Mr. Rich's attorney Ljungberg says, "He's not being punished because he robbed a bank; he's being punished because legislation was passed,"?

I disagree. He IS being punished because he is a convicted serial bank robber. His punishment may be overly severe because of the legislation, but don't totally dismiss the crime and the verdict because you disagree with the sentence.

It's because of attitudes like this in our legal system that we, the people, had to go to our legislators to enact mandatory sentences. If judges didn't take such egregious liberties with sentencing in the past we wouldn't have Mandetory Sentences.

Of course it would be better if we could leave this completely up to the judges, but they have broken our trust so many times these laws have become neccessary to protect us from judges who gradually become overly sympathetic in some cases.

I wish this man the very best inspite of the crimes he must pay for.

I think the senteceing was way too harsh i agree he needs to pay for what he did. But 57 years when he didnt physcly hurt anyone! But we have Rapest and child molesters getting out in 5-10 yrs! And murders that are realesed after 20 yrs. Peoples lifes should be more important than money but its not!