He Has to Write Each Copy By Hand

From the New York Times, a creative punishment for a white collar crook:

On Monday, Judge Ricardo M. Urbina of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, sentenced a former senior pharmaceutical executive to write a book.

Earlier this year the executive, Dr. Andrew G. Bodnar, a former senior vice president at Bristol-Myers Squibb, had pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the federal government about the company’s efforts to resolve a patent dispute over the blood thinner Plavix.

The judge sentenced Dr. Bodnar to two years of probation during which he is to write a book about his experience connected to the case. Dr. Bodnar must also pay a $5,000 fine.

As a writer, the idea that a judge would equate writing a book with punishment is kind of disappointing. But on the other hand, there are probably dozens of things most people enjoy doing that I'd consider punishment. Watching an entire season of American Idol on DVD, for instance. Might plead the Eighth Amendment on that one.