Crime and punishment

The lawyer for Beaumont doctor Jeffrey Klem is trying to work out a plea agreement on the child molestation charges he is facing in Houston.

That would make sense. Klem has already pleaded guilty to similar charges in Beaumont.

As his Houston attorney said in our paper Thursday, “Since Dr. Klem has already entered a plea agreement over there, it would be in everybody’s best interests, including the victims, to work out some kind of agreement in Harris County to avoid a trial.”

Well put, counselor. Let the wheels of justice grind on.

A few points must be made, however.

Despite admitting sexual contact with three young girls, so far Klem has avoided:

A) prison time

B) being forced to register as a sex offender

C) the loss of his medical license

In child molestation cases, these things can happen. The crimes can be difficult to prosecute. A child victim can be terrified at the prospect of testifying in court or being cross-examined.

In a curious bit of legal wizardry, Klem pleaded guilty to a more serious offense in Beaumont, a first-degree felony count of causing injury to a child, to avoid the sex-offender registry.

He also got 10 years of probation instead of hard time behind bars.

He may lose his medical license later. Right now, however, it’s undecided, and the process of revoking his credentials through the Texas Medical Board could take months.

Justice can still be served with another plea agreement in Houston.

If Klem continues to escape A, B and C as listed above, it will not.