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Yep, tx, i know juries don't set sentences and judges follow guidelines.
I was just wondering if "jury of car driving peers" VS a country with no jury system means harsher sentences.
As the Netherlands gets touted on "how to do it". It would be interesting to compare sentencing/convictions, it may be tricky though.
JWestland
Juries have no bearing on the sentence, unless they only find the defendant guilty of a lesser offence with lower sentencing guidelines.
Judges have sentencing guidelines which they are supposed to follow, but they do have some leeway to depart from these. They also take into account mitigating factors, and in this case it seems the defendant's contrition might have helped reduce the sentence. As well as the fact that he was in a car, which means you generally have a get-out-of-jail-free card.