foresaw the life long devastating impact of these so called "tough on crime laws," "war on drugs laws," and so many lame brained laws that completely break down the human spirit, devastate communities and implode societies, others were cheering for demanding and applauding from the very beginning.
Brenda Washington
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I agree with Brenda Washington on this one.
I have two friends, each of which was convicted of a technical felony in totally separate circumstances. Both were paperwork errors. In both cases, the judge waived any immediate penalty and apologized but said he had no choice but to declare them guilty and then release them. But both men have paid life-long penalties for having a felony on their record.
We must find ways to wipe records clean after a person has lived an exemplary life for some years.
John L. Odom