Rummel’s third offense, the one that caused him to be sentenced to life in prison was barely a criminal offense at all. Thousands of times every day, repair shops take money for repairs that are not made, or are made ineffectively. That is, in essence, what Bill Rummel was convicted of. He was given money (the check for the part) to make an air conditioner repair, and he failed to make the repair. It is the type of offense that is usually handled as a civil claim in small claims court and is not unlike a minor traffic offense. In fact, a minor traffic offense can be more serious because speeding or reckless driving can cause injury or death, and Rummel only caused a small economic loss.
While it is true that Rummel committed an act of poor judgment when he cashed the check, many a driver als">
margin-right:0in">Rummel’s third offense, the one that caused him to be sentenced to life in prison was barely a criminal offense at all. Thousands of times every day, repair shops take money for repairs that are not made, or are made ineffectively. That is, in essence, what Bill Rummel was convicted of. He was given money (the check for the part) to make an air conditioner repair, and he failed to make the repair. It is the type of offense that is usually handled as a civil claim in small claims court and is not unlike a minor traffic offense. In fact, a minor traffic offense can be more serious because speeding or reckless driving can cause injury or death, and Rummel only caused a small economic loss.
While it is true that Rummel committed an act of poor judgment when he cashed the check, many a driver als...