Debating life imprisonment for white-collar offenses

This article from Kansas, which includes an effective account of the federal sentencing process, has interesting reflections from former prosecutors concerning whether "convicted white-collar criminals David Wittig and Douglas Lake deserve life in prison as suggested by the U.S. Probation Office."  Wittig and Lake are two former Westar Energy executives convicted of looting Westar of millions of dollars. According to the article, "[i]f one or both men were sentenced to life, it would be the first time a white-collar offender would receive such a term in connection with prosecutions by the federal Corporate Fraud Task Force, a Wittig court filing said."

Some related prior posts:

• Tough sentences for white-collar offenders
• A record-long white-collar sentence in Atlanta
• The evolution of white-collar sentencing
• White-collar Booker breaks
• Pondering white-collar sentencing
• A pattern of white-collar leniency?
• Are the federal guidelines too tough on white-collar offenders?