28 years - yep, it may sound at first like a long time (even though they destroyed decades of life for their victims). Yet with good behavior these snakes will probably be out in 7 (if i understand the system correctly), and it doesn't look like they are going to serve time in any serious security tough facility.

Yes, perhaps better would be less time + public burning at the stake (or reverse the order), especially in extreme cases where innocents were damaged severely and there is little doubt that the prosecution is unfair.

Our society sometimes looks like something Charles Dickens wrote about (or worse). Bringing back the old punishments (drawing & quartering, hanging, etc.) might help, but I doubt it.

I'd really hate to say it but people who abuse authority in this manner don't deserve to enjoy being members of society. How many lives do you have to destroy before we destroy yours? 10, 100, 1000?