this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2025
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Summary

A West Virginia couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, received prison sentences of 215 and 160 years, respectively, for forcing their five adopted Black children into slave labor.

Authorities discovered the abuse after a welfare check revealed children locked in a shed without water or sanitation.

The couple, charged with human trafficking, child neglect, and forced labor, targeted the children because of their race.

The court ordered them to pay $280,000 in restitution each.

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[–] Arbiter@lemmy.world 225 points 4 days ago (3 children)

“I just want the court to know that I have made mistakes I am very sorry for that and I love my children and I have never, ever, done anything to my ... children to harm them intentionally,”

So what, you just accidentally locked them in a shed and forced them into slave labor? What the fuck is this apology.

[–] Adulated_Aspersion@lemmy.world 100 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I wonder if they have biological children and meant them.

Source: haven't read the article.

Edit: read the article. Still don't know.

[–] NobodyElse@sh.itjust.works 81 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I’m just surprised that the apology didn’t mention Jesus even once.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 29 points 4 days ago

Brain farts and prayers

[–] NateNate60@lemmy.world 54 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Even though by the time the hearing commences, the judge has already usually decided on the sentence, every competent criminal defence lawyer will advise their client to grovel and beg for mercy at the sentencing for two reasons:

  1. Acting recalcitrant could upset the judge and result in a heavier sentence than the judge originally planned because they feel a need to make an example of the defendant.
  2. Not being apologetic damages your future chances of parole when the parole board looks at the tape or record of the sentencing.
[–] Tedesche@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Ah, yes, the parole they might receive when the parole board reviews their case in [checks watch] 80-100 years.

[–] NateNate60@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

There's also the possibility of appeals to get the sentence reduced. And the defendant's family can apply for pardons. Pardons and commutations are usually associated with political grift in the US (and this is a well-deserved reputation), but they can also be applied for and governors occasionally grant them to prisoners who demonstrate they're reformed even when they're not otherwise eligible for parole.

Grovelling before the judge and acting like you accept you are guilty for sixty minutes costs nothing on the part of the defendant anyway.

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[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago

Pro-Tip for any actual monsters hiding in human skin: deflection of all wrongdoing is not a great apology.

[–] Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 182 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

“You brought these kids to West Virginia, a place as I know as almost heaven and put them in hell. The court will now put you in yours. May God have mercy on your souls, because this court will not."

Circuit Court Judge MaryClaire Akers

That's kinda fire actually

[–] Mirshe@lemmy.world 85 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Reminder that West Virginia exists exclusively because of slavery. Especially that part of Appalachia was a HUGE haven for self emancipated people and free black people alike, because if you get deep enough into the mountains, you basically cease to exist as a legal entity unless people want to put a significant amount of effort into reaching you and the same amount in extricating you.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 43 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It was also arguably the heart of Ol' John Browns crusade against twisted institution of slavery. I usually find Evangelicals both living and dead to be morally reprehensible weaklings who take their own gods name in vain, John Brown is one of the few I would be willing to shake the hand of.

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[–] Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I always find the people here with Confederate flags claiming it's about heritage to be the most ridiculous. The state was founded during the Civil War and is the part of Virginia that stayed with the Union, how in the everloving fuck is a Confederate flag part of our heritage?

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[–] GrymEdm@lemmy.world 117 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)
[–] WuceBrillis@lemm.ee 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)

When they change illegal immigration to be a felony, all those people in the deportation camps can legally be put right back in use!

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[–] YtA4QCam2A9j7EfTgHrH@infosec.pub 98 points 4 days ago (10 children)
[–] mosiacmango@lemm.ee 81 points 4 days ago (2 children)
[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 35 points 4 days ago (2 children)

John brown did nothing wrong

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 25 points 4 days ago (1 children)

He did a lot wrong, but the failure to ensure adequate equipment and training for his troops is to a degree expected when running a guerrilla crusade.

[–] NeilBru@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

He should have gone to ground earlier in the campaign.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 10 points 4 days ago

They needed to do more smaller scale raids on remote plantations for longer, bleeding Kansas was a start but insufficient.

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[–] InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 22 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] drdalek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] GeeDubHayduke@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 days ago (1 children)

"Ow! You shot me! Now I'm very badly burned, and have been shot!"

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 11 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Death is a mercy. Unless you meant "in the spine."

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[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 67 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 88 points 4 days ago (17 children)

Watch donald pardon them and give them a job doing ethics or bs. He wants outrage

[–] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Donnie just found his new education secretary.

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 22 points 4 days ago

That asshole would probably put them in as Secretary of Labor.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 4 days ago (3 children)

As long as this was a state affair, he can't legally pardon them.

[–] Mishmash2000@lemmy.nz 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Who will stop him? Who's going to die on that hill? He ignores Judges orders already right? I mean, I don't know the system that well but if he just does what he wants and ignores those that usually have the power to say no, then what?

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[–] Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 18 points 4 days ago

Lol "I'd like to formally announce the new head of The Office of Child Care..."

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[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 33 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] rustyfish@lemmy.world 32 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It takes a cartoonish level of cruelty that your verdict sounds like a made up rage bait article that tries way too hard.

Fuck you. I hope they get the same treatment as kiddy fiddlers in prison.

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 12 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I may have laughed when I read this line from the judge, “You brought these kids to West Virginia, a place as I know as almost heaven and put them in hell,” Either she has a lot of pride for West Virginia or the cartoonist part was present during the trial as well.

[–] WhatsTheHoldup@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 days ago (2 children)

"Almost heaven, West Virginia. Blue Ridge Mountains, Shanendoah River.

Life is old there, older than the trees.

Younger than the mountains, growing like the breeze.

Country roads,, take me home, to the place I belong"

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[–] _druid@sh.itjust.works 27 points 4 days ago

They could have just worked for the prison system, then they'd get a regular paycheck to enforce slavery.

[–] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 26 points 3 days ago (2 children)
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[–] LaterRedditor@lemmy.world 24 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 16 points 4 days ago (4 children)
[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)
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[–] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 20 points 4 days ago (2 children)

This is great news for all. The parents rot in a cell and hopefully get shoved by other black prisoners once they find out what they did.

I hope the government put services in place to help rehabilitate and provide those children with the mental heath and support they’ll need.

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