Courthouse marriage complete with reception and life sentence

Gisellerina · October 2013

Synopsis: Judge sentences defendant to 53 years to life for murder, then marries the defendant and his fiancee, then provides wedding cake before the defendant goes to prison.

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_gives_murderer_53_years_to_life_then_marries_him_and_provides_cake/?utm_source=maestro&sc_cid=131002AV&utm_campaign=weekly_email&utm_medium=email

This is probably the most unusual wedding and reception I have ever heard of. What about everyone else?

Dreamergirl8812 · October 2013

http://www.10news.com/news/convicted-killer-danne-desbrow-talks-to-10news-about-courtroom-wedding-100313

It's gross but it is their right.

Teddy917 · October 2013

Dreamergirl8812 said:
http://www.10news.com/news/convicted-killer-danne-desbrow-talks-to-10news-about-courtroom-wedding-100313

It's gross but it is their right.

How is it gross?

I don't see why the victim's family is mad. Maybe doing it on the day of the sentencing was not the best idea. But he has every right to be happy. He made a mistake, but we all do; the fact that his is a large one doesn't mean we should take away his right to be happy. And what about his wife? Doesn't she deserve to be happy and be married to the father of her son? Why should that right be taken away just because he made a mistake?

Sorry for the rant. I just am really vocal about topics that I care about.

MobKaz · October 2013

I hope if cake was served, the ceremony was performed during a non-meal time.

monkeysip · October 2013

Teddy917 said:

http://www.10news.com/news/convicted-killer-danne-desbrow-talks-to-10news-about-courtroom-wedding-100313

It's gross but it is their right.
How is it gross? I don't see why the victim's family is mad. Maybe doing it on the day of the sentencing was not the best idea. But he has every right to be happy. He made a mistake, but we all do; the fact that his is a large one doesn't mean we should take away his right to be happy. And what about his wife? Doesn't she deserve to be happy and be married to the father of her son? Why should that right be taken away just because he made a mistake? Sorry for the rant. I just am really vocal about topics that I care about.

I'm sorry, but really?

This guy murdered someone. I'm not saying he doesn't have a right to be married (certainly that is his legal right), but it is a big understatement to say combining the wedding and the sentencing together was "not the best idea"

Imagine if someone murdered your loved one. You go to their trial, and then you go to the sentencing, hoping to see justice served. You're relieved when this person is sentenced to prison, but then his fiancee comes out and the judge marries them? And SERVES THEM CAKE?

Again, legally, it is their right to be married. But given the fact that he was convicted of MURDER, I can very well see why the victims' family wouldn't want to see this joyous occasion right after the sentencing.

Teddy917 · October 2013

monkeysip said:

Teddy917 said:

Dreamergirl8812 said:
http://www.10news.com/news/convicted-killer-danne-desbrow-talks-to-10news-about-courtroom-wedding-100313

It's gross but it is their right.
How is it gross?

I don't see why the victim's family is mad. Maybe doing it on the day of the sentencing was not the best idea. But he has every right to be happy. He made a mistake, but we all do; the fact that his is a large one doesn't mean we should take away his right to be happy. And what about his wife? Doesn't she deserve to be happy and be married to the father of her son? Why should that right be taken away just because he made a mistake?

Sorry for the rant. I just am really vocal about topics that I care about.

I'm sorry, but really?

This guy murdered someone. I'm not saying he doesn't have a right to be married (certainly that is his legal right), but it is a big understatement to say combining the wedding and the sentencing together was "not the best idea"

Imagine if someone murdered your loved one. You go to their trial, and then you go to the sentencing, hoping to see justice served. You're relieved when this person is sentenced to prison, but then his fiancee comes out and the judge marries them? And SERVES THEM CAKE?

Again, legally, it is their right to be married. But given the fact that he was convicted of MURDER, I can very well see why the victims' family wouldn't want to see this joyous occasion right after the sentencing.

I agree she could've timed it better. But the article did say that the victim's family was sent out first. I can definitely see the victim's family's point of view. But I also don't see why people are mad that a criminal got married. He deserves to be just as happy as any of the rest of us.

Teddy917 · October 2013

I can see your point Gina. I agree that what the judge did was a major breach of ethics. I just compare it to any of us making mistakes (a long stretch I know). We still deserve happiness. Plus his wife did nothing wrong (unless you are one of those people against having a child out of wedlock, which I do but is neither here nor there). She wanted to marry the man she loved and the father of her child. Should SHE be denied happiness because HE made a mistake? Even if you believe that criminals don't deserve happiness, she is a normal, law-abiding (I'm assuming) citizen, so if we deserve happiness, so does she.

JaneAustensGhost · October 2013

Taking away his right to be happy? Where is that right in the Constitution? He could "pursue happiness" but that isn't being curbed; he can also pursue happiness in prison.

Teddy917 · October 2013

But if they refused to let him marry, then it is curbing his pursuit of happiness.

WinstonsGirl · October 2013

Teddy917 said:

But if they refused to let him marry, then it is curbing his pursuit of happiness.

How is this any different for anyone who is gay/lesbian and can't get married in a bunch of different states??

ETA - I'm not harping on you Teddy, just pointing out that the constitution doesn't seem to apply to everyone already

Teddy917 · October 2013

WinstonsGirl said:

Teddy917 said:

But if they refused to let him marry, then it is curbing his pursuit of happiness.

How is this any different for anyone who is gay/lesbian and can't get married in a bunch of different states??

ETA - I'm not harping on you Teddy, just pointing out that the constitution doesn't seem to apply to everyone already

I agree that the constitution doesn't apply to everyone yet. But we (generic we) should try to take steps to make it apply to as many people as possible and eventually hopefully everyone.

RebeccaB88 · October 2013

My brain is stuck on how ANYONE can define the purposeful TAKING OF ANOTHER HUMAN LIFE as a "mistake". Killing someone. Murder. Causing that person and his friends and family the misery of losing him in a violent, disgusting way, enduring the hell of his murder trial, and then living the rest of their lives without him, and all you can say is that he made a MISTAKE????? You're going to defend him like that? You're just brushing it off as if he'd oversalted his soup or washed a red shirt with his white load. That's a mistake. Not premeditated murder. And then you have the gall to defend his right to be happy???? HAPPY?

I'm disgusted.

He may have the legal right to get married, true. But committing murder and being sentenced to your just punishment for doing so is not about your right to be happy. None of us have the right to happiness, because happiness is all about what you make of things. We are in charge of our own happiness. Anyone who does what he did is voluntarily signing away any chance he should be given for happiness. He made a choice. He has to live with it now. No one says anyone has to make him happy. He has not earned happiness. And personally, I don't believe he deserves it. Not after what he did.

The judge should be disbarred. Shameful and disgusting breach of ethics. I hope the family of the murdered man files just such a suit.

I'm not even going to touch what kind of woman would voluntarily marry a convicted murderer. Her choice, her right, and her life to live after she does it. I hope she's satisfied (but I don't care if she's happy or not.)

NavyBlue143 · October 2013

Plenty of Constitutional rights don't apply to felons. They lose their right to own a firearm and the right to vote. That is the price you pay for violating societal norms. I think losing the right to marry while incarcerated should be something else you suffer. Once you "pay your debt to society" sure, whatever, but my tax dollars already pay for you to have cable and wifi.

Blue_Bird · October 2013

I don't care that a criminal got married. I'm disgusted that the JUDGE who just sentenced him basically slapped the murder victim's family in the face. She baked them a cake, really? Directly after the sentencing. It was horrible judgement and a breach of ethics in my opinion. She made her true feelings about the situation crystal clear.

cordsniper · October 2013

I saw a defendant ask to marry his "fiance" right after accepting an 11 year plea deal The judge refused to do the ceremony and told his fiance that she could do better and should move on.

erinlin25 · October 2013

who the hell marries a murderer!? That would be a deal breaker for sure. And I agree that it was disrespectful to marry them right after sentencing. Criminal vs. Murderer is not the same thing. Tax dollars well at work, FML

MyNameIsNot · October 2013

I don't get why anyone cares. You don't forfeit the right to be married when you commit a crime, not even murder. Denying him a marriage won't bring back the victim and it wouldn't make the family sleep any better at night. Why should the family even care? They should be focused on their own grieving, not revenge.

I usually don't understand the vengeance from victim's families. My brother was killed (in a homicide, but not murder) by a friend. While I wanted the friend to be appropriately punished, I would never begrudge him the right to get married and live his life. In fact, I went to his wedding.

I do think the bride is an idiot. You can't have a very happy marriage with someone who you have to talk to through glass.

Teddy917 · October 2013

MyNameIsNot said:
I don't get why anyone cares. You don't forfeit the right to be married when you commit a crime, not even murder. Denying him a marriage won't bring back the victim and it wouldn't make the family sleep any better at night. Why should the family even care? They should be focused on their own grieving, not revenge.

I usually don't understand the vengeance from victim's families. My brother was killed (in a homicide, but not murder) by a friend. While I wanted the friend to be appropriately punished, I would never begrudge him the right to get married and live his life. In fact, I went to his wedding.

I do think the bride is an idiot. You can't have a very happy marriage with someone who you have to talk to through glass.

This is exactly how I see it. Except for the last part.

Courthouse marriage complete with reception and life sentence

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