Coming soon to a Law & Order near you

Providing rich material for a "ripped from the headlines" episode of Law & Order, this AP article tells the interesting story behind the recent sentencing of a 87-year-old woman to more than 31 years in prison for having killed a 13-year-old boy in 1975:

Maria Josefa Otero fled 30 years ago before she could be sentenced for killing Johnny Perez in 1975. Now 87 years old, Otero was arrested at a Miami apartment in April.  In 1976, she had been found guilty of second-degree murder, but a judge allowed her out on $50,000 bond to get her personal affairs in order before sentencing.  Otero fled, spending time in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico before returning to Miami 15 years ago, police said....

Prosecutor Audrey Frank-Aponte had asked for a sentence of 31 years, six months and three days — the time between Johnny's death and her arrest — but Miami-Dade Circuit Judge David Young rounded off the last three days. Young said he would have given her a lesser sentence, but her lack of remorse made him do otherwise. "You never felt guilty. I did not see any remorse. I hope that sometime you will feel remorse," Young said.