Two Justice Systems

So Paris Hilton served three whole days before the kindly sheriff sent her home with some new jewelry - an electronic monitoring device - because of medical issues.

Citing sources close to Hilton's family, the syndicated TV show Entertainment Tonight reported on its website that the health problem was a rash that she developed on her body.

I suppose its better that they keep herpes away from the general prison population.

But I was thinking about this story as I was reading over the love letters that the many friends and acquaintances of Scooter Libby sent to the judge. I kept reading that Scooter is a well-loved man, helpful to all, a man of the highest integrity. And I just couldn't quite figure out why that should give him a lower sentence. If anything, the leaders of society, the movers and shakers, the public servants - if anything, those pillars of the community who breach the public trust should get sentences even more severe.

I'm glad that Scooter got a hefty sentence - hopefully he won't develop a rash and have to serve his sentence at home, too. It would be just terrible if people got the idea that there is one justice system for the regular man, and another one for the wealthy and connected.