Dick Unger++

Off Topic Warning...



Reminds me of a programming project I was once on. By the end most of us looked like that!

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager ... 338172&z=2

Man asks to call parents, see sister before being sentenced
4/18/2008 9:00:57 AM
(2) Comments
By Janice Gregorson

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Loc Dinh Phan knows he may well end up in prison.

But his concern Thursday was with family. He wanted to call his aging parents in Vietnam, and he wanted to see a sister hospitalized in St. Paul.

Phan, 38, pleaded guilty to two felony charges -- receiving stolen property and possession of a pistol or assault weapon. One felony count was dismissed.

Phan was arrested in the parking lot at Wal-Mart North in August 2007. Members of the Southeast Minnesota Narcotics Task Force were watching someone they said was concealing something under the hood of the car and was "very nervous," according to the complaint.

Phan admitted he had hidden a gun in the air cleaner and that he was driving a car he knew had been stolen in St. Paul.

Prosecutor Kathy Wallace said Phan was sentenced in Goodhue County last year on similar charges and given a stayed five-year prison term and probation. She said Goodhue County has filed a probation violation report and wants Phan back.

Phan represented himself at Thursday's plea hearing and had two requests: To be released from jail until he is sentenced so he can see his sister and call his parents. Wallace told Judge Kevin Lund that Phan had purchased a phone card, but it won't work for international calls from the jail. She said she is working with the jail to figure out how to make the call.

Lund ordered the jail and county attorney's office to continue to try to make it possible for Phan to call his parents. But he didn't allow Phan to be released from jail to see his sister. Goodhue County authorities would pick him up immediately anyway, Lund said.

Phan is to stay in the Olmsted County jail until sentencing on June 12.

Although Phan lists a St. Paul address, he has been in Rochester before. In 1991, he was sentenced to 81 months, or nearly seven years, in prison for being one of five men involved in a violent robbery at Truong Plaza 18 months earlier.

Letting this guy out to call his parents?

his lawyer has a cell phone, let him use that, otherwise revoke his citizen ship and send him back to viet nam, postage due.

After his sentence is served of course.

No before, I see no reason to pay 54K a year to keep him in a minnesota prison. send him back to Viet Nam as a known felon and kidnapper, he will spend his sentence working in a hell hole of a prison work farm. far better way than sitting in a cell watching cable tv.

Good point

I think if you've shown that much contempt for society, and are that disinterested in living within the law, you should be put out of your misery. It is really that simple with criminals. Why the hell are we worried about being "humane" with these idiots? THREE times a felon, means you are NOT interested in living within the law. Why should society have *any* interest in these losers? Civility? Give me a break. As pointed out here, they love the thrill of it all - the could care less about anyone but themselves - they only have remorse that they get caught. They are (by the third major crime) obviously not going to stop.

If you ask me, each one of us deserves to get past our twenties with a few misdemeanor offences. I say, even a felony conviction would be tolerable. Two felonies? Work program with full accountability for your payback for your offense and cost of prosecution, housing, etc. etc. Three? Long term work program. You've proved to be in contempt of society and should be put in a work program to pay off your debt to society in some valuable way, plus all expenses, or given the "I opt out" provision and submit to being put to death. Fourth time = death.

See ya later loser. We don't need these worthless elements. I've heard paying to have a prisoner put to death is more costly than keeping *it* in prison till *it* dies. That should be disallowed as well. Now, before all of you who will bring up the many instances where a death penalty was given to the wrong person - reread my position.