Man "sentenced" to Yoga Lessons

January 29, 2004

WASHINGTON: An American judge has introduced a new twist to the US justice system by 'sentencing' a man convicted of spousal abuse to a yoga course instead of a prison term. Texas Judge Larry Standley ordered James Lee Cross, a car salesman accused of slapping his wife, to take a yoga class as part of his one-year probation. "It's part of anger management," Standley said. "For people who are into it, it really calms them down." Prosecutor Lincoln Goodwin agreed to a sentence of probation with yoga and without jail time because Cross had no significant criminal history. Cross told the court that his wife was struggling with a substance abuse problem and that he struck her on New Year's Eve during an argument about her drinking. "He was trying to get a hold of her because she has a problem," Standley said. "I thought this would help him realize that he only has control over himself." The unusual sentence came as a surprise not only to legal circles but to the accused and his wife. I'm not very familiar with yoga," Cross told the Houston Chronicle, which first reported the story. "From what I understand, it may help in a couple ways, not only as far as mentally settling, but maybe a little weight loss." Cross' wife, Wendy, said she thought yoga would be good for him. "I know there are a lot of benefits to meditation," she said. Yoga instructors in the region also hailed the sentence, although some derided it as a reflection of how faddish the practice had become. There has been a big yoga revival in the US over the last few years. Some Indian gurus like Jaggu Vasudev have introduced yoga in the US prison system with outstanding results.

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