Age Is No Excuse

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- A 91-year-old woman who pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing $201,000 from the south Alabama town where she was mayor for three decades paid hush money in a bid to keep her crimes secret, documents showed.

Prosecutors said River Falls Mayor Mary Ella Hixon pleaded guilty to theft and resigned. In exchange, authorities dropped another felony ethics charge.

Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan sentenced Hixon to 10 years in prison but suspended the term because of Hixon's advanced age. She must spend five years on probation.

I'm not saying it's great to have a 91-year-old woman in jail, but neither should someone steal that amount of money and then confess with no repercussions.  Five years of probation?  What is she going to do in her early 90s, start a motorcycle gang?

What really sucks is that while I see why the judge made that call, this woman got away with multiple crimes.