Sobbing Jan. 6 insurrectionist sent to prison after lawyer argues his brain was not fully developed

[RandySF]

Bucks County, Pennsylvania resident Leonard Pearson “Pearce” Ridge IV was 19 years old when he drove to Washington, D.C. to participate in the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, that resulted in more than 140 police officers injured and damages upward of $1.5 million.

The now 20-year-old has been sentenced to 14 days in prison, despite his lawyer's argument that his brain may not have been fully developed to understand the crimes he was committing, The New York Post reported.

Ridge was responsible for breaking open the doors to the offices of Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). He also admitted to spending nearly 40 minutes inside the U.S. Capitol.

“I think we’re going to try to block the session of Congress,” he told a friend on Snapchat on his way to the Jan. 6 rally.




https://www.rawstory.com/capitol-rioter-leonard-pearson-pearce-ridge-iv/

[SheltieLover]

1. 14 days?

[blueinredohio]

4. That's what I'm saying.

[SheltieLover]

7. Judge needs to be investigated imo

[Bettie]

21. Seems awfully low

but, a lot of the sentences seem that way.

[SheltieLover]

22. Agreed

Last edited Fri Jan 7, 2022, 01:00 PM - Edit history (1)

If I broke into 2 officials offices, I would expect about 10-20 years tbh.

[inthewind21]

27. If you ate

A snickers bar from 7-11 before paying for it you'd get way more time than that.

[SheltieLover]

33. Absofuckingloutely!

[former9thward]

37. Where?

[MissMillie]

34. Don't remember which Capitol Police Officer said it recently...

...but he was saying it didn't seem right that the sentences being handed out are considerably less than his time to recover from his injuries.

And I'm not buying into this argument that he didn't know what he was doing. He TEXTED (or posted) exactly what his intent was.

[SheltieLover]

36. Agreed, MissMillie!

Guessing judges who issue such light sentences for the seditionists might be federalists who are delighting in so encouraging them to continue carrying out putin's agenda.

[Caliman73]

41. They are not arguing necessarily that "he didn't know what he was doing"

What they are saying is technically correct. All the research on brain development shows that the brain typically does not fully develop until about the age of 25, with the pre-frontal cortex being the last part of the brain to develop. The PFC is the part of the brain correlated with executive functioning (decision making, impulse control, "judgement&quot .

So, yes, teenagers and young adults are more prone to be impulsive, believe in their "invincibility", and be likely to do risky and dumb things. That does not preclude, as you said, "not knowing what he is doing". He likely did not fully understand the potential consequences of his actions, but that has never been a requirement for rendering consequences for unlawful and dangerous behaviors.

[iemanja]

43. US courts try children as adults

The lawyer's argument is absurd in the context of the overall practice of the justice system. Why should he get consideration every other young person is denied?

[Caliman73]

44. Yes it does, which is an odd practice. Totally agree it is absurd, even not in that context.

We allow people to drive deadly vehicles at 16, to vote and join the military and buy certain firearms at 18, to drink and buy any firearm at 21. We have sexual consent laws as low as 14 in some states. Yet rental car companies will not rent to anyone under 25 basically because of that lack of brain development and likelihood that those between 16 and 24 have the most collisions. The way we see age and development in this country is most certainly not driven by our scientific knowledge of the process.

The insurrectionist should not be given any consideration based on that argument. At 19 and 20, there is enough (or should be) of a foundation of experience to understand that violently attacking the Capitol building was both unlawful and morally and ethically wrong.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. Understood exactly what he was about to do...

[Walleye]

3. Well is his brain developed enough to vote?

Last edited Fri Jan 7, 2022, 12:04 PM - Edit history (1)

[modrepub]

10. Even Money

he's not even registered to vote.

[Walleye]

28. That's probably right

[Marthe48]

5. oh bs

nt

[Ms. Toad]

6. Only 14 days???

Any one over the age of 10, or so, should understand the concept that breaking other people's property is wrong.

[former9thward]

39. Interesting comment

Since you have said you teach law. You must know that progressive lawyers consistently make this argument in court. A person's judgment portion of the brain does not fully develop until about age 25 - especially in males. This is an argument used by progressives over and over at sentencing. But you seem to reject it. I am not saying a lot of judges buy into it but it is made and there are many studies to back it up.

[Ms. Toad]

47. That argument is usually use when juveniles are tried as adults -

or in the case of life withough parole or the death peanalty. And I certainly agree in those situations.

He's not a juvenile, and I would not support either life without parole or the death penalty.

On the other hand, I would not advocate ignoring the behavior of10-year olds who break others' toys on the theory that the part of their brain that controls judgment is not fully developed. It's never going to develop unless there are consequences appropriate to their actions so they have some external conrol to help develop the internal control they need to be productive members of society.

I simply don't believe 2 weeks incarceration (shorter than many vacations) provides an appropriate consequence for someone who breaks into a locked office at age 19. That's barely an inconvenience.

[Caliman73]

42. True, the sentence seems very lenient.

Also, yes, children below the age of 10 understand, and are more likely to hold more rigid views on "wrong v right". Research shows that when children of 7 years old are given a scenario where a person steals necessary medications to save the life of their sick child, the 7 year old will focus on the crime of stealing and have harsher views on punishment regardless of the motivation. As we get older and our brain develops, we are more able to 1. control impulsive behavior and 2. understand the nuance between law and moral choices.

You can certainly argue about the leniency of the sentence and while, as the other person who responded is also correct that the brain doesn't fully form until 25; argue that he has enough life experience to understand that what he was doing was both legally unacceptable and morally wrong.

When we try to oversimplify it doesn't serve our arguments well.

[doc03]

8. Couldn't that argument be made for anyone that participated in Jan 6th

[RAB910]

19. It could be made for every Trumper and Republican

[Bristlecone]

9. He's sobbing over 14-days? Did he mis-hear and think years?

‘Cause otherwise the only crime here worth crying about is that soft sentence.

[Zambero]

16. Those were likely tears of joy

that only a slight slap on the wrist could have brought about!

[Caliman73]

46. Likely not accustomed to any kind of consequences in life.

That would be my guess. He's going to jail. It is probably the first time he has ever had to face a consequence for his behavior.

[Paladin]

11. "Pearce" and his lawyer should be kissing that judge's ass.

A lousy 14-day sentence for open-and-obvious destruction of federal property, and an expression of intent to prevent Congress from functioning? Un-fucking-believable.

[gratuitous]

12. Leonard Pearson "Pearce" Ridge the Fourth?

Clearly the name of an economically anxious person!

[pidge]

24. What's wrong with his name ?

[greenjar_01]

30. ROFL

When they're the "third" or "fourth" and then have a nickname based on their middle name, or on the fact that they're third or fourth ("Trey," etc.). Good God!

[Emile]

13. 14 days for traitorous act, my god they call that justice!

[dalton99a]

14. 14 days? What a fucking joke

[JT45242]

15. anyone know what his fine or restitution was for breaking the doors made of rare wood?

Also, how long on probation.

I saw an article that many judges think that longer probation periods will actually be a deterrent because that can revert to a longer jail sentence if they do something stupid again.

I would send all of them to prison for a long time. This is more out of cuiosity.

[jimfields33]

20. A lot of them are sitting in jail waiting trial

It would suck if some get 6 months but they’ve been in jail a year already.

[former9thward]

40. Who?

Only a very few are in jail.

[MagickMuffin]

17. Whew, that'll teach em. Maybe Leonard Pearson "Pearce" Ridge IV will try this again

I mean he broke into Speaker Pelosi's and Minority Leader McConnell's offices and said “I think we’re going to try to block the session of Congress,” you'd think that would receive a longer sentence than what he is receiving.


Perhaps daddy paid the "judge" a little visit with a little black briefcase full of cash.

And Leonard Pearson “Pearce” Ridge IV quit crying, put on your brand new big boy outfit (the jail will issue you one) and consider yourself very fortunate indeed.

[RAB910]

18. If we used that argument we could never jail another republican or Trump again

[jmbar2]

23. Enjoy the Nutraloaf!

&ab_channel=TheWolfePit

[inwiththenew]

25. 14 days lol

That should terrify anyone else thinking of committing insurrection in the future.

[JT45242]

26. Can find all the pitiful agreements here

[link:https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases|

This is the part that makes no sense

"13. Restitution
Your client acknowledges that the riot that occurred on January 6, 2021, caused as of May 17, 2021, approximately $1,495,326.55 damage to the United States Capitol. Your client agrees as part of the plea in this matter to pay restitution to the Architect of the Capitol in the amount of $500. "

The dollar amount seems awfully low for the cost of damage. Second, they only have about 1,000 people in their sights so each share is much more than $500. Plus this guy admitted to smashing through doors.

[GoCubsGo]

29. Crying over a light slap on the wrist?

Talk about a wuss.

[Initech]

31. 20 years old? His brain was fully developed. He knew damn well what he was doing.

These assholes need to fuck off.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

32. That wins understatement of the month for January.

What the hell did that lawyer propose to do, send him back to kindergarten?......


KY......

[Hassin Bin Sober]

35. Wow 14 whole days?

That’ll learn him!

[Aristus]

38. He's a Trumpster. I'm willing to concede that his brain is not fully developed.

But I don't think he should skate out of prison because of it.

[Bongo Prophet]

45. To paraphrase the American patriot Nathan Hale (it was 1776 you know):

"I only regret that I have but 2 weeks to lose for my country."

What a patriot.