Lady Justice needs to get her scales checked.

Jarred Elwood, 39, pled guilty to sexually abusing a young girl from the time she was six until she was 14. Other than the Fox 4 piece, I cant find much reporting on the case. That lack of reporting in and of itself isn't unusual. The guy pled guilty, he goes away for a long time, case closed. Except that's not how this one played out. Elwood received 5 years........probation. That's right, 5 years probation, with a 10 year back up sentence. Fox 4 goes on to report that "Missouri Circuit Court Judge John Torrence, who receives excellent marks from the Missouri Bar Association, would not talk to FOX 4 on camera, but courthouse sources tell FOX 4 that he felt that if any sex offender deserved the intensive treatment that probation offers, it would be Elwood".


In lieu of going on a long tirade about what an inept Judge and all around douche bag Torrence is, lets just examine that statement about Elwood being deserving of probation, and the "intensive" treatment that probation offers, vs. prison time. Probation, as we all know is not really all that intensive. Sure they might have a foot in your neck for a year or so, but eventually if you fly right, there are no stipulations, no heavy restrictions. Prison on the other hand, in Missouri, requires sex offenders to complete Mo.SOP. We called the sex offender program, Jump School, as in Tree Jumper, which is a prison term for rapist or child molester. These guys were kept separated from the general population, the program was lengthy, the tree jumpers were scrutinized by the shrinks, and not allowed to complete the program until the shrinks were confident that they had jumped through the requisite hoops. so I'm calling bullshit on the judges contention that Probation was somehow a better treatment option than being locked up, kept in a fishbowl, and ostracised by the general population.


The judge said Elwood deserved a break. I looked Elwood up on case net. The judge in Elwood's divorce case stripped him of parental rights. He also didn't order child support, due to the assumption that Elwood was going to be incarcerated for a long time. Elwood is being or has been sued by a mortgage company, Ford Motor Credit, and a couple of landlords, all within the past couple of years. Not exactly a responsible guy, or one deserving of a break.


Who knows why Judge Torrance felt compelled to give this creep a break. Clearly the victim was not foremost in the mind of the judge. Torrance, not unlike child molester Elwood, wasn't concerned over the impact that 8 years of ongoing molestation has had, and will continue to have on the victim. You have to ask yourself if race influenced the judges decision. Maybe the judge routinely gives small time drug dealers probation as well. Somehow I think the judge has sentenced many a young black kid to lengthy prison terms, most judges do. Maybe the lawyer in the case was a golfing buddy, back room deals are common, so it's any ones guess. What is certain, justice wasn't even in the same vicinity the day the judge allowed this shit heel to walk free, totally disregarding the impact on the victim. The lengthy and ongoing abuse is a clear sign that this guy is a menace. The emotional and psychological impact will continue to effect this child for the remainder of her life. Five years probation vs. lasting and irrevocable scars. Justice needs to get her scales checked by weights and measures, the balance is way off.