Comments about ‘Wanda Barzee sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, gets scolding from Elizabeth Smart's mother’

Geez, that was fast (sarcasm)! It takes them 7 1/2 years to sentence her? I hate how "high profile" crimes, get dragged on for years. Wanda and Brian, were caught red-handed. They manipulate the system and get a cushy "State Mental Hospital" living arrangement. She was a willing, of sound mind participant in the crime. I do not care what anyone says. This is a slap in the face, to the victims. It just prolongs justice and healing for the victims. I guess we do not want the "accuseds'" civil rights infringed upon. I guess their rights, are more important, then the victims.

@ Metamatics - The reason why it took so long is the proper groundwork had to be laid for this case. Otherwise, on appeal, her case would have been thrown out of court and they would have had to start from square one again. Either way - it is a long road of endurance.

Given that she has pleaded guilty and is just going up for sentencing says alot to the fact that she does want to get on with the punishment phase. Mitchell is self serving, and deserves a harder sentence because of all the angst he has caused the Smart family - especially Elizabeth. Life in prison ought to do it.

It took years and years to fiGuire this out..

After ElizabethSmart is now out of School and moving on with her life~

The constitutional right to a speedy trial has been ignored and mocked for years. She should have had her trial and sentencing within 2 months of her arrest. Over 7 years is absurd. While she should obviously be removed from society in one way or another the horrid think is there are innocent people the system destroys for years before they are allowed a trial to be free.

I understand your point...I just feel that it is an injustice to Elizabeth. I know Elizabeth is a strong girl, who is not letting this ruin her life and she is not playing the role of a "victim". However, I still feel, both Brian and Wanda need to be held accountable for their crime. The fact they were able to live in the foothills behind her home, while people were out there looking for her, indicates that they are intelligent. They were so smart, they stayed in SLC and flew under the radar. That doesn't jive to me. If you are mentally ill, you make mistakes. His ego got him caught. The insanity defense is used to loosely. I will not doubt that people actually are insane, when they commit murder...however, it seems more people, like Brian Mitchell and Nathan Sloop are wasting our time and money, trying to avoid prosecution. But Brian should be sentenced to life, for the kidnapping, and for wasting taxpayer money and for claiming to be insane, so he avoids prison.

@Metamatics I AGREE

As I too lived here SALTLAKE followed this story of Elizabeth missing from her house..Mitchell is nothing but pedophile.
Amazing many YEARS to get him finally charged after his faked mental Breakdown court apperances!
As his wife got a pleaBargain for a waiting game.
This case is soaked up dragged thru the mud..

I don't think the State Mental Hospital is very "cushy" but Barzee was made "competent" by her stay there, with medication. Her cooperation and guilty plea are a good start.

Look at what a different person she has become. She looks better. I think she has to feel better about herself now even though she is locked up. She was a victim of Mitchel too. He used her. Her played her and got her to do things because he knew how to use her. He deserves more punishment and I hope he gets it.

She does look alot better then before now going to prison for 15 years)
what does her lame husband get-LIFE best for him get off the street What a ugly story!

If Barzee lived in Hurricane, she could have murdered 3 people and got a sentence of less than a year. So much for Utah justice.

Re: WMB5-- "she looks better." Really? Are you serious? I swear each time I see a picture of Barzee I hear the "Twilight Zone" theme song!! The old adage "the lights on but no one's home" has new meaning. Let's not start painting her as "the victim" in this sickening crime. I work in the court system and have heard many victim impact speeches. From what's printed in this article, Lois Smart went easy on her.

I wonder if God accepts the insanity defense. I kinda sorta doubt it.

Part of me wants to execute people who do things like this because they deserve it; however, if we make the punishment for rape and/or kidnapping identical to murder then what incentive would the perp have to let their victims live,and possibly become a witness?

I like the line in "Second Hand Lions"; where the decide to nurse the lion back to health; "And then we'll kill it."

I for one would like to see a Guilty but Insane plea. If found insane they nurse you back to health and then try you for your crimes as if you had never been insane.

I like accountability.

Long Live Elizabeth Smart.
Can't say the same for Mitchell or Barzee.

"I wonder if God accepts the insanity defense?" asked The Rock at 12:57.

The answer is yes, thank goodness! It isn't called insanity but goes by the name of 'mercy', 'grace', and falls under the umbrella of the Atonement.

Perhaps you've heard of it.

I'm glad that some closure is happening finally. I just hope that parents in the future will not be so trusting as to invite strangers to work at their home. The safety of our families and especially our children must come first. Yes, blatant crimes were committed here, but they may also have been preventable. I realize that the Smart family has been through enough and does not need to be judged here, and no one can control the minds and actions of other people, but we can safeguard our families but not inviting strangers into our homes. We often tell our children to be wary of and not talk to strangers; sometimes adults need to follow the same advice.

You've got to be kidding me "LiberalEastCoastMember".

No God is ok with stuff like Rape, Murder, or things to that level.

I'm sure small lies, saying hurtful things, and other small things like that can be covered through "mercy", "grace", as you put from the Atonement and repentance.

Those things in the middle are harder to say what the Atonement will cover.

But in know why is Rape or Murder ok. Sorry only those bad people would even think the Atonement would make those things ok. If it really did what would be wrong with going around raping or murdering people.

@ LiberalEastCoastMember

Yes, I have heard of, and experienced the things you mentioned. I also believe that God does not divide along the lines of sane and insane, it is more like accountable and unaccountable.

If a person is accountable they will be held accountable. When man starts to try to determine who is accountable and who is not, we get into a very gray area. Yes, there are people who clearly are not accountable, the rest gets pretty tough for mortal men to determine. If man's mind was simple enough for us to understand, we couldn't! There is a reason that God is the eternal judge and we are not.

I think that it is quite clear that many attempt to use the insanity defense when it simply does not apply.

Maidenwings - I was thinking the same thing, apparently incarceration is like getting a makeover.

I'm glad this woman finally got her due.

Haven't been following this much lately ... but Lois dropped a few pegs in my eyes. Haven't been through her trials and, not knowing the tone of any conversations taking place between the Smarts and Barzee, I don't know if any request for forgiveness was offered and, if so, was sincere. While reading this, the story about the Lady who lost her sister in a WWII prison camp and the Prison guard given at the last conference popped into my mind. Barzee had the Gospel at some point prior to her actions. Maybe that's a big enough difference (between Barzee and the guard) in the stories. I hope the Smarts ... all of them ... will eventually heal. I'm quite impressed with Elizabeth

Seven years does not seem like a long enough sentence. 25 years seems to better fit the crime.