‘Eye for an Eye’: Judge Offers to Reduce Sentence if Mother Chops Off Daughter’s Ponytail in Court (& She Complies!)
- Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:17am by
Billy Hallowell
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Valerie Bruno holds a photo of her three daughters outside the Carbon County Court Complex in Price, June 6, 2012. (Image Credit: Deseret News)
PRICE, Utah (The Blaze/AP) — A Utah mother says she felt intimated in court when a judge told her that he would reduce her 13-year-old daughter‘s sentence if she chopped off the girl’s ponytail in court — an offer the mother says she now wishes she hadn’t taken.
Valerie Bruno of Price says she has filed a formal complaint against 7th District Juvenile Judge Scott Johansen with the Utah Judicial Conduct Commission. The teenager and an 11-year-old friend were referred to juvenile court for cutting off the hair of a 3-year-old girl with scissors in March and for harassing another girl in Colorado by telephone.
When the 13-year-old faced Johansen for a hearing in May, he ordered she serve 30 days in detention and to perform 276 hours of community service, but he also offered to take 150 hours of community service off the sentence if her mother cut her ponytail in his courtroom.
Bruno is now expressing regret for not consulting an attorney before taking her daughter into the courtroom.
“I guess I should have went into the courtroom knowing my rights, because I felt very intimidated,” she told the Deseret News. “An eye for an eye, that’s not how you teach kids right from wrong.”
While some may see this statement as a dismissal of her daughter’s actions, according to Deseret, the mother does, indeed, believe her daughter deserved to be punished. She simply thinks the judge’s order crossed a line.
Seventh District Juvenile Court Judge Scott N. Johansen (Image Credit: Utah State Courts)
“She definitely needed to be punished for what had happened,” Bruno told Deseret News. “But I never dreamt it would be that much of a punishment.”
Deseret goes on to provide a bizarre recap of the alleged courtroom conversation between the judge and Bruno:
“If she was my daughter, I wouldn’t want her with the (youth) work crew,” the judge said.
“I know, I thought of that,” Bruno said.
“I’m going to give you this option: I will cut that by 150 hours if you want to cut her hair right now,” Johansen said.
“Me, cut her hair?” Bruno asked.
“Right now,” the judge said. “I‘ll go get a pair of scissors and we’ll whack that ponytail off.”
Mindy Moss, mother of the 3-year-old whose hair was cut off, said she approved of the sentence and even spoke up during the hearing when she felt Bruno had not cut off enough of her daughter’s hair. Johansen then directed Bruno to cut the ponytail all the way “to the rubber band.”
Moss told The Salt Lake Tribune that she originally called police about the haircut because she worried the girls’ behavior could become more serious.
“I didn’t want them to think they got away with it … It was malicious,” Moss said.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Johansen were unsuccessful Sunday.
Colin Winchester, executive director of the Utah Judicial Conduct Commission, said the state Constitution bars him from commenting on whether a complaint has been filed against a judge. A complaint only becomes public if disciplinary action is taken against a judge, he said.
Under state law, judges are given discretion in coming up with sanctions for youth that will change their behavior in a positive way.
Johansen ordered the friend of Bruno’s daughter to have her hair cut as short as his. She was allowed to go to a salon to have it done, then return to the courtroom to ensure that the new hairstyle met with the judge’s approval.
Read more about this case over at Deseret News (and watch a video about the incident here).
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Comments (124)
OneWithOne
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:05amDivine – not doing anything for punishment is stupid and I bet she will never cut someones hair off again. Yes the bible says in Proverbs 13 24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. So you go on and be your kids best friend and see what you get – children need both a mother and a father and they only have one so please do your job for the rest of us.
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:12amIf it was an Islamic sharia court, the judge would have told her to cut off the girls HEAD!
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:23amI agree. But I think this mother does not know right from wrong herself or has not done a good job of teaching her child. It would seem that the US has a moral problem with the majority of its population from reading the stories this weekend. No God= no moral compass. There is more evidence dug up to support the Holy Bible than to support evolution. Lucy the missing link was a lie and they now it but yet you teach children you are nothing more than an accident remove God from the picture and this is what you have a wicked and evil generation.
Report Post »AllAmericanG
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:26amWhat Billie doesn’t tell you here is that the 13 year old also sent 8 months calling harassing another teen in CO and threatening her with rape and mutilation. This wasn’t her picking on another girl her own age, the lured a 3 year old over and cut her hair. This girl is a menace and deserved punishment….. I think she got off easy! http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=20946125&title=mother-outraged-over-judges-sentence-for-hair-cutting-teen&s_cid=featured-2
Report Post »mils
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:26amGOOD FOR THE JUDGE !!
Report Post »can you imagine the deceitfulness that is the heart of these girls…a 3 year old child?..
.what next.?, and the mother should be ashamed of herself..the 11 and 13 year olds are trouble makers. MOM IS WRONG..AS WRONG AS THE GIRLS WERE…..
and they were harassing someone by telephone in another state?????..a 3 year old child?..wow..
These two grils should not be allowed to communicate with each other..
I THINK THIS SHOULD BE BEEN FILED AS A ASSAULT ON THE 3 YEAR OLD…
Valerie felt intimidated???? how about that 3 year old..disgusting 11 and 13 year old. ASSAULT..
majasdad
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:47am@POORRICHARD09
Don’t be a f**king idiot.
Report Post »BLACKDIAMONDSKIER
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:24amA lesson that both the children on the schoolbus that verbally abused the bus monitor and this teenager failed to learn early in life…..
” Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31
It is an important lesson that applies to almost every aspect of life, business, politics, and religion. If all would live by this nugget of instruction…..there would be a massive worldwide shift for the better.
Report Post »Basharr
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:36pmThe mother needs to back off, her daughter deserved exactly what she got and the mother agreed for reduced sentence. I say lesson should have been learned now.
Report Post »OutOfTheAether
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:40pmBLACKDIAMONDSKIER
Report Post »Couldn’t have said it better myself
Super_Doodles
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 9:51pmWow Rick, judge much? You should know that media doesn’t take too kindly to reporting the good things about humanity. Such as, the bullied bus monitor…did ya miss that America donated over $600,000 to her for her trouble? And kudos to Southwest Airlines for sending her and 9 others to Disneyland. Get to know America, you just might like it….soon as we get the politicians and DOJ fixed, we’ll probably have an even bigger immigration problem!
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:04amHiring a lawyer and getting the judge in trouble is ALSO NOT HOW YOU TEACH A CHILD RIGHT FROM WRONG!!! This mother just doesen’t get it.
Report Post »Jaxco
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:04amBingo!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:15amHiring a lawyer to protect your rights from an out of control judge, teaches the system that we will no bow down to tyrannts in robes.
Report Post »Princecarver
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:18am“Encinom”
I’m as much alarmed by “out of control” judges as you are. What I think you are missing is that the judge gave them a choice. 150 community service hours or cut the hair. Pretty fair if you ask me. Hardly seems like a “tyrant in a robe”.
I’m pretty sure he saw a felon in training and made a good attempt to break the cycle. Too bad the mom is an enabler.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 11:24am@Encinom: Under state law, judges are given discretion in coming up with sanctions for youth that will change their behavior in a positive way.
Out of control judge? The law allows it.
Report Post »DWilliams08
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:24pmGood call. I would like to see the mother do some time for incompetent parenting.
Report Post »OutOfTheAether
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 3:47pmLet’s not ignore the fact that the 13 year old was also calling someone in Colo with some pretty nasty dialog by the sounds of it. I’m sure that factored in. this wasn‘t JUST about cutting a 3 year old’s hair, this was about an ongoing pattern of behavior that needed to be nipped in the bud. The kid ought to be grateful she was given an option to reduce the amount of community service (i.e. work) hours she’s going to have to do. Judge is totally right and the mom doesn’t have a clue. Color me surprised the 13 year old has issues
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:03amI think that when kids get really out of hand and get into trouble with the law…the kid should be punished and the parents should have to pay a fine. THe more serious the crime…the higher the fine. Of course this would be for kids up to a certain age…like 18 or so. Parents shelling out money over and over will cure a lot of this mayhem. THe parents will put a stop to it somehow…I guarrantee it.
Report Post »ricckky
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:53amThis is why we have “children that are bullies” because of parents like this mother and ambulance chaser lawyers that will try and sue the judge!!! God help us!!!
Report Post »guntotinsquaw
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:09amNot to worry, judges are granted “blind judicial immunity” even if their actions violate the law or even if their actions are in malice..no suit against a judge. A judge has full judicial discretion in their court. In this case, I agree with him.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:31amThis is reminiscent of Shariah mentality.
Report Post »sta
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:54amBull. It’s hair. It’s not a hand, it grows back.
BUT that kid felt the humiliation that she handed out. Did you see this?
“Kaytlen also admitted to charges in another case rising from eight months of phone calls she made to a Colorado teen that included threats of rape and mutilation.”
She’s a peach. Good for the judge.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:31amFrom Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/24/judge-orders-utah-mom-to-chop-off-daughters-ponytail-in-courtroom/
“On the day of the attack, Kaytlen and an unnamed 11-year-old female friend spoke to the girl in McDonald’s, then asked a server there if they could borrow a pair of scissors. When their request was refused, the youngsters went to a nearby dollar shop to buy a pair and returned to the restaurant to carry out the act.”
I think the 13-year-old brat should have had her hair cut off AND been given the whole sentence. Throw her idiot mother on the work crew with her. Jeez, what is wrong WITH PEOPLE??? “Oh, I felt intimidated…” Really? How the hell do you think the 3-year-old felt, you miserable, whiny witch?
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:08pmThanks for the link – it clarified things …
Report Post »HiJenx
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:26amSounds like this kid should have been tried for assault on a 3 year old. This sentence should be years, not months, and the hair will grow back. Hopefully the trauma she now shares with her victim wont.
Report Post »mixplix
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:20amWHAT!!!!!!!!!!! My daughter, my son! There are those out here in society that do not think about the consequences of behavior and the excuses are, “Oh they are just being kids”. It’s too late to start the discipline when your child is in the orange jump suite and it starts before they walk and talk.
Report Post »hoopsgulch
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:31amMy kid’s ponytail would have been cut off before this thing ever saw a judge.
Report Post »stumpy68
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:57ami agree if my kid did that she would have walked into court bald
Report Post »however with things in the state that they‘re in I’d probably
have a court date of my own.
DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:06amThe Bible’s final reference to “an eye for an eye” is in the gospels: “You have heard it said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say unto you, do not resist him who is evil” (Matt. 5:38, 39). Jesus’ standard fulfills and transcends ” an eye for an eye.” Governments are not merely forbidden to exercise arbitrary powers of coercion; Jesus forbids violence as a response to violence. This teaching is radical beyond belief and Christians have struggled with it ever since. Jesus saw what French philosopher Rene Girard calls “the inherent complicity between culture and violence”; Jesus saw the way humans have always employed scapegoating and severe, symbolic punishments to affirm their values and boost their egos.
Report Post »sldjulius
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:13amThe lesson she is teaching her daughter is not “an eye for an eye” in the sense that justice has been fulfilled by taking something equal away from the other person. Sometimes when children are young, the only way to bring home the hurt they’ve done is to make them feel the same thing, not to exact justice but to teach them empathy. I don’t believe the judge was using it as “an eye for an eye”, but that he really didn’t want to punish the little girl as severely as say, an 18 year old, when a lesson in empathy (and humiliation) could go a long way with someone who is still teachable.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:51amIm sure the mother will find a lawyer to press a case .
Report Post »izukiddin
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:51amThere is no wonder that this kid is the monster she is with a mother like this. The judge should have Valerie cut her hair to match her daughter’s.
Report Post »Twobyfour
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 12:26pmThat thought crossed my mind too.
Report Post »MosesMcGurk
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:49amTwo wrongs don’t make a right
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:56amWhat are the TWO wrongs in this case? I see one wrong and one consequence of that wrong.
I think we have one missing wrong here. Where is it?
Report Post »BikerMickAG
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:01amWell, there was only one wrong, the 13 year old cutting off the 3 year old’s hair. Unless you include the mother of the 13 year old trying to blame the judge for her decision as another wrong; I would go along with that logic. If only it had been Thailand or Indonesia, maybe both mother & daughter would have gotten caned.
Report Post »bumfuzeled
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:42amThe judge made and offer the MOM made the decision. She should have felt intimidated and ashamed and remorseful and thankful that a judge was willing to show her how to be a parent.
Report Post »nostromo
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:48amThat whole eye for an eye thing is often misinterpreted. It is actually a a call for proportionality when dealilng with regress of grievances. If someone steals my chicken I cannot murder their kids. My response is out of proportion to the offense. In this case, it seems, cutting off the girls pony tail is a proportionate response.
Report Post »Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:47amI don’t see anything wrong with what the judge did. The girl got her just desserts. Perhaps now she will realize that bad actions have consequences.
Report Post »klevalt
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:45amIf mom thinks the ponytail cutting was injustice, she should have just made her daughter do all the time.
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:44amIn most middle and high schools, a 13 year old kid who hasn’t served time in “juvie” is shunned by their peers as a “nerd”. That’s almost as bad as being a (gasp!!) virgin.
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:42amJudge, an excellent judgement! Now, what about the contempt of the court for the mother?
Report Post »Magyar
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:42amI’m sure that when this little b%tch looks at herself each morning in the mirror, she’ll be reminded of her reprehensible and disgraceful act!
Good call, Judge!
Her mother’s reaction is EXACTLY why she felt emboldened in the first place.
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:35amBest non-pc rant I have read in a while. It’s always I feel, I want, my feelings, whaaaaaah. My child is a turd and somebody needs to take my repsonsibility and deal with it as I am too stressed with emoting and need to isolate to just get a grip. We are a country of wankers now. This message was brought to you by today’s NEA. Give, then give some more as we have no idea what we are saying, we just need more funds, and better retirements, for the chillren of course.
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:38amWhat a shame she got what she gave! It was not compulsary, it was a choice and you made it.
Report Post »Personally I think it should have been mom!
Finally! A judge with some amount of brain.
qpwillie
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:33amI think it was a pretty wise solution that the judge came up with. The girl‘s hair will grow back but she’ll be wearing a good reminder of her actions for awhile.
Juvenile detention is an excellent place for a 13 year old to learn how to commit bigger crimes and how “cool it is to do so. This action by the judge just might have saved her form that.
Report Post »OhSuzieQ
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 9:19amQP, I agree with you. Also the mother should of stood back. It was between her daughter and the Judge.
Report Post »Mom, keep quiet! Your daughter is in awhole lot of touble.
DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:31amAnd eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind.
Report Post »DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:50amJesus urges his followers to turn the other cheek when confronted by violence:
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38–39)
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.Roman 12:19
The Qur’an mentions the “eye for an eye” concept as being ordained for the Children of Israel
So the commenters on here are inline with the Qur’an, nice to know. Wake up savages!
Report Post »BikerMickAG
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:54amComplaining about the choice the judge gave her, the decision she made & now regretting it, shows where the 13 year old’s behavior came from in the first place. The consequences could’ve/should’ve been more even more severe than they were because now it appears neither one of them understands the magnitude of what was done to the 3 year old. An eye for an eye was a perfect guideline to follow in this situation. Following that guideline, the only ones who would be “blind”, so to speak, would be those unwise enough to commit crimes.
Report Post »MeCpl13
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:26amIf you actually took the Bible in context, you‘d see you’re completely off base here. There is a clear difference between obeying those in authority and not getting in a ******* contest with your neighbor. I suggest you do some research so you stop trying to spread false teachings.
Report Post »sta
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:57amShe had a choice. She could have done the community service hours. She CHOSE to cut the girl’s hair.
Report Post »It wasn’t her eye, it was her hair.
ferggie
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:28amI think he should have required her to shave her head and make her keep it shaved for 6 months. Every time that kid looked in the mirror it would remind her what she did to look that way
Report Post »TEXASGRANNY73
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:43amWhat are you? Gestapo? The girl is 14 and needed a punishment equivalent to her crime. She got what she deserved. According to this story on Fox yesterday the girl also had some other problems with authorities. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in reasonable thinking it appears.
Report Post »aggiebrewer
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 8:17amgranny: Wow, “Gestapo” reference brought in to make your point…..impressive.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:27amThe mothers a idiot. She should have let the girl serve her time. She chose to bail her daughter out in a way that she now says was unfair. Bet she would have served the time for her if allowed not teaching the kid anything.
Report Post »DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:42am“She should have let the girl serve her time.” I agree, let her wallow in her thoughts would have been a far better, more just punishment.
Report Post »Leadthemtothelight
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:25amNow that is justice.
Report Post »PATRIOTMAMA
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 7:24amThis shouldn’t have taken a judge to order for it to happen. This little punk had it coming and the only line it crosses for me is that the mother didn’t do this on her own. Cutting a little 3 yr old girls hair like this was what crossed the line. She might actually think twice the next time she has an urge to do anything that mean and criminal. Of course, that is if they don’t throw the book at this judge. I wasn’t over the top it just fit the crime. I think he did the right thing. Wish the mother had too. Maybe, mom, you should express your distress with your daughter instead of filing a complaint against the judge who was doing the right thing. The fault lies with the daughter not the judge who I believe let your girl off easy.
Report Post »