The rest of the headline reads, "and Then He Escaped." This was from a news release that came in from the Federal Court in Cedar Rapids.

I receive news releases every day from the federal court system, concerning cases that have been prosecuted and the outcome. The headline on this one made me say, "Seriously?"

But yes, a Cedar Rapids man evaded capture for nearly a month after he walked away from custody at a halfway house. He was sentenced again on March 22, 2022, to four years in federal prison. "Kevin Robert Kappmeyer, age 55, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 23, 2021 guilty plea to one count of escape from custody and his admission that he violated the terms of his supervised release."

Let's look back at Kappmeyer's history.

2018
Kappmeyer he was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his role in a Cedar Rapids area mail and identity theft scheme.

2020

Kappmeyer was released from prison but violated the terms of his supervised release, was sent back to prison for seven months in September 2020, and eventually released in March 2021.

2021

After Kappmeyer again violated the terms of his supervised release, a U.S. District Court Judge ordered Kappmeyer to serve time in a halfway house and specifically warned Kappmeyer to not leave the halfway house without permission. About two weeks later, on July 23, 2021, Kappmeyer obtained an employment pass from the halfway house, left, and never returned. The United States Marshal's Service arrested Kappmeyer on August 16, 2021, at a local grocery store and found methamphetamine in his possession.

Before that, "Kappmeyer has an extensive criminal history with over 20 prior convictions, including multiple convictions for offenses involving violence, such as resisting arrest and domestic battery."

So we have a guy with what the court says is an "extensive criminal history with over 20 prior convictions." He's violent and has been charged with domestic battery. So the solution the last round was to tell him not to "escape" and then he did. I don't know about you, but I'm in complete and utter shock! The guy escaped? Nooooo. Say it ain't so! I mean, who saw that coming?

Well, the guy is now sentenced to 24 months imprisonment on his new escape case and an additional 24 months' imprisonment for his supervised release violations.

Without a doubt, this guy will pop up again in another press release as soon as he gets out or escapes again. He does have a three-year term of supervised release, also part of his sentencing, after he is released from prison. So, he'll be back.

There is no parole in the federal system. There are no halfway houses, to escape from. They are finally going to put this guy away for a couple of years in the big house. There's nothing halfway there.

My only question is for the judge. Did you REALLY think telling a guy like this NOT to escape would do the trick? I mean, with 20 prior convictions, as well as violence in his background, I think you did the right thing. Put the guy in a halfway house and expect him to be good. What could possibly go wrong?

Maybe we need a system that punishes judges for their lack of judgment. No doubt we need more prisons, perhaps that's the reason the judge chose to send this guy to a halfway house. I don't know. But like Dr. Phil would say, "How's that workin' for ya?"

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DC March 25, 2022, 8:44 am Seems as though judges have changed. The recent views of the Supreme Court nominee comes to mind.