Richard Jefferson's sentence reduced

If you check the afternoon updates on The Herald-Dispatch Web site, you may have come across this item, courtesy reporter Curtis Johnson:

HUNTINGTON — Cabell Circuit Judge Dan O’Hanlon has reconsidered his decision to send a long-time Cabell County educator to prison.
Richard “Dick” Jefferson, 63, of Barboursville was released from the Western Regional Jail Monday, after O’Hanlon granted a defense motion to place the former Cabell County superintendent on home confinement.
On Friday, O’Hanlon had sentenced Jefferson two to 10 years in prison for using the Internet to sexually solicit who he thought was a 14-year-old girl.The alleged victim turned out to be an undercover police officer working in New Martinsville, W.Va.
O’Hanlon was not available for comment Tuesday morning, but in his order, the judge states that Jefferson’s request for home confinement “is well-taken.”

The question is, how will the public react to this? Will it cut Jefferson some slack because he never committed a criminal offense with a real 14-year-old girl, or will it think Jefferson got a break because he is well-connected?

If I were a gambler, my money would be on the second.

For more details, check Curtis' story in tomorrow's newspaper.