Crime doesn't pay

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

William Ligue, Jr., the man who attacked Kansas City Royals coach Tom Gamboa two years ago, violated his probabtion over the weekend.

What a surprise.

Ligue allegedly tested positive for marijuana three times during the month of December, and will now, god willing, head to prison. Prosecutors urged the judge in the case to give Ligue jail time to begin with, but the judge gave him probabation. Since then, the state of Illinois has passed a law making it a felony to illegally enter restricted areas, such as a playing field, basketball court, locker room or stage. A violation carries up to three years in prison and a fine of at least $1,000.

Ligue used the death of his infant daughter to explain away his actions from that night, saying he turned to drugs after her death. (No word if Ligue had another infant daughter die in November of this year) He was under the influence of five drugs that night, including cocaine, marijuana and Valium. While chaperoning his nephew's 13th birthday party.

"That was not me that night," Ligue told the Daily Southtown. later. "I was going through so much stress. ... I see on the videotape (that) I was out of my mind. I had to let anger out and it came out that way."

Sure. The real him is just a loser druggie, not a violent lunatic.

I never quite understood why White Sox fans got such a bad rap over this case. The criminal element in our society will almost always find a way to commit a crime if he really wants to. This was not a reflection on Sox fans or basball fans. This was a criminal committing an act of violence. Where the system failed was in the sentencing. As I said, criminals will find a way to commit their activities -- it's up to the legal system to punish the criminals for their actions and deter others from doing the same thing.

After Ligue another fan did the same thing to an umpire at Comiskey (fine, U.S. Cellular Field) last year. Determent failed. Ligue now has found himself on the wrong side of the law yet again. Punishment failed.

There is good news -- the man who attacked the umpire was sentenced to jail time. I believe he got three months. We'll see if he decides to violate his probation.