Michael Cicconetti

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Michael Cicconetti (born 1951) is a judge in Painesville, Lake County, Ohio who dispenses a unique brand of what he calls creative justice. The judge often leaves the choice of penalty to the defendant, who is faced with spending time in jail or undergoing one of Cicconetti's unusual punishments. His punishments often involve placing the defendant in a similar position to that of the defendant's victim at the time of the crime. Famously he ordered a 26-year-old Ohio housewife Michelle Murray to spend a night in the woods for abandoning 35 kittens in a forest at wintertime^[1]; he said: “You don’t do that. You don’t leave these poor little animals out and, yes, I wanted to set an example for her future conduct or anybody else who was contemplating doing such a thing”. On other occasions he ordered noisy neighbours to spend a day of silence in the forest or listen to classical music instead of rock. In all cases the judge attempts to place a link between the perpetrated offense and its punishment.

Due in part to the popularity of his actions, he was elected unopposed to serve another six years (until 2011) on the bench in Lake County, Ohio, in November of 2005, and also won the presidency of the American Judges Association. He attributes his unusual approach to his background. He was the oldest of nine siblings who had to work on ore boats throughout the Great Lakes as a deckhand and deckwatch to fund himself through college. After graduating from St. Leo University in Florida, he became Clerk of the Painesville Municipal Court while attending Cleveland State University Law School at night.^{[citation needed]} Many of the victims, but also defendants, claim that his unusual approach has helped them to cope with their problems and the judge is reportedly inundated with letters from his admirers.^{[citation needed]}

His philosophy is exemplified by the following two quotations:

“When you engage people and praise them for their good behaviour, not unlike children, it helps their self-esteem. My judicial philosophy is really not that much different from a parental philosophy.”

“I have five children. You can paddle them or spank them but what do you gain? Most people want to be good but for little obstacles or habits. We have to change the habits and remove the obstacles. That’s our job.”

[edit] Unusual Sentences

During heavy blizzards, he ordered defendants to clear snow at a retirement home.
A man caught with a loaded gun was sent to a morgue to see dead bodies.
A woman who abandoned 35 kittens in a forest was told to spend a night in the woods.
A man who shot a dog was sentenced to donating 40lbs of dog food on every holiday to the Lake County Animal Shelter.
Two teenagers who scrawled 666 on a nativity figure of Jesus had to lead a donkey through the streets, with a sign saying: "Sorry for the jackass offense." ^[2]
Teenagers who flattened tires on school buses were ordered to throw a picnic for primary school children.
* A man who shouted "pigs" at police officers was made to stand on a street corner with a pig and a sign that said "This is not a police officer."
An 18 year old male who stole pornography from an adult book store was ordered to sit outside the store wearing a blindfold and holding a sign that read "See no evil."
Three men soliciting sex ordered to wear chicken suit holding sign that reads, "No Chicken Ranch in Painesville." ^[3]
In January 2008, Cicconetti sentenced a man who stole a red collection kettle with about $250 from the Salvation Army to spend 24 hours homeless ^[4]

[edit] References

^ "Woman Ordered to Spend Night in Woods for Abandoning Kittens", ABC News, 23 November 2005
^ Donovan, Gill, "Vandals of statue sentenced to procession with donkey", National Catholic Reporter 14 February 2003
^ "Men who solicited sex ordered to wear chicken suit", The Plain Dealer, 26 July 2007
^ "Sentenced to homelessness", The News-Herald of Lake County, 25 January 2008