Ionia County Judge Ray Voet said the accident was a “horrible tragedy” but didn’t warrant jail or probation for Darin Wilbur, WOOD-TV reported.

…

“Two months later, we wouldn’t even be here,” the judge said, noting that the teen soon would have turned 18 years old.

“Ionia County is a farming county, and I know a lot of people in this county view children working, sometimes around dangerous machinery, as part of growing up,” Voet said.

wow fuck that judge

So just because he’d possibly leave the community in a few months, he doesn’t deserve justice?

I think it has more to do with minors operating machinery in the workplace. If he was 18 it’s “just” a horrible workplace accident. But since he was 17, it was illegal for the company to have him operate that piece of equipment and that’s why they were in court over it.

I’m sure there’s more to the story not included in this article as to why the fine was so low, but I’m too lazy to dig into it.