(AP) — A Wyoming man who was twice convicted for unlawfully buying vehicles in Nebraska has been sentenced to prison.
Court records say 53-year-old Thomas Merchant, of Cheyenne, Wyo., on Wednesday was given 12 to 26 years in prison and credited with more than two years already served.
Merchant had been granted a second trial by the Nebraska Supreme Court in March. The court said trial testimony by the director of Nebraska’s Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board effectively “instructed the jury on how to make its decision of Merchant’s guilt.”
Merchant originally was convicted last year. Prosecutors say Merchant bought 19 vehicles from the Nebraska Auto Auction in June 2011. The business said the checks Merchant wrote for the vehicles bounced and that Merchant included a fake dealer’s license number on paperwork.
Q: 12-26 years, do you think that is an excessive sentence or do you think the time fits the crime? (Let us know your thoughts, post a comment)
That’s more time than most child molesters, bank robbers, burglars & rapists get!
My thoughts exactly. Didn’t I just see a child molester of her foster child get 18 months probation! Nebraska needs to get their heads on straight for the punishment fitting the crime.
The most disturbing part of this story is the following sentance: “The court said trial testimony by the director of Nebraska’s Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board effectively “instructed the jury on how to make its decision of Merchant’s guilt.'” The jury is never to be instructed on how to rule, that is why they are the jury. We need more people to learn about jury nullification. We the people ARE the highest law in the land and can throw out laws that are unjust by the process of nullification. Please people wake up and find out how we can get our country back.