Welcome to the end times

[fccool]

I just ran a camera for Fox national news cast, and this was the story! The guy who was interviewed said that this is unprecedented. What do you think. Are we warming up to the idea that the "terrorists" do not have religious rights and liberties?

Quote:

With a lengthy and violent criminal record to his name, Pachino Hill is going to church.

Hill, 29, of Davenport was sentenced Wednesday by Scott County Associate Judge Christine Dalton to a counseling program offered by Third Missionary Baptist Church. She also ordered him to attend church there eight consecutive Sundays, to pay a fine and be on probation for one year.

If he doesn’t comply, he faces up to two years in prison for eluding and driving while barred. The charges are the result of a police chase from Rock Island to Davenport in October.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Dalton said of the counseling program plan presented to her by Hill’s attorney, Brenda Drew-Peeples, and supported by Rogers Kirk, pastor at Third Missionary. “I’m all about one more chance.”

The counseling program, Drew-Peeples said, is a chance for Hill to gain role models who are responsible men and are contributing to society.

“I believe God has a plan for Pachino Hill’s life, and I believe it’s coming to fruition,” she said.

Prosecutor Marc Gellerman did not object to the counseling program but did request that Hill attend church services.

“I would think that listening to Rev. Kirk every Sunday would be very beneficial for Mr. Hill,” Gellerman said, adding that Hill reaching out to Kirk “says a lot.”

Hill agreed to the counseling program and to attending church. Kirk will report to the court on Hill’s progress. A hearing is set for May 21.

However, Hill also faces charges in connection with the incident in Rock Island County. A plea hearing is set for today. Prosecutor Margaret Osborn will request jail time, she said.

Hill was driving a car with a broken headlight one night in October, down Fifth Street in Rock Island, testified Rock Island County Sheriff's Deputy Justin Chisholm. Chisholm turned around and attempted to stop the Dodge Neon that Hill was driving. Instead, Hill took off and headed for the Centennial Bridge.

Hill and Chisholm crossed the bridge, turned right onto 2nd Street in downtown Davenport, up Main Street, over to Brady Street and then onto 12th Street.

Chisholm lost sight of Hill and his passenger in his car. As he turned onto 12th Street, approaching Pershing Avenue, he spotted Hill and his passenger running from an alley. Police later recovered the Neon parked behind a house in the alley.

Chisholm chased the two on foot, east toward Iowa Avenue. Chisholm used his Taser to bring Hill to the ground. Hill was then arrested.

Hill was charged when he was 14 years old with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Lawrence Brown Johnson. He was accused of giving the gun used in the shooting to Clyde Edwards Jr.

Hill pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and terrorism. Hill was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

At the time, then-Scott County Attorney Bill Davis said: "If we had gone to trial and if Pachino were convicted of first-degree murder, he would have gotten life in prison." He thought that considering Hill's young age, the plea was appropriate.

"This is one of the few chances we get to do some good. We have two young men who still will have a chance at life if they decide to do some good," Davis said at the time.

In December 2002, Hill was one of three men charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a Davenport police officer. One of those bullets missed the head of the Cpl. Dennis Colclasure by six inches, police investigators said.

A lack of evidence caused Scott County prosecutors to drop those charges. Hill was convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon in connection with that incident, but a judge later ruled the evidence insufficient to charge him with any offense and dismissed the case.

In October 2004, Hill was arrested for helping Bryan Mitchell of Davenport leave the area of the fatal shooting of Grayling Church, 20, of Davenport. He also was accused of concealing the weapon and keeping witnesses from giving statements. He was found not guilty of that charge.

In March 2006, Hill was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a 28-year-old man in the thigh. He pleaded guilty to assault resulting in bodily injury and was sentenced to one year probation and a $250 fine.

It wasn’t long before Hill began being arrested again.

He was charged with child endangerment in April 2006, on a drug charge in July 2006 and a domestic assault charge in August 2006. That charge prompted a police search because he fled after hitting a former girlfriend in the forehead with a bottle and slashing two tires on her car.

He received probation for the child endangerment and drug charges. The domestic assault case was dismissed.

In July 2007, he led police on a chase during a traffic enforcement effort on the Centennial Bridge. He pleaded guilty to driving while barred and received probation. His probation was revoked because of the most recent chase. If he does not complete the terms of the sentenced imposed Wednesday, eight months will be added to the two-year prison sentence.

[John317]

I'm troubled by the court's ordering Pachino Hill to attend church, but I am sure that if Pachino objected to this part of his sentence, it would be easily reversed. There is nothing to indicate he has objections on grounds of religious freedom. Given the choice between the counseling and the attending of church or of being locked up for two years, I think he should consider himself fortunate to have such a compassionate judge. A lot of young men who have committed fewer crimes than Pachino has are locked up. He hasn't shown up to this point that he has taken any of his criminal violations seriously.

So it is a case of Pochino's having a very long criminal record and of being in obvious need of some radical changes in his moral values. No doubt he was lacking moral and spiritual guidance as he was growing up. At least none of it seemed to have "taken". So the court's desperation to find a solution is understandable.

I have no question but that Hill's only real chance of changing his life is through a spiritual conversion, but of course that has to come through his own choice and not by having it forced on him. Hopefully, however, this time he will realize the seriousness of his situation, and will open his ears so he will hear something in church that will make a lasting difference in his life. Otherwise he is likely to be looking at a long period of it waisted in prison or something far worse.

I don't think this can be interpreted as showing that the country is moving in the direction of not recognizing the religious rights of terrorists. These kinds of sentences have been used before in the United States. If the individual objects because it violates his religious freedom, the judge simply sentences him in a different way. But if I were Hill, I'd accept it, as he evidently has.

That having been said, I do think that there are other ways in which our beloved country has perhaps begun to show signs it is beginning to speak as a dragon (Rev. 13:11). That would make an interesting subject on a different thread maybe.

[fccool]

Oh, I have no doubt about the compassionate decision of the judge, and the possible benefits of attending a church and counseling over going to jail. That's why the case made national headlines.

Yet, this could be a precedent of a sort for other such "compassionate" actions. Let's be honest, if given a choice between attending church or going to jail... most obviously would choose church. It's not a choice really. So we have a legal force applied to attend church and try to fix the problems of society by means of making people to choose between jail (or could be a potential death penalty in his case) or church. Sounds familiar?

So, while I feel for that judge to give that guy a second chance, and I'm all for second chances... yet I have to consider this case in light of what we believe will eventually happen.

[John317]

Yes, I agree with you on that point. It's a good, important one. For sure these things will come in gradually and in a way that will catch many off guard.