If you think that justice rarely occurs in the world, then perhaps this story will alter your perceived odds a bit.
Don't know the background? Here is John Kass' original report.
Unfortunately for the jerk who keyed a car because it had military plates and a Marine's insignia on it, he managed to get a judge who had served in the Marines. Here's what that judge had to say after sentencing:
Judge O'Malley had something to say. He looked out into his courtroom, at all those men who'd come to support a Marine they didn't know.
"You caused damage to this young Marine sergeant's car because you were offended by his Marine Corps license plates," said Judge O'Malley.
Grodner stood there, hands behind his back. He grasped the fingers of his left hand with his right, and held it there, so they wouldn't wiggle.
"You're probably also wondering why there was a whole crowd of people here, Mr. Grodner," said Judge O'Malley.
"I don't want to wonder," said Grodner, continuing in his new meek voice, not in his tough divorce lawyer voice, but the gentle, inside voice he'd just learned.
"That's because there is a little principle that the Marine Corps has had since 1775," the judge continued. "When they fought and lost their lives so that people like you could enjoy the freedom of this country. It is a little proverb that we follow:
"No Marine is left behind.
"So Sgt. McNulty couldn't be here. But other Marines showed up in his stead. Take him away," said the judge and former Marine.
At the end of his report, Kass tells us this:
Grodner tells me he plans to leave for the French Riviera and get some sun.
Sgt. McNulty will get some sun, too. In Iraq.
Sounds to me like both men will be where they ought to be. Sgt. McNulty will be sacrificing to help promote American ideals - and, good riddance to Grodner.
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