Man who slapped baby on plane receives prison sentence

[spaminator]

Man who slapped baby on plane receives prison sentence
David Beasley, Reuters
First posted: Monday, January 06, 2014 01:52 PM EST | Updated: Monday, January 06, 2014 02:05 PM EST
ATLANTA - A former aerospace executive who slapped a crying toddler on an airplane and used a racial slur against the child, who is black, received an eight-month prison sentence on Monday for an incident his attorney blamed on his alcoholism.
Joe Rickey Hundley, who apologized in court to the child's mother, was accused of striking the 19-month-old boy in the face on board a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta last February.
Hundley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in October. Prosecutors had sought a six-month prison sentence, but the federal judge opted for a stiffer punishment.
"I'm very sorry," Hundley told the child's mother during the court hearing in Atlanta. "I made the most terrible day in my life much worse for myself and others."
Hundley's attorney has said her client had flown to Atlanta to remove his dying son from life support after an insulin overdose and was emotionally distraught. She also blamed his alcoholism for his behavior on the flight.
The child's mother previously said Hundley was belligerent and seemed intoxicated during the flight. He used a racial slur when the child started crying as the plane descended.
The baby is black and his adoptive mother, Jessica Bennett of Minneapolis, is white. Hundley also is white.
Hundley was fired from his executive position at AGC Aerospace & Defense after the slapping incident, his attorney said.
A former aerospace executive who slapped a crying toddler on an airplane and used a racial slur against the child, received an eight-month prison sentence. REUTERS/Kootenai County Sheriff's Office/Handout
Man who slapped baby on plane receives prison sentence | World | News | Toronto Sun

 

[Nuggler]

Eight months of anger management with Bubba might help him get his head straight.

 

[karrie]

If it was a woman, we'd say the grief and alcohol had made her incompetent, send her to some anger management courses, and let it drop.

 

[Sal]

Hundley's attorney has said her client had flown to Atlanta to remove his dying son from life support after an insulin overdose and was emotionally distraught. She also blamed his alcoholism for his behavior on the flight.

ya know if that were my kid and I heard what had just happened to him I would have plead for the charges to be dropped...

what the fuk is wrong with people...his kid is dead...

jailing him will really help... my gawd.

this angers me.

 

[karrie]

I wouldn't drop the charges, but I'd push for no jail time. Community service, anger management, I don't know. But this doesn't say 'justice'.

 

[Sal]

I wouldn't drop the charges, but I'd push for no jail time. Community service, anger management, I don't know. But this doesn't say 'justice'.

exactly....it doesn't say justice at all, it says revenge...get the guy some help...I am shocked

 

[WLDB]

ya know if that were my kid and I heard what had just happened to him I would have plead for the charges to be dropped...

I wouldnt. I could sympathize with the guy up until he struck a baby. I dont care what is wrong in his life there is no excuse for that. My sympathy goes out the window when they react to the problems in their life in that way.

If it was a woman, we'd say the grief and alcohol had made her incompetent, send her to some anger management courses, and let it drop.

Many would. I wouldnt. Sex makes absolutely no difference. Or at least it shouldnt.

 

[bill barilko]

...I could sympathize with the guy up until he struck a baby. I dont care what is wrong in his life there is no excuse for that. My sympathy goes out the window when they react to the problems in their life in that way.

X2-I can't conceive of being that f'ed up and anyone who is belongs behind bars.

 

[EagleSmack]

Crime and Punishment.

 

[petros]

Too bad you can't give a crying baby booze to shut it up any longer.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Too bad you can't give a crying baby booze to shut it up any longer.

Taser works better'n slapping 'em.

 

[petros]

It's not fair that only adults can get a gripe water on airlines with it only making adults even more grumpy from the piss poor services airlines provide these days.

 

[Cannuck]

If it was a woman, we'd say the grief and alcohol had made her incompetent, send her to some anger management courses, and let it drop.

Yup, I still haven't figured out why some folks are responsible for what they do when they're drinking and others aren't

 

[damngrumpy]

No being in an emotional state such as that does not allow for dismissing bad behaviour.
I had to make that terrible decision once too not knowing what the outcome would be.
My wife was in ICU they told me if they removed the tubes and support she man or may
not survive but there was no turning back once the decision was made. I chose to go
ahead because she would not want to live that way. For another three and a half days
it was extremely stressful but she survived after one hell of a struggle. During that time
i was most upset but I never hit children or got drunk or picked fights with people or
made nasty remarks about anyones race for religion. Just because one is enduring an
ultimate life tsst does not qualify them to behave like and A-hole. In my view six months
with three to be served and a year of alcohol counselling would have been better for all
concerned but the Judged decided otherwise

 

[karrie]

It's not fair that only adults can get a gripe water on airlines with it only making adults even more grumpy from the piss poor services airlines provide these days.

I'd have gravol'ed my kid to travel. It's how I travel best.

 

[EagleSmack]

I'm not so sure he'll do more than 3 months regardless.

I am pretty sure he won't be slapping anymore children.

People do have to pay for their crimes.

I'd have gravol'ed my kid to travel. It's how I travel best.

As one who travels a lot I do wince (inside) when a mom or dad take the seat with an infant. But I am also sympathetic and feel bad for the parent(s) when the kid starts crying. A crying kid on a plane is probably more stressful for the parent than anyone.

I don't haul off and slap the infant... if I did I would expect to go to jail.

What is gravol'ed?

 

[damngrumpy]

You are right eagle I know it can be stressful with a crying kid but I'm used to it
we have twenty three grandkids and four great grandkids.
There are things parents can do and should but its not the kids fault they are
being children and there would be hell to pay if you slapped the parents eh?
Seriously excuses are not the way to handle personal problems like this guy
did

 

[Sal]

I'm not so sure he'll do more than 3 months regardless.

I am pretty sure he won't be slapping anymore children.

People do have to pay for their crimes.



As one who travels a lot I do wince (inside) when a mom or dad take the seat with an infant. But I am also sympathetic and feel bad for the parent(s) when the kid starts crying. A crying kid on a plane is probably more stressful for the parent than anyone.

I don't haul off and slap the infant... if I did I would expect to go to jail.

What is gravol'ed?

kid will fall asleep

 

[karrie]

I don't haul off and slap the infant... if I did I would expect to go to jail.

What is gravol'ed?

Dosed up on Gravol.


I would expect you to go to jail too if you did. Except perhaps on the day you get stinking drunk because you just actively ended your kid's life.


Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating a pat on the back and send him on his way, I just don't think jail time is necessary given the circumstances.

 

[SLM]

I wouldn't drop the charges, but I'd push for no jail time. Community service, anger management, I don't know. But this doesn't say 'justice'.

I agree, it doesn't make sense given the somewhat lighter sentencing we see for more serious or potentially serious offences we see. But I do think it's telling that the prosecutor requested six-month sentence and it was the judge that gave him eight. Kind of makes me think there was something in his demeanor maybe that prodded the judge to give him bit harsher of a sentence? Just speculating of course but my understanding is it's not often that a judge exceeds the sentencing request of the crown (prosecuting attorney, whatever).