Torturing Criminals in Colorado

Fort Lupton Municipal Judge Paul Sacco says his novel punishment of forcing noise violators to listen to music they don't like for one hour has cut down on the number of repeat offenders in this northwestern Colorado prairie town.

About four times a year, those who plead guilty to noise ordinance violations are required to sit in a room and listen to music from the likes of Manilow, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Platters' crooning "Only You"

"These people should have to listen to music they don't like," said Judge Paul Sacco for a segment about the program that aired Friday on Denver's KUSA-TV.

Sacco began the program years ago when he noticed that many of the repeat offenders simply showed up at his courtroom to pay their fine with cash.

"Most kids don't want to hear somebody like Glen Close trying to sing opera," he said.

Video of a recent class showed teenagers with long faces shifting in their seats or looking up at the ceiling. "You can't fall asleep," said teenager Rueben Fuentes right before letting out a bit of a sigh.

Members of a garage band were at the class after playing music late at night in their backyard.

"The cop station was two blocks away," said band member Robert Mort. "People who were at the party loved it. I'm not sure the cops did."

"Too much music, too loud, too late," added band member Harrison DeRuiter.

So what does Sacco think of Barry Manilow?

"I actually don't think Manilow's too bad," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,456665,00.html

I seen this on the news this morning, it sounds like a good punishment to me. I felt though that they should have to suffer through all that for more than an hour. I think maybe 4 or 5 hours would be a perfect fit.

I could listen to Manilow for a while. Opera, on the other hand, would be too much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmybmLk_1Jk

Maybe Lawrence Welk would have been better punishment

Listen to Manilow for an hour? Well maybe if they killed a busload of kids, hacked a dozen nuns up with a dull ax, or blocked the entrances to a packed auditorium and lit it on fire. Not much else would warrant such extreme torture as an hour of Manilow. Well maybe an hour of Manilow and 2 hours of Barbara Streisand for spilling the last beer after the stores are closed.

Note: Coors Light is NOT beer.

I've got some old John Phillp Suessa they can borrow.