I am on the tail-end of a criminal court case, as the victim, and would like the community to be aware of just how inefficient our judicial system can be.

The perpetrator in my case was a close friend for many years and for at least the past year, she was stealing from my business almost daily. She admitted in emails to stealing and plead "no contest" after her arrest. She has continued to spread falsities regarding the amount, circumstances and etc.. about the case to various people and just this week, her mother drove past my place of business, "flipping the bird" out her van window towards my outdoor customers. It was very classy.

Although she readily admitted stealing over $6000 to the first Sheriff she spoke with she had not come completely clean to me in our email exchanges. Within 24 hours she posted $5000 cash non refundable bail, had her court appearances over the past few months and last week was sentenced to 60 days in county jail, 500+ hours community service at our local trash refuse and disposal site, 5 years probation and restitution. The DA consulted with me as to my opinion and it all seemed appropriate.

Well, there's this thing called "1/2 time" at our county jail I've recently been made aware of and so it goes, 30 days, I guess... I'm still feeling okay with our system. Then, the day before she is scheduled to turn herself in at the jail, I am told she has been allowed house arrest with electronic monitoring. WHT? I don't understand how for one thing; the court system goes from being SO tightly scheduled to "oh, she was here yesterday and got electronic monitoring" and then secondly; her husband has been the sole breadwinner/custodial parent for some time now and she is allowed to stay out because she is working part time, 40+ miles away in another town. How necessary is that job? To anyone involved?

Now, in case you weren't aware, electronic monitoring for 2 months will cost her $1000 so we are almost over the amount of restitution she will most likely be ordered to pay (although not close to what I have lost). Her job earnings will pay her electronic monitoring fees and fuel costs, if she's lucky. Good for the county, I guess, their getting some money. The department in charge of the restitution also told me that not paying court ordered restitution is no longer a worthy probation violation but will go against her credit score eventually. Cause that's gonna bother her, right? I'm sure I'll run into her eventually, eating dinner at one of the local restaurants with a bad check still on the wall. There's no shame in her game so watch out Mariposa. A convicted criminal is still on the loose.

Karma will come around but in the meantime, I'm disappointed in the workings of our court system.


Sincerely,
Amy Eaton,

Pony Expresso Coffee House and Roastery
Mariposa, CA