DEEP IN
THE HOLE

There are a number of ways a repentant miscreant can go about making amends: admitting errors, changing behaviour, offering a simple apology. The benefits of these are that they cost little and are easy to fake.

But when Jason Leigh Markham was charged with several counts of theft, disorderly conduct and drug possession, he wasn’t so much concerned with paying his debt to society as he was with paying a lawyer to save his ass. Lawyers, however, want money, and Markham had none. So, riding the success of his previous theft attempts, the 19-year-old went back for a second round. And like the first time, he was caught.

Beloit, Wisconsion, police allege that Markham had already burglarized several vehicles around the neighbourhood when he was spotted breaking into a Camaro by the car’s owner. The man didn’t miss a beat in tackling Markham and holding him down until police arrived.

Markham told police that he was “in serious legal trouble” and was only stealing to pay his lawyer, but unsympathetic officers took him into custody anyway. Markham’s legal expenses will now have to cover charges of burglary, possession of burglar tools and bail-jumping.

by SCOTT SAXON