A Tsk-Tsk, a Casket

A Georgia judge has ordered a drug offender to buy a coffin and display it in his home as a reminder of the fate that awaits him if he continues using cocaine. "Some people may think this is silly," the judge conceded. But some no doubt think it's a brilliant idea, especially if this behavior modification technique can be extended to smoking, drinking, overeating, and other potentially deadly habits.

[Thanks to Allen St. Pierre for the link.]

Comments

[Mark S.]

Someone ought to send this his honor (and I use the term loosely) a copy of Jacob's book.

[Mark S.]

Someone ought to send his honor (and I use the term loosely) a copy of Jacob's book.

[Mark S.]

Sorry about the double post.

[Gene Berkman]

A judge forcing the guy to buy a coffin might be bad, but it is not quite like being sodomized with a nightstick.

[Head Scratcher]

Coffins have been long used in the cocaine smuggling ring. Hmmm, why does the pentagon really prohibit flag draped coffins from being photographed? Is there something coming back from Afghanistan that we are not supposed to know about?

[Jennifer]

Sooner or later the guy's gonna die regardless of how much fun he has in the meantime. Personally, I'd pull a Sarah Bernhardt--buy the most luxurious coffin you can find and sleep in it.

[Walter Wallis]

The judge hs an excellent idea. I shall purchase a case of Glenvidich to display in my living room.

[Mo]

Does he have to put one in his garage too? Right next to the car? Better yet, make him drive a hearse so he can have a constant reminder of the deadly danger of .... driving.

[Mark S.]

Not to drag the thread off topic, but could someone explain to me the point of making coffin's "comfortable?" You're dead! You can't feel a thing. A cardboard refriderator box would be just as useful, and probably more biodegradable than a stained mahogany casket with a plush interior.

When I die, just donate my organs and sell the rest of my carcass for fertilizer. Use the proceeds to put a nice memorial plaque somewhere. That's all I ask.

[Jennifer]

Mark S.
Coffins, and all funereal accessories, are for the benefit of the living, not the dead. At least, that's the explanation I always get when asking similar questions.

[Gunnar Hegel]

The poor slob could've gotten the full seven years in prison. I think this is a step in the right direction.

[Rick Barton]

The Eighth Amendment of U.S. Constitution: ...nor shall cruel and unusual punishments be inflicted.

Shame on this Judge! Who or what in the Hell does he think he is? Judge Sidney Nation should be removed from the bench. Also, the use of cocaine (or any drug) shouldn't even be illegal. But, that's another blog thread.

If anyone wants to tell him that no government official is above the constitution of our republic, here is some contact info:

Calendar Clerk for Superior Court Chief Judge Sidney Nation:
770-918-6300 Fax: [phone]
Superior Court Justice Information Center: 770-929-4023

[db]

This is definitely an unusual punishment. I don't think it could stand.

That said, if I had this punishment placed on me, I'd make such a joke out of it. I'd make it the funniest coffin ever, and display it publicly on my lawn, just to make a laughingstock of the judge.

[Jennifer]

Does anyone remember those little plastic coffins you used to be able to buy around Halloween, filled with tiny candy skulls and vampire bats and the like? I wonder if the manufacturer could be persuaded to do a custom job.

[Jens]

My understanding is that punishments are unconstitutional if they are crual and unusual. That is, unusual punishments are permissible if they are not cruel, and cruel punishments are allowed if they are not unusual.

[kevrob]

Now, if you placed a waterproof liner in the coffin, you could make a really neat beer cooler!

*chuckle*

I know that there is probably a "thou shalt not possess any alcohol" rule for someone on probation or parole for an "illegal substance" violation, but it would be a great conversation piece at a party. You could even put a "don't drink and drive" bumpersticker on it.

Kevin

[Douglas Fletcher]

I suppose it would make a great piggy bank.

It might work just as well to have someone give the guy a swift kick in the ass once a week on the courthouse steps.

[Bill]

Um...perhaps it's a bit impolite to mention, but the casket will also serve as a reminder of where this drug offender will end up even if he DOES change his ways.

Despite the best efforts of crusading judges, the cokeheads, smokers, drinkers, and even the abstainers like me all end up that way sooner or later.

[SteveInClearwater]

Pssst, shocking secret the drug prohibitionists won't tell you...Cocaine is not all that risky in terms of lethal potential.

Given that we have between 1 to 3 million Americans who use cocaine and probably a third of those use regularly, there's literally several billion 'doses' annually, yet we only lose about 3000 people a year to death from cocaine ingestion.

And much of that is likely exacerbated by the product being so impure and often filled with additives.

The drug education folks would do themselves and potential cocaine users a favor if they would just let folks know the biggest danger of excessive cocaine use.

And that is (as DHEX noted in other thread) you will become a boring, annoying person that no one wants to be around. You will lose weight, your teeth will suffer and after a while life just pretty much sucks more often than not.

Oh and the fellas should just be told that given active use, blood pressure drops just enough that 90% or more peckers have a real problem achieving that Enzyte moment, if ya know what I mean and I think ya do.

Now that doesn't mean you won't TRY to make something happen, for oh, about TEN HOURS STRAIGHT...but best o' luck, chuck....

[Mark S.]

Jennifer: When you say that caskets and funereal accessories are for the "benefit of the living" are you talking about the families, or the undertakers? 😉

[just a girl]

I have a feeling that Judge Nation was pulling from a personal experience with this sentence...don't judge him too harshly