BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Hoover police chief, Nick Derzis, expressed his disappointment on Thursday after Carlee Russell admitted to fabricating her kidnapping. Derzis stated that while he was happy the ordeal was over, he was disappointed that there would be no jail time for Russell. Instead, a judge sentenced her to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service, and ordered her to pay nearly $18,000 in restitution.
According to Birmingham attorney Eric Guster, the punishment for Russell’s crime is appropriate. Guster noted that in a typical case, jail time would not be given. He acknowledged that this case drew significant attention and required a substantial amount of resources to locate Russell, even though she was not missing. Guster also mentioned that Russell’s punishment effectively puts her in a form of “jail” as she is restricted from attending basketball games and going to the mall.
However, others involved in the case, such as chief counsel to the attorney general Katherine Robertson, believe that stricter penalties are warranted. Robertson expressed her belief that there should be some prison time for such cases. She acknowledged that a prison sentence was unlikely due to the misdemeanor nature of the offense but emphasized the need for stronger laws regarding false reporting to the police.
Currently, there are bills being considered in the state legislature to address this issue. Derzis expressed his support for these bills, stating that false reporting should be considered a felony. He hoped that stricter laws would contribute to prosecuting individuals who engage in similar actions in the future. The proposed bills aim to not only increase the penalties for false reporting but also to expand the available amount of restitution that can be sought.
While there is support for stricter penalties, attorney Guster raised concerns about the unintended consequences of creating laws based on specific incidents. He emphasized that faking abductions and seeking attention in such ways is wrong but cautioned against rushing to establish stricter laws without considering possible difficulties in overturning them later.
For Derzis, the disappointment he felt turned into a determination to bring about legal change. He emphasized the necessity of consequences for one’s actions. Both Derzis and Robertson collaborated closely with lawmakers on the proposed bills and expressed hopes for their successful passage and implementation.