Atheletes gett off easy?

I don't know about anyone else but it appears to me that whenever an athlete or someone who is a celebrity gets in trouble with the law they seem to get off so much more easy than the average american would. It almost make me sick to my stomach to think that they should get off easier just because everyone knows who they are. It's almost like the judges who are sentensing them are too afraid to be harsh or even do anything at all, for the simple fact that the world would hate them. For example when Ray Lewis "killed his lemo driver," which everyone knows he did, absolutely nothing happened to him. I mean come on it was blateinly obvious that he killed the guy, but yet again i believe for the simple fact that because he was an athlete he got off easy. But i don't know everything so you be the judge. Another great example of this is when O.J. Simpson got off after he was found inocent for killing his wife. Eventhough all the clues lead to himm and everything pointed in his direction, he some how was found inocent. Again because he was a celebrity he got off easy. So if I could just get everyone else's thoughts, I would greatly appreciate it. I would like to see if everyone else feels the same way that I do about these ahtletes and getting off easy, or if there is anyone who completely disagrees with me.