There is something very wrong with the judicial system when a judge can sentence a teenager to a 196 year prison term for mostly non-violent crimes with nary a peep from the community:

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Prosecutors said Friday that a Spartanburg teenager who pleaded guilty to burglary and robbery charges received a nearly 200-year prison sentence.

According to Principal Deputy Solicitor Barry Barnette, 19-year-old Cory Demond Linder pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree burglary, two counts of armed robbery and one count of possession of a pistol during a violent crime.

Barnette said Circuit Judge J. Mark Hayes II sentenced Linder to three 40-year sentences on the first degree burglary charges, two 30-year sentences for the armed robbery charges, a 15-year sentence for the second-degree burglary charge and another year-long sentence on the possession charge.

“The sentence should send a message to all criminals that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated in Spartanburg County,” Barnette said.

Linder’s sentences will run consecutively and must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for release, Barnette said.

This is absolutely obscene, and as far as I’m concerned, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.  Yes, the kid should serve some time for his crimes - no doubt - but sentencing him to life in prison, for stealing stuff with a gun?  If this had happened in Iran, we’d be beside ourselves with self-righteous outrage (and rightfully so, I might add). 

Our criminal justice system desperately needs reform, but there isn’t much electoral gain in “helping criminals,” so I’d do well not to hold my breath.