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CNN Live Saturday
Texas Judge Sentences Man To Yoga Classes
Aired January 24, 2004 - 14:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well in Texas, this is equally bizarre, maybe, where they do everything bigger but a bit different. A man convicted of slapping his wife gets an unusual sentence. The Houston area judge ordered the man to take a yoga class as part of his one-year probation. Judge Larry Standley is known for his creative sentences, but yoga? Well the judge joins us live now.
All right, judge, you are going to have to explain this one. Some might say slapping your wife is a serious charge, maybe even borderline abuse. I know this case is very unusual. But it's domestic abuse, and here you hand him a sentence of yoga.
JUDGE LARRY STANDLEY, HARRIS CO. CRIMINAL COURT: Well, first of all let me explain that is was agreed, plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense attorney. And I basically signed off on the plea agreement. I did however tack on the yoga condition at the end of it. I'm usually pretty harsh on these kinds of cases. And the most that I can give is a year. But in this case the facts were unique. The defendant --
WHITFIELD: Well explain some of the facts. We are talking about 53-year-old James Lee Cross, and explain why he slapped his wife Wendy, how he justifies it and give us some of the circumstances of this case.
STANDLEY: The facts as they were presented to me were that on New Year's Eve, during the day, his wife had a substance abuse problem; they had an argument in a parking lot. And he had control issues. And he slapped her. She wanted him to be on probation and she agreed to the probation. Why did I impose yoga? I imposed it because people that I know that are really into it, it appears to help them.
WHITFIELD: But you are not into yoga yourself, right?
STANDLEY: No, I'm not in yoga, because I have a bad back. But I want to explain something, I think the public is getting misled in this case, it has taken a life of it's own. Here in Texas last week, three people got the death penalty and I'm up here talking about yoga. Let me explain something. He received ten years -- ten -- 12 months' probation. As well as 80 hours of community service as well as anger management counseling as well as random urinalysis. And what I did was tack on an additional condition that he attends a yoga class once a week for the entire year.
WHITFIELD: Have you done this before; have you tried this with other?
STANDLEY: Never did it before.
WHITFIELD: And what compelled you to do it this time?
STANDLEY: I'll tell you what compelled me to do it, simply put, anger is a result of a feeling of a loss of control. And more and more I start seeing people that feel like they can control others around them. And the people that are really into yoga, I just -- just being in their presence, it is calming. And if it takes effect, I think it will help this individual. If not, then he will get revoked and do a year.
WHITFIELD: How will you be watching his case, will you be studying this closely to see if this is a sentence that would be applicable to other offenders?
STANDLEY: Oh, I think so. I think it is going to be a rare occurrence but I think when you got a situation where the complaint ant has a documented substance abuse problem and the defendant himself has control issues, it is hopeful that maybe this as well as all the other conditions will help him realize his control ends with himself.
And he has no control over anybody else. That is really is where all anger comes from is control. I am not light on punishment in the least. And it's kind of interesting how this case sounds like I just sentenced him to yoga. In past cases where it's been a trial and not a plea agreement, I have actually sentenced individuals to the full year. Which is all I can give, I can't give prison. I'm in the mid level court right below felony.
WHITFIELD: And for the record, his wife Wendy says she actually thinks this is good for him.
STANDLEY: Well, I think --
WHITFIELD: And that you are really trying to get to the root of the psychology of his actions.
STANDLEY: Right I think in your past, every judge likes to feel they are tough on crime. And you know I'll be tough on crime in the appropriate cases. And obviously due to the attention this case got, this case will get a lot of attention.
WHITFIELD: Do you worry you are not sending a strong message for those slapping their spouses?
STANDLEY: No, just talk to the individuals that are sitting in the Harris County jail right now that got a year, the maximum sentence from me when they tried the case. I'm not trying to sit here and beat myself on the chest. But each case is different. You got cases where the complaint ant wants the defendant to be on probation.
WHITFIELD: Judge Larry Standley thanks very much joining us. Appreciate it.
STANDLEY: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 24, 2004 - 14:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well in Texas, this is equally bizarre, maybe, where they do everything bigger but a bit different. A man convicted of slapping his wife gets an unusual sentence. The Houston area judge ordered the man to take a yoga class as part of his one-year probation. Judge Larry Standley is known for his creative sentences, but yoga? Well the judge joins us live now.
All right, judge, you are going to have to explain this one. Some might say slapping your wife is a serious charge, maybe even borderline abuse. I know this case is very unusual. But it's domestic abuse, and here you hand him a sentence of yoga.
JUDGE LARRY STANDLEY, HARRIS CO. CRIMINAL COURT: Well, first of all let me explain that is was agreed, plea agreement between the prosecution and the defense attorney. And I basically signed off on the plea agreement. I did however tack on the yoga condition at the end of it. I'm usually pretty harsh on these kinds of cases. And the most that I can give is a year. But in this case the facts were unique. The defendant --
WHITFIELD: Well explain some of the facts. We are talking about 53-year-old James Lee Cross, and explain why he slapped his wife Wendy, how he justifies it and give us some of the circumstances of this case.
STANDLEY: The facts as they were presented to me were that on New Year's Eve, during the day, his wife had a substance abuse problem; they had an argument in a parking lot. And he had control issues. And he slapped her. She wanted him to be on probation and she agreed to the probation. Why did I impose yoga? I imposed it because people that I know that are really into it, it appears to help them.
WHITFIELD: But you are not into yoga yourself, right?
STANDLEY: No, I'm not in yoga, because I have a bad back. But I want to explain something, I think the public is getting misled in this case, it has taken a life of it's own. Here in Texas last week, three people got the death penalty and I'm up here talking about yoga. Let me explain something. He received ten years -- ten -- 12 months' probation. As well as 80 hours of community service as well as anger management counseling as well as random urinalysis. And what I did was tack on an additional condition that he attends a yoga class once a week for the entire year.
WHITFIELD: Have you done this before; have you tried this with other?
STANDLEY: Never did it before.
WHITFIELD: And what compelled you to do it this time?
STANDLEY: I'll tell you what compelled me to do it, simply put, anger is a result of a feeling of a loss of control. And more and more I start seeing people that feel like they can control others around them. And the people that are really into yoga, I just -- just being in their presence, it is calming. And if it takes effect, I think it will help this individual. If not, then he will get revoked and do a year.
WHITFIELD: How will you be watching his case, will you be studying this closely to see if this is a sentence that would be applicable to other offenders?
STANDLEY: Oh, I think so. I think it is going to be a rare occurrence but I think when you got a situation where the complaint ant has a documented substance abuse problem and the defendant himself has control issues, it is hopeful that maybe this as well as all the other conditions will help him realize his control ends with himself.
And he has no control over anybody else. That is really is where all anger comes from is control. I am not light on punishment in the least. And it's kind of interesting how this case sounds like I just sentenced him to yoga. In past cases where it's been a trial and not a plea agreement, I have actually sentenced individuals to the full year. Which is all I can give, I can't give prison. I'm in the mid level court right below felony.
WHITFIELD: And for the record, his wife Wendy says she actually thinks this is good for him.
STANDLEY: Well, I think --
WHITFIELD: And that you are really trying to get to the root of the psychology of his actions.
STANDLEY: Right I think in your past, every judge likes to feel they are tough on crime. And you know I'll be tough on crime in the appropriate cases. And obviously due to the attention this case got, this case will get a lot of attention.
WHITFIELD: Do you worry you are not sending a strong message for those slapping their spouses?
STANDLEY: No, just talk to the individuals that are sitting in the Harris County jail right now that got a year, the maximum sentence from me when they tried the case. I'm not trying to sit here and beat myself on the chest. But each case is different. You got cases where the complaint ant wants the defendant to be on probation.
WHITFIELD: Judge Larry Standley thanks very much joining us. Appreciate it.
STANDLEY: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
