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Quote:BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Birmingham man charged in the robbery and sexual assault of four UAB students is in custody.

Roderick Gaston, 27, surrendered to the Jefferson County Jail this morning. He is currently being booked into the jail.

Gaston is charged with 12 felony crimes: four counts of robbery, four counts of kidnapping and four counts of sodomy. His bond is set at $3 million.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index....cart_river

good to hear. We can only hope that this time ( apparently his 4th armed robbery in 5 years ) will net him some serious time behind bars; forever would be about right.

This piece of crap doesn't deserve to ever see the light of day again. This is one sick individual that has willingly surrendered his freedom for the price of violating others...

Glad to see his quick arrest. The greatest deterrent to crime is the CERTAINTY of arrest and punishment, not the severity of the punishment alone.

I have read that Alabama has more crimes punishable by death than other states, but still has a high incidence of those crimes, in part because so many go unsolved or the overcrowded prison / county jails situation causes authorities to avoid that punishment as much as possible in order to avoid court cases.

I have seen this guy on UAB campus/hospital grounds before. I may be wrong but I think he used to be employed at the hospital. Anyway, if it's him, I'm glad they got him ...If guilty...#ThrowAwayTheKey

(10-21-2014 01:55 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Glad to see his quick arrest. The greatest deterrent to crime is the CERTAINTY of arrest and punishment, not the severity of the punishment alone.

I have read that Alabama has more crimes punishable by death than other states, but still has a high incidence of those crimes, in part because so many go unsolved or the overcrowded prison / county jails situation causes authorities to avoid that punishment as much as possible in order to avoid court cases.

What? Authorities avoid seeking the death penalty as punishment (as much as possible) in order to avoid court cases? And over crowded jails play a part in their decision, as well?

You got some 'splainin' to do Lucy.

(10-21-2014 05:22 PM)Matrix Wrote:  I have seen this guy on UAB campus/hospital grounds before. I may be wrong but I think he used to be employed at the hospital. Anyway, if it's him, I'm glad they got him ...If guilty...#ThrowAwayTheKey

A friend sent me a copy of a facebook post, where several people recognized this animal from the UAB camera shots (prior to his arrest) but said they wouldn't turn him in. The "don't snitch" mantra must be still going strong.

Really sad.

(10-22-2014 05:29 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 05:22 PM)Matrix Wrote:  I have seen this guy on UAB campus/hospital grounds before. I may be wrong but I think he used to be employed at the hospital. Anyway, if it's him, I'm glad they got him ...If guilty...#ThrowAwayTheKey

A friend sent me a copy of a facebook post, where several people recognized this animal from the UAB camera shots (prior to his arrest) but said they wouldn't turn him in. The "don't snitch" mantra must be still going strong.

Really sad.

You're right...That's pathetic, telling you, man, if I had a name to go with the likenesses I'd seen on those surveillance cameras, I would have called "Crimestoppers" faster than you can "Go Blazers!" Damn that "don't snitch" crap, I'd turn ******** like this in if I had the information that would lead to an arrest. **** that! It's ignorant mantras like this "don't snitch" garbage that give criminals like this opportunity to hurt or God forbid, kill someone, but I bet the morons that adhere to this mindset wouldn't be so eager to embrace it if it was one of their loved ones being victimized by this *******!!!! Stupid is as stupid does!!! #TurnThemIn

(10-22-2014 05:29 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 05:22 PM)Matrix Wrote:  I have seen this guy on UAB campus/hospital grounds before. I may be wrong but I think he used to be employed at the hospital. Anyway, if it's him, I'm glad they got him ...If guilty...#ThrowAwayTheKey

A friend sent me a copy of a facebook post, where several people recognized this animal from the UAB camera shots (prior to his arrest) but said they wouldn't turn him in. The "don't snitch" mantra must be still going strong.

Really sad.

In my mind that makes those people criminals as well. Someone should forward that post to the UAB police and let those ignorant so and so's face obstruction charges.

"Don't snitch" people tend to sing a different tune when it's someone close to them that has been harmed.

(10-22-2014 08:24 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(10-22-2014 05:29 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 05:22 PM)Matrix Wrote:  I have seen this guy on UAB campus/hospital grounds before. I may be wrong but I think he used to be employed at the hospital. Anyway, if it's him, I'm glad they got him ...If guilty...#ThrowAwayTheKey

A friend sent me a copy of a facebook post, where several people recognized this animal from the UAB camera shots (prior to his arrest) but said they wouldn't turn him in. The "don't snitch" mantra must be still going strong.

Really sad.

In my mind that makes those people criminals as well. Someone should forward that post to the UAB police and let those ignorant so and so's face obstruction charges.

A case could probably be made since they wrote it down publicly. Grab a screenshot before it disappears.

Even if the charges don't stick, because accused of something and having the cops come ask you some questions probably freaks you out a little.

(10-22-2014 05:24 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 01:55 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Glad to see his quick arrest. The greatest deterrent to crime is the CERTAINTY of arrest and punishment, not the severity of the punishment alone.

I have read that Alabama has more crimes punishable by death than other states, but still has a high incidence of those crimes, in part because so many go unsolved or the overcrowded prison / county jails situation causes authorities to avoid that punishment as much as possible in order to avoid court cases.

What? Authorities avoid seeking the death penalty as punishment (as much as possible) in order to avoid court cases? And over crowded jails play a part in their decision, as well?

You got some 'splainin' to do Lucy.

Are you aware the Alabama prison system is right now sweating the possibility of a federal lawsuit because of overcrowded facilities? They are already operating at upward of 187% (and growing) of designed capacity and know that in other states convict releases have been ordered in similar cases. If you think this condition is not part of the Corrections department thinking - and the court system that has been cut back by legislative ("cost savings") actions is unaware - you are kidding yourself.

Add to that the growing use of Alabama's county jails as replacements for closed mental health facilities so they are currently holding a number of violent and nonviolent mentally ill persons with no place to move them while they also must hold state prisoners for the same (above) reasons. Warehousing prisoners for longer and longer sentences mean fewer and fewer open places to put the new ones.

Alabama needs to build over 6 new prisons just for those we already have locked away, and we can't afford those we have in place now.

(10-23-2014 12:01 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(10-22-2014 05:24 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 01:55 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Glad to see his quick arrest. The greatest deterrent to crime is the CERTAINTY of arrest and punishment, not the severity of the punishment alone.

I have read that Alabama has more crimes punishable by death than other states, but still has a high incidence of those crimes, in part because so many go unsolved or the overcrowded prison / county jails situation causes authorities to avoid that punishment as much as possible in order to avoid court cases.

What? Authorities avoid seeking the death penalty as punishment (as much as possible) in order to avoid court cases? And over crowded jails play a part in their decision, as well?

You got some 'splainin' to do Lucy.

Are you aware the Alabama prison system is right now sweating the possibility of a federal lawsuit because of overcrowded facilities? They are already operating at upward of 187% (and growing) of designed capacity and know that in other states convict releases have been ordered in similar cases. If you think this condition is not part of the Corrections department thinking - and the court system that has been cut back by legislative ("cost savings") actions is unaware - you are kidding yourself.

Add to that the growing use of Alabama's county jails as replacements for closed mental health facilities so they are currently holding a number of violent and nonviolent mentally ill persons with no place to move them while they also must hold state prisoners for the same (above) reasons. Warehousing prisoners for longer and longer sentences mean fewer and fewer open places to put the new ones.

Alabama needs to build over 6 new prisons just for those we already have locked away, and we can't afford those we have in place now.

Government employees can now be sued personally for actions taken within their official duties...perhaps it's time to make judges and others who think releasing this and similar creeps face the music when they commit future crimes during the time they should be incarcerated. Regarding the Feds, states choose to ignore them all the time with little or no consequence...perhaps this is the time to use a literal interpretaion of the establishment clause and tell them to take a flying leap...

are you talking about the Suttles vs Roy case? I think a state employee still has immunity from a law suit IF they are acting with in the bounds of their job.

(10-23-2014 01:18 PM)Blazer Engineer Wrote:  are you talking about the Suttles vs Roy case? I think a state employee still has immunity from a law suit IF they are acting with in the bounds of their job.

Not sure about state employees...but Federal employees are definitely subject to legal action. It was passed several years ago (maybe 5) after the FBI knocked down the door at the wrong address and IRS agents were using threats and intimidation tactics during audits.

That may be the case for feds.

(10-23-2014 06:37 AM)Smaug Wrote:  "Don't snitch" people tend to sing a different tune when it's someone close to them that has been harmed.

Yes! I have seen this occur. Amazing how they don't wanna get involved but if something happens to them and you seen it, they want you to tell and if you espouse the same views as they when the burden of involvement is on them. Those are the ones that inspire "Attalla's Creed"..."I wouldn't p*ss down their throat if their guts were on fire!"

On a slightly similar note, a female student at UAT was just kidnapped and, fortunately, escaped.

There is something about glass houses I'd like to share with some Bama fans about now.