A man arrested Friday for allegedly committing an assault during a large street brawl a week ago never should have been out on the street in the first place.

James Scott, 23, could have been sent to Cayuga County Jail March 8, but judge Thomas Leone allowed the sentencing to be postponed for three weeks so Scott could be free while his girlfriend gave birth to their child.

Auburn Police say Scott - now the father of a newborn son - sliced another man's head with a box cutter March 25 during a 2 a.m. melee that involved as many as 100 people outside a city nightclub. He was arrested at the county jail the day after his sentencing finally took effect and charged with second-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

We recall how Leone, during his campaign for county judge, touted his compassionate nature as a great attribute to bring to the bench. We agree, to a point, that being a good judge means sometimes having a soft side. We wouldn't want our police, prosecutors or judges to be strict letter-of-the-law robots.

We're beginning to wonder, however, if Leone's nice-guy image is sending the wrong message to criminals.

On the same day he released Scott to return for sentencing another day, Leone granted a sentencing delay to a woman who said she wanted to attend a baby shower.

We understand that special circumstances call for exceptions to be made, but when someone is convicted of a crime they forfeit some of their rights.

At the point a convict is about to be sent to jail, they should already have lost their right to be there for the birth of a child. And they've certainly lost the right to go to a baby shower.

Being compassionate is a fine human attribute. But giving convicted criminals additional opportunities to commit crimes is a public safety issue that needs to be taken seriously.