Jail Will Wipe Out Surf Star Clint Kimmins - 18 Month Sentence Unjust
#1062755 - 09/06/06 05:51 AM [/url] Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply
MAINSTREAM MEDIA
Jail will wipe out surf star
Michael Wray
August 05, 2006 12:00am
THE professional career of one of Australia’s best big-wave surfers ended yesterday when he was found guilty of stabbing a man in the back with broken glass at a birthday party.
Clinton Philip Kimmins, 22, was found guilty in Southport District Court yesterday of one count of unlawfully wounding and sentenced to 18 months’ jail, suspended after six months.
Lawyer Bill Potts said the defence team was “seriously considering” an appeal on the basis that the sentence was “manifestly excessive”.
Kimmins stabbed Byron Bay oyster farmer Dru Baggaley in the neck and back at the Tugun Surf Life Saving Club on April 17, 2004, during an altercation at a 21st birthday.
Baggaley said in a phone interview he was “shattered” because he would not have pursued the incident if Kimmins had come to Byron Bay and admitted his actions.
“I feel really sorry for him, I never wanted it to come to this,” he said.
Defence barrister Tony Kimmins (no relation) told the court the surfer, who expected to be ranked in the world’s top 50 by the end of the year, did not make the trip on advice from another legal team.
After the jury of eight women and four men delivered the verdict, Kimmins told his defence team that his sponsorship with a surf clothing company was "being torn up
I don’t necessarily think the jail time is unjust. I think not only was the boy stupid to have done such a violent act, but what is amazing is the victim here says that he would never
even have gone to court had the boy come and admitted remorse. It says the legal counsel for the boy supposedly advised not to.
Well of course legal counsel advises no communication!! Legal counsel and court room proceedings feed off of human beings NOT communicating!
Sure I will be termed a do-gooder lecturer which I apologize if I sound like, but the Dalai Lama says communication is our absolute right and duty to partake in at the risk of all.
That one should never give up. That it is this ability to communicate, to show humility and compassion that is the basis of everything. He even says in this country we spend too much
developing our minds. That we do not develop the heart.
Now no matter what you think of the Dalai Lama … there is evidence in medical proceedings that when patients do not sue but rather ask for help from doctors … realize that tolerance to another therapy might help, anything …
that all around everything works out better. Not only is the medical problem improved upon but no one loses more money. Same with mediation in divorces and all matters.
It is harder at times for males to express themselves I think. That’s why I think the internet has helped immensely with communication. It truly has … even when it comes down to people in war torn countries trying
to show that they are human beings to countries that are attacking them. The internet helps. But bottom line is you have to keep trying to communicate. I think so often we would see that there is no threat to man ultimately
except for his fear to communicate.