By The Denver Post Editorial Board
POSTED: 08/31/2014 05:00:00 PM MDT
Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett surprised some observers last week when he asked Judge Patrick Butler to sentence a former police officer to prison for his role in killing an elk last year in a Boulder neighborhood.
Garnett said Sam Carter showed no remorse for his behavior and instead had been flippant and arrogant about his illegal conduct, which included tampering with physical evidence. So Garnett asked the court "to send a message about the seriousness of this case."
Fortunately, the judge declined to do so — no doubt in part because the message had already been sent. Carter has lost his job, will have to continue in life with felonies on his record, and will pay $10,200 in fines. That's hardly a slap on the wrist.
Whether sincere or not, Carter did show remorse at his sentencing, apologizing to Boulder citizens and to his former colleagues in law enforcement, which he called his family.
With his recent conviction, that occupation is now forever shut off to him — which is yet more evidence, of course, that a strong message was duly sent regarding what he did.
