>From: "Peter McWilliams" <peter@mcwilliams.com>
>Subject: Oh, the pain...
>Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 00:33:12 -0800
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>
>Oh, the pain of it!
>
>Peter
>
>
>
>
> >From Ann McCormick (Todd's mom):
>
>Kathy Tadlock was called into court at 4pm this afternoon and remanded
>into custody. She is on her way to prison for a minimum of 1 year.
>The State of Idaho lifted the stay because she was not on probation and
>they didn't want to deal with her UA's. She had had NO DIRTY UA! Kathy
>was having a hard time scraping money together to pay for the twice
>weekly tests. She is on a fixed disability income.
>
>More information will be sent out as it becomes available. For
>background information, visit Kathy's website
>http://members.xoom.com/Free_Kathy/
>
>Idaho is the same state that recently gave a a token sentence and a pat
>on the back to Twin Falls County sheriff's deputy Jesse Thrush, who
>violently shook and killed his fiancée's baby daughter Feb. 21, 1999.
>
>Thrush was given a five- to 15-year prison sentence by District Judge
>Daniel Meehl, but the former deputy could serve as little as six months
>in the county jail before he is set free.
>
>Hailey Williams, a little girl with Down Syndrome, died at St. Luke's
>Regional Medical Center in Boise two days after Thrush violently shook
>and threw her in his Filer home. Thrush told Twin Falls police
>detectives that he had shaken the toddler because she was fussy.
>
>Under Meehl's sentence, Thrush will have to spend 180 days in jail. At
>the end of that time Meehl will consider a psychological evaluation and
>a report by Thrush explaining how he can prevent future baby-shaking
>deaths by speaking to people about his case. If Meehl likes what he
>hears, Thrush would be placed on probation. Thrush was allowed to remain
>free until after the holidays so he could "enjoy Christmas as a free
>man"
>
>Thrush's lawyer, Keith Roark, said the complex sentence gave Thrush a
>chance to continue the life of public service he started as a deputy and
>firefighter.
>
>"He is a very remarkable young man, and I think the judge's decision
>reflects that," he said.
>
>In his sentence, Meehl outlined the factors for and against a long
>prison sentence.
>
>"Mr. Thrush personally does not need any more deterrence," Meehl said.
>"He will not kill again. He is too conscientious. Thus, a heavy sentence
>would serve no purpose than to reinforce Hailey's value to us all. ...
>
>"Because of his unique abilities and remorse, the court sees Mr. Thrush
>as a person capable of paying his huge debt to society not by suffering
>alone in prison, but by helping to save the lives of other babies that
>are potential future victims. ...
>
>"If the lives of other babies can be saved, if other families never have
>to go through the grief that Hailey's family suffers, Hailey's death
>would be given a meaning far greater than by having Mr. Thrush serve a
>long term in prison and simply add suffering to suffering."
>