United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

“ Donner lists several grounds in support of his position that the trial judge clearly abused his discretion in imposing the sentence: (1) The judge “flatly refused” to state any reasons for his denial of probation. It is well established, however, that generally a trial judge is under no obligation to give reasons for his sentencing decision, although it might well be the better practice for him to do so. ”

“ We will no longer tolerate the Christians’ ‘just war’, the liberals’ cries for ‘honorable peace.’ We put our hope in life, and our lives in hope and will continue to actively resist any system which obstructs those goals. ”

“ We cannot see how this hearing and subsequent action indicate a failure to give each appellant individualized attention, as the court promised. Nor can it be said that the proper standards were not applied. As we read the record, the judge concluded that “the ends of justice and the best interests of the public as well as the defendant would be served” by not granting probation to any of the appellants. Donner admits that the offense was a most serious one and that his record was blemished by his guilty plea in the Dow Chemical Company case which was somewhat similar to the Indianapolis one. ”