Judge orders public shaming for deceit
By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

A federal judge in Missoula doled out a peculiar, almost Draconian punishment Thursday - a public shaming.

Chief U.S. District Judge Don Molloy ordered a man who lied about his military career to march outside the Missoula County Courthouse wearing a sandwich board that says, ‚ÄúI am a liar. I am not a Marine.‚Äù

William Cody Horvath, 36, of Whitefish, pleaded guilty to making false statements earlier this year, admitting that in August 2001, he lied to his probation officer about having served in the U.S. Marine Corps in hopes of earning compassion.

The officer was gathering information on a prior charge against Horvath for being a fugitive in possession of firearms or ammunition. Hoping to temper the consequences of those charges, Horvath said he had been wounded in combat, and showed the probation officer photographs of himself in full military dress.

However, representatives from the U.S. Marine Corps said there was no record of Horvath's military service, and said the uniform and its decorations were worn improperly in the man's photographs.

Molloy, who is himself a veteran, sentenced Horvath to four years of probation, four months of house arrest with electronic monitoring and required the man to perform 50 hours of community service by marching or walking in front of the courthouse, during regular business hours, wearing a sandwich board with ‚Äúlarge letters.‚Äù

Like a modern-day scarlet letter, the front of the board will read: ‚ÄúI am a liar. I am not a Marine.‚Äù On the back: ‚ÄúI have never served my country. I have dishonored veterans of all wars.‚Äù

Horvath's attorney, Dan Wilson of Kalispell, said Friday he could not comment on the sentence without his client's approval. Horvath could not be reached for comment.

Judge Molloy and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Josh Van de Wetering also said they could not comment on the sentence.

Molloy also ordered Horvath to write letters of apology to several Montana newspapers, the U.S. Marine Corps, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion in Kalispell. The judge said Horvath must admit in the letters that he lied repeatedly about serving and being wounded.

God bless America, the USMC, and the Montana Judicial System :!: :sa: =D>

Personally however, i would have drug him out back of the courthouse and shot him in both kneecaps with an M1 carbine. :t: