It seems like the wheels of justice sometimes turn in odd directions.

Take the case of Justin Keith Pickup, the former Neosho police officer who pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor charge of second-degree child endangerment.

Pickup, 24, pleaded guilty to providing alcohol to a 16-year-old girl, Kassie Schenck —  whom he was allegedly dating — hours before a crash claimed her life on Pineville Road in late December 2006.

Under Missouri law, Pickup could have been sentenced to up to a year in jail and / or a $1,000 fine.

Instead, Pickup received a sentence of 15 days shock incarceration, two years unsupervised probation and must attend a day-long victim’s impact panel session. Additionally, he can no longer serve as a peace officer in the state of Missouri.

We hope that’s enough to make the former police officer realize that actions have consequences, that his providing alcohol to an underage driver was one of the factors that led to her death.

And it is our sincere hope that the sentence provides closure to the family.

But we believe one additional step should be taken — an explanation of the sentence should be provided to Kassie Schenck’s family.

We don’t know what a jury would have recommended. That’s one of the realities of American jurisprudence: Once a case is in the hands of the jury, it is up to them to make a decision, and guilt must be found beyond a reasonable doubt.

We do realize that in pleading guilty, Pickup saved the expense of a trial, both to himself and to the people of Missouri.

It remains to be seen whether Pickup’s sentence will be enough.

DAILY NEWS