by Geoffrey Bennett

Barbie Bandit Case
Courtesy Jessica McGowan, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Heather Lyn Johnston, (left), was sentenced to 10 years probation. Bank teller Benny Allen III, (right), was given five years in jail and five on probation.

"When four people are involved in the same crime and those who happen to be Caucasian receive much less time than those who are African American, this reflects a problem in the justice system that must be addressed," said Edward DuBose, head of Georgia's chapter of the NAACP.

DuBose is talking about the so-called Barbie Bandits bank heist case, which has dominated the news around Atlanta. Here's more from the AJC:

"The Feb. 27, 2007, heist at a Bank of America branch involved four people: two young white women and a black male bank teller — who admitted their roles — and another black man convicted by a jury of planning the job."

Here's what happened: one of the girls was sentenced to two years in jail, followed by eight years probation. The other girl got 10 years probation. [Prosecutors had recommended both be sentenced to three years in jail and seven years of probation.]

Of the two men involved in the case ... one — who was on probation for a drug conviction and was said to be uncooperative with prosecutors — received five years in jail. The other man — who is serving 15 years on unrelated drug-trafficking charges — was ordered to complete another 10 years in jail for the bank theft.

Is this a case of racial bias?

Do the men's prior convictions make a difference? Should the sentences handed down in this case reflect each person's role in the crime? Or should each sentence be the same across the board?