The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Judge Thomas P. Miano. He gets the award for the following.

HARTFORD, Conn. - An Avon man who had been found with scores of images of child pornography on his computer and videos of children being violently raped has avoided prison time.

Edward J. Burke III, 47, was given a suspended sentence last week after going into a courtroom expecting to spend up to four years behind bars.

Burke, 47, of Avon, was convicted in a plea deal of two counts of first-degree possession of child pornography.

Prosecutor John F. Fahey told Judge Thomas P. Miano that Burke had 141 photo images and two videotapes of known child victims on a home computer. The victims ranged in age from toddlers to prepubescent children.

Fahey and Burke's defense lawyer, John D. Maxwell, had worked out a deal that called for Burke to receive up to four years in prison, five years' probation, and mandatory sex offender registration for 10 years.

But the agreement gave Maxwell the right to argue for a completely suspended prison sentence, which was granted by Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Miano.

Miano noted that Burke has actively participated in sex-offender therapy for the last year and, by his doctor's account, is at very low-risk to offend again.

The lack of prison time was something of a surprise to the state's top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Kevin J. O'Connor.

"I have to say that I am amazed at that sentence," O'Connor said. "It would be very, very rare to see that at the federal level. Particularly with the distribution. You really, really get hammered for distribution."

I'm not amazed. Just the latest example of a judge with no respect for the law he is there to enforce. One day a revolution will come after one too many child molestor is put back on the street because of imbeciles like the one today or this one from earlier this year.

For failing to do his judicial duties and protect the most vulnerable in our society, Judge Thomas P. Miano is today's knucklehead of the day.

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