SENTENCE: Jail time unwarranted

I imagine former Kootenai County Chief Deputy Clerk Sandra Martinson, who was recently convicted of stealing nearly $140,000 of taxpayer money over a 10-year period, was devastated when 1st District Judge Fred Gibler handed down such a harsh and punitive sentence of 90 days (about 70 days if she is a good prisoner) in the local jail.

Will she be able to endure serving time with such hard-core inmates who are serving similar sentences for driver license violations, petty theft and possession of small amounts of marijuana offenses?

Why couldn't the court show just a little mercy and allow her to serve time under "house arrest "or better yet by just participating in, say, a 40-hour work sentence program? Would not this be a more just sentence for a "white collar" felony offender holding a public trust position? Such unfair and inappropriate punishment!

RANDY BANKS

Hayden