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County Attorney Tom Kelly to Give Talk on Sentencing Guidelines at STMA Rotary
Wright County Attorney Tom Kelly wants the public to be aware that when someone has been charged with a crime that has a 10 year maximum sentence, they could be out on the street in as little as 12 months due to sentencing guidelines. Mr. Kelly will address this issue during a presentation on “Reality in the Criminal Justice System,” 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the St. Michael-Albertville Rotary Club meeting in the Crow-Hassan Senior Center in St. Michael.
“Unless you have been charged with a crime or have been a victim you may be unaware of the guidelines and how they affect a sentence in criminal court,” Kelly said. “A statutory crime that calls for a sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine does not necessarily mean that is what the individual will receive because of the sentencing guidelines. In fact, the ‘reality’ in some cases is that the maximum time served is 18 months and after good time only 12 months. Twelve months is a far cry from 10 years in prison. I think it is important to raise the public awareness regarding sentencing guidelines. When you hear on the TV that someone has been charged with a crime and if convicted could be sentenced to 10 years or 20 years, take it with a grain of salt. It might not be ‘reality.’”
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Elected Wright County Attorney in 1998, Kelly has been with the Wright County Attorney’s office since 1984. He served as chief of the Criminal Division from 1990-1998. A resident of Buffalo, Kelly has been married for 32 years and has two adult children.
The St. Michael-Albertville Rotary Club meets at 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays in the Crow River Senior Center at the St. Michael City Center, 11800 Town Center Drive, St. Michael, Minn. Guests are always welcome. For more information about joining STMA Rotary, visit http://www.stmarotary.org or call 763-428-2921.
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About St. Michael-Albertville Rotary
Rotary is a unique organization that stresses “service over self.” It focuses on helping citizens in our community as well as addressing the world-wide challenges of disease, literacy, starvation and clean water. The St. Michael-Albertville Rotary meets at 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays in the Crow River Senior Center at the new St. Michael City Center. For more information, visit www.stmarotary.org or call 763-428-2921.
