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The case seemed clear-cut. A woman working as a house cleaner in Fairfax City, Virginia, confessed to stealing three rings from a home.
A jury convicted her of a felony, but they imposed a fine of only $60 and gave her money to pay the fine, plus an extra $20. The woman had faced as long as 20 years in prison and a fine of as much as $2,500.
After The Washington Post first reported the story, News4's David Culver spoke with the maid and the jury foreperson on Friday.
The group chose to have compassion toward the maid, Sandra Mendez Ortega, 19, a mother of two, jury foreperson Jeff Memmott said.