HELP!!! He's just a kid.

I made sure to get to court early this morning to catch the sentencing hearing for David Josephssen, dvdjo. It was worse than I imagined, even after Friday's day in court. Somebody's got to save this kid.

The sentencing hearing started promptly at 9:00, with the judge asking the DA and public defender for their recommendations on sentences. The DA wanted to throw the book at him: 10 years each for the three ordinary felonies, to be served consecutively, and the death penalty for the aggravated felony.

DiagonAl started "In view of the defendant's tender years--"

"Tender year, my ass!" the DA interrupted. "When I was his age, I was supporting a wife and three kids by bagging groceries at Piggly Wiggly, and taking a correspondence school law course, to boot."

The judge told him to "Shut up, sit down, and let the counselor make a fool of his own self."

"As I was saying, in view of his tender years, I think you should go for five years, served concurrently, on the minor charges, and I advise life without possibility of parole for the aggravated felony.

"If you go for the death sentence, you know you're just going to make a lot of trouble for all of us, because it's sure to be appealed up the ying-yang, and we just don't need the aggro. A life sentence will just as surely keep him off the Internet and out of trouble."

Well, the judge thought for a couple of minutes, and then asked David to stand. He was scared, but he stood straight and tall, and just towered over the court.

"For the crimes of accessory to grand theft, before and after the fact, I sentence you to ten years each in the state penitentiary, to be served concurrently.

"For professional malpractice, you get a break, son. I checked my lawbooks over the weekend, and malpractice is a tort, not a crime, so they'll have to sue you in civil court."

Then he went all grave and formal: "For the aggravated felony of practicing software engineering without a license in furtherance of a crime, I, Judge Roy Bean, by the powers vested in my by the State of Texas, sentence you to be taken by the Sheriff of this county to the appointed white oak tree, at dawn on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, there to be hanged by the neck until dead. And may God have mercy upon your soul."

Well, DiagonAl was on his feet in a shot. (The fastest I've ever seen him move.) "Judge, have you forgotten about the complications I mentioned?"

The judge said, no, he hadn't forgotten, but he'd seen something else in the lawbook over the weekend, "The defendent can waive the right of appeal. Does your client wish to do so?"

David was mouthing, "No! No!" but he couldn't seem to get the words out, and DiagonAl just rode over him, saying, "Yes, if it please the court, my client would like to do that and get this over with."

The judge said, "The record will show that the criminal waived his right of appeal. Court is adjourned. [Bang! Bang!]"

Well, David was white as a sheet, but he didn't cry or say anything, just stood there looking stunned until the sheriff and the Ranger hustled him out of the courtroom.

What can I do? There's nobody in Diagon that I can talk to about this. Nobody messes with Judge Roy Bean's court.

What can anybody do? Do any of my readers (if I have any yet) have suggestions? Contact me at texasdirt@comcast.net. Telephone and snail mail aren't secure, but my parents don't understand computers and email, so that's the way to reach me.