Two Tales of Crime and Punishment

“Liberty and justice for all,” “Equal protection under the law” — Let’s have a look.

In the first instance:  You’re the owner of Toyo Automotive Parts factory in Franklin, Kentucky.  You’ve knowingly and willingly violated dozens of workers’ safety regulations, and this has caused one of your workers to get burned to death by flammable chemicals.

Your penalty?  At first it looks like you’ll be cited for sixteen violations, resulting in a fine of $105,500.  But don’t worry.  The Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Department of Workplace Standards will dither, drop the ball, and all of your penalties will simply vanish.  Poof.  Gone.

We hope you’ve learned your lesson and will provide safer conditions for your workerbees.  Or not.

On the other hand, if you’ve been skateboarding on the wrong side of the street, four LAPD inbreds will go all Rodney King on you.

Ronald Weekley, Jr., a 19-year-old college student, was either on the wrong side of the street or Skateboarding While Black.  He now has a broken nose, broken cheekbone and a concussion after being held down and pummeled by LA’s Finest.

The “Wanted:  Dead or Alive” list — i.e. the names of the four LAPD thugs — hasn’t been publicized yet.  It’s also not known whether any disciplinary action will be taken against them.

Is there ANYBODY in the LAPD whose parents AREN’T first cousins?