[John Carter]

In the state where I live, there was an incident recently where a man was convicted of some number of multiple DUIs. This carried with it a mandatory jail sentence. However, the judge in this case was reluctant to impose that sentence on the offender. Last I heard, he had delayed sentencing for two weeks.

The problem is, the man has serious health issues. He needs a heart transplant, and his medical bills will probably run to at least six figures during the time he is supposed to be incarcerated. If he is serving a jail sentence, then these bills become the county's responsibility, and they simply cannot afford it (New Mexico is among the poorest states in the US).