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HOUSTON, TEXAS, January 24 2004: The case that HPI reported recently of the kudge who ordered a man to take yoga classes as part of his one-year probation, has attracted national attention in the US and in India. Judge Larry Standley was on CNN (“source” above) recently defending his unusual sentence. He said “The facts as they were presented to me were that his wife had a substance abuse problem; they had an argument. He had control issues and he slapped her. She wanted him to be on probation, and she agreed to the probation. Why did I impose yoga? I imposed it because people that I know that are really into it, it appears to help them.”



“He received 10 years — 10-12 months’ probation. As well as 80 hours of community service as well as anger management counseling as well as random urinalysis. And what I did was tack on an additional condition that he attends a yoga class once a week for the entire year. The people that are really into yoga, just being in their presence, it is calming. And if it takes effect, I think it will help this individual. If not, then he will get revoked and do a year (in jail).”



“I think it is going to be a rare occurrence, but I think when you got a situation where the complainant has a documented substance abuse problem and the defendant himself has control issues, it is hopeful that maybe this as well as all the other conditions will help him realize his control ends with himself. And he has no control over anybody else. That is really where all anger comes from, control. I am not light on punishment in the least. And it’s kind of interesting how this case sounds like I just sentenced him to yoga. In past cases where it’s been a trial and not a plea agreement, I have actually sentenced individuals to the full year. Which is all I can give, I can’t give prison. I’m in the mid-level court right below felony. For the record, his wife, Wendy, says she actually thinks this is good for him, and that you are really trying to get to the root of the psychology of his actions. I think in the past, every judge likes to feel they are tough on crime. I’ll be tough on crime in the appropriate cases.”

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