16 year drives drunk and kills 4 people and gets sentenced...

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
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16 year drives drunk and kills 4 people and gets sentenced to probation. Well that and has to go to a 450k "counseling center" as punishment as well.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...4-drunken-crash-spared-jail-article-1.1544508

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/11/ethan-couch-sentenced_n_4426722.html

His attorney argued he had "Affluenza" and its not his fault as his parents are rich and they gave him to much. Mind you his blood alcohol level was .24.

So remember if you break the law try and be rich, different rules for you.


UPDATE:

Lawsuits are starting to come in. Parents and parents company also sued.

http://kfor.com/2013/12/16/victims-families-file-multimillion-dollar-lawsuits-against-affluenza-teen/
 
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Feb 6, 2007
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His attorney argued that his parents taught him that wealth bought privilege and there was no link between behavior and consequences. So, in order to prove their brand of parenting wrong, he is given the equivalent of no consequences for his behavior. That's a teachable moment, right there. And the lesson is "your parents were absolutely right. Go get yourself some hookers and blow to celebrate; you've earned it!"
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
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Seems like the judge missed an opportunity to cure this "affluenza" by throwing him in the slammer, and instead just proved that money does solve everything.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,840
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Article aside, I don't think any 16 year old should be punished for life unless it's like cold blooded murder. A lot of things change mentally from the time you are 16. A good harsh punishment for sure which is what this kid should have got but don't ruin their entire future for the next 60 + years they are alive like some here seem to want as that only causes them to do more stupid things as they age.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
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Article aside, I don't think any 16 year old should be punished for life unless it's like cold blooded murder. A lot of things change mentally from the time you are 16. A good harsh punishment for sure which is what this kid should have got but don't ruin their entire future for the next 60 + years they are alive like some here seem to want as that only causes them to do more stupid things as they age.

I agree though, I'd like to see him sentenced to 10,000 hours of community service.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,670
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Killed 4 people? Life in prison...or the death penalty.

Anything less is a travesty.
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
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The 1% in this country owns America's ass, deal with it folks. Can you believe there are non-rich idiots who want to LOWER the taxes on these assholes?

If this kid was poor and black, the judge would have probably given him 20+ years lockup.

edit: Best reddit comment on this article

http://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/1sni9z/texas_rich_kid_who_killed_4_in_drunken_car_crash/

"Jesus Christ, a friend of mine did several months in jail for selling weed in Connecticut, yet this asshole can kill 4 people, destroy families and walk away scot free?"

edit 2: Also, this is the most Texas story ever. lolredstate.
 

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,359
4,640
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Article aside, I don't think any 16 year old should be punished for life unless it's like cold blooded murder. A lot of things change mentally from the time you are 16. A good harsh punishment for sure which is what this kid should have got but don't ruin their entire future for the next 60 + years they are alive like some here seem to want as that only causes them to do more stupid things as they age.

It is a hard line to walk. I agree with you, because I believe that justice needs to be more about rehabilitation then punishment, but a lot (maybe most) people believe that justice is vengeance for the victims.

In either case, neither of those things happened. No justice of any type was served. And this is becoming increasingly more common. Money is buying more and more privilege.
 

Carson Dyle

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2012
8,173
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It is a hard line to walk. I agree with you, because I believe that justice needs to be more about rehabilitation then punishment, but a lot (maybe most) people believe that justice is vengeance for the victims.

You have that exactly backward. They believe vengeance is justice.

An eye for an eye.

We've become a country of barbarians and each day become more and more like the primitive Muslim societies of 3rd world countries that we love to invade.

Stone him to death.
 

Doppel

Lifer
Feb 5, 2011
13,306
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0
Considering how many people drive drunk (and I bet some reading this thread have) I don't support him life in prison--a 16 year old--for doing this.

However, somebody needs to pay and probation isn't pay. If we are to believe it's his parents' fault, and I grant it may be, they should be the ones going to prison. The defense that he didn't know any better and yet was granted the power to commit the act means somebody else must pay as proxy.
 

Pocatello

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 1999
9,754
2
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A victim of wealth, must be horrible! Affluenza, is it contagious? Or is it just being passed down from generation to generation?
 
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drebo

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
7,034
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1st DUI should = license lost forever.
2nd DUI should = forced castration.
3rd DUI should = death penalty.

Vehicular manslaughter while also DUI should = death penalty.

Driving w/o a license should = mandatory 1 year in prison, no eligibility for parole.

There is no excuse for this type of behavior, and it needs to be punished more heavily. I once worked with a guy who had 5 DUIs. FIVE DUIS! Clearly he has no self control and no common sense, and we should rid the gene pool of his taint.
 

Paratus

Lifer
Jun 4, 2004
17,754
16,093
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Bunch of jealous liberals in this thread.

Ooh sue his parents. Kill the kid.


Instead get off your ass and work so you can kill 4 people and get away with it.

:whiste: