THE HARDINS: Mary Hardin wrote court about her husband Lu: “I also hope you’ll see the other side of what you’ve been told about Lu. He is remorseful, contrite, and completely humbled.

  • THE HARDINS: Mary Hardin wrote court about her husband Lu: “I also hope you’ll see the other side of what you’ve been told about Lu. He is remorseful, contrite, and completely humbled.” (Photo by Brian Chilson)

Chuck Banks, the attorney for Lu Hardin, filed his pleading yesterday in federal court asking for leniency in sentencing Sept. 26 for Hardin, the former University of Central Arkansas president who has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a bonus scheme he worked out in part to cover gambling debts.

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Here’s the complete filing. From it:

The following factors are presented for the Court’s consideration in granting a probationary or alternative sentence, not as an excuse for Hardin’s behavior, but so that the Court can see the true man. These factors include: (1) Hardin’s acceptance of responsibility, extreme remorse and post-offense rehabilitation; (2) Hardin’s lifetime of service to the public and charitable organizations; (3) Hardin’s almost immediate payment of full restitution; (4) Hardin’s cooperation and other punishments already suffered because of the offense; and (5) Hardin’s recovering gambling addition.

So the question for readers: Has Hardin been punished enough by the public embarrassment and job and professional losses he’s experienced?

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The complete filing is worth reading. It contains a biography (left fielder on a championship American Legion baseball team); has excerpts from many of the letters written in his behalf (son Scott Hardin: ” … the most honest man I have ever met. He has always been quick to call penalties on himself on the golf course, teaching me it is the only way to play the game….”), and it addresses the gambling that helped land him in court.

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