Spoiled rich white kid kills 4 drunk driving gets no jail time

[Londo_Jowo]

From the same article "Prosecutors had asked for the maximum of 20 years behind bars."


how was the judge's hand's tied if prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars and the judge gave him probation?

The prosecutors were trying to get him tried as an adult and that would have been the maximum sentence.

 

[jhbball]

oh look, the ultra rich. On a normal day, they would be considered republican heroes.

 

[Sonikku]

At least he didn't try to use an ounce of marijuana for recreational use.

 

[Wreckem]

Exactly. I think this little scumbag should be in jail for 15 years for what he did, but he was able to avoid consequences for his crimes because of his (parents) wealth. Wealth brings privilege, but I haven't seen any indication that the race of the guy had anything to do with the outcome. Had he been poor (and still white), he'd likely be in jail as well.

You are assuming wealth and privilege have something to do with it.

How many intoxicated manslaughter cases have resulted in 10 years probation in Tarrant County this year? Several. How many of those sentences were for adults? All but this one. How many were a minority? At least one.

Where was this righteous indignation in those cases?

Apparently no one in this thread or in the media realizes how COMMON 10 years probation is for these types of cases in Texas. So everyone gnashes their teeth and says its white/wealthy privilege when that is not the case. For fucks sake in the span of a single week in March of this year there were TWO ADULT CASES IN TARRANT COUNTY(the same county in the kids case) WHERE THE DEFENDANTS WERE GIVEN 10 YEARS PROBATION.

 

[werepossum]

You are assuming wealth and privilege have something to do with it.

How many intoxicated manslaughter cases have resulted in 10 years probation in Tarrant County this year? Several. How many of those sentences were for adults? All but this one. How many were a minority? At least one.

Where was this righteous indignation in those cases?

Apparently no one in this thread or in the media realizes how COMMON 10 years probation is for these types of cases in Texas. So everyone gnashes their teeth and says its white/wealthy privilege when that is not the case. For fucks sake in the span of a single week in March of this year there were TWO ADULT CASES IN TARRANT COUNTY WHERE THE DEFENDANTS WERE GIVEN 10 YEARS PROBATION.

For DUI fatalities?

 

[Wreckem]

For DUI fatalities?

Yes.

 

[StinkyPinky]

It's wealth and power, not race. You think some white hick from the local trailer park is going to get away with that? You think if Will Smiths son did the same he WOULD go to jail? Yeah right. People with a lot of money have ties and power and use that power to get away with lots of nasty shit. It's been like that since humans first walked the earth. Nothing to with race, all to do with money.

 

[werepossum]

Yes.

Wow, that's just breathtaking. I knew DUI was not taken seriously, but I had assumed that if someone dies the law cracks down. Guess that's not the case.

Just goes to show that we have a legal system, not a justice system. The important thing is that both lawyers have an equal chance to win.

 

[Geosurface]

You are assuming wealth and privilege have something to do with it.

How many intoxicated manslaughter cases have resulted in 10 years probation in Tarrant County this year? Several. How many of those sentences were for adults? All but this one. How many were a minority? At least one.

Where was this righteous indignation in those cases?

Apparently no one in this thread or in the media realizes how COMMON 10 years probation is for these types of cases in Texas. So everyone gnashes their teeth and says its white/wealthy privilege when that is not the case. For fucks sake in the span of a single week in March of this year there were TWO ADULT CASES IN TARRANT COUNTY(the same county in the kids case) WHERE THE DEFENDANTS WERE GIVEN 10 YEARS PROBATION.

Oh interesting...

So this case really didn't indicate any of what it was presented as indicating?

This was fairly SOP for that county and for Texas in general?

So the media just latched onto this as a way to drum up resentment toward whites and rich people? How utterly unsurprising...

 

[PokerGuy]

You are assuming wealth and privilege have something to do with it.

How many intoxicated manslaughter cases have resulted in 10 years probation in Tarrant County this year? Several. How many of those sentences were for adults? All but this one. How many were a minority? At least one.

I don't have any facts to back this up, but I'd guess all of those had expensive lawyers. I seriously doubt the court appointed defense lawyer that some poor person would get would be able to get that sentence. That's why I said it has little to do with race, and more likely everything to do with money.

 

[Exophase]

Lets recap here, the kid dodged a possible 20 year sentence for what he did because he has "Affluenza". So, when you have "Affluenza" you are able to:

• Steal Alcohol from a store
• Drive under the influence of said Alcohol (at 3x the legal limit!)
• Kill 4 people
• Claim that you don't know right from wrong cause mommy and daddy were too busy to teach you
• Have a judge agree with this
• Get sentenced instead to 10 years probation and a lovely vacation to a 450K/yr "rehab" paradise.

Don't forget high on most likely illegally obtained valium.

If the defense got away with shifting all of the blame to the parents then I'd at least like to see the parents sentenced.

 

[Wreckem]

Oh interesting...

So this case really didn't indicate any of what it was presented as indicating?

This was fairly SOP for that county and for Texas in general?

So the media just latched onto this as a way to drum up resentment toward whites and rich people? How utterly unsurprising...

I wouldn't say its state wide. But it has happened in multiple counties, multiple times.

 

[sandorski]

Who is going to host the Telethon for the Cure to Affluenza?

 

[BoomerD]

Who is going to host the Telethon for the Cure to Affluenza?

The Democrats? ALL Washington politicians. They have never met a tax (on someone else) they didn't like.

 

[Wreckem]

I don't have any facts to back this up, but I'd guess all of those had expensive lawyers. I seriously doubt the court appointed defense lawyer that some poor person would get would be able to get that sentence. That's why I said it has little to do with race, and more likely everything to do with money.

You don't have to be wealthy to afford decent lawyers.

 

[Wreckem]

The Democrats?

I'd like to point out it was a Republican Judge that handed down this kid's sentence. Yes, judges in Texas are elected. Reportedly she was already planning on retiring at the end of her term(2014) prior to ever having this case.

 

[BoomerD]

You don't have to be wealthy to afford decent lawyers.

How the hell do poor people pay for expensive lawyers?

Even $5000 is beyond the reach of most poor people...and $5000 won't buy anything but a mediocre lawyer...let alone a good one.

 

[piasabird]

This is what Liberal judges do.

 

[bshole]

Weirdly enough, if this same exact kid had sex with his school teacher, you would want the teacher locked up for 20 years.

 

[nehalem256]

How the hell do poor people pay for expensive lawyers?

Even $5000 is beyond the reach of most poor people...and $5000 won't buy anything but a mediocre lawyer...let alone a good one.

He said you didn't have to be WEALTHY to afford a lawyer. If only there were people who were neither dirt poor or 1%ers? :hmm:

 

[BoomerD]

This is what Liberal judges do.

So...a Republican judge emulating a liberal?

Since this is about a wealthy family escaping responsibility for their actions, I contend that a LIBERAL judge would have sentenced the kid to a long jail term. Only a Republican judge would understand and defend the affluent...

 

[Wreckem]

Weirdly enough, if this same exact kid had sex with his school teacher, you would want the teacher locked up for 20 years.

Oddly enough, Texas is the only state where it is illegal for a a teacher/coach/clergy to have sex with someone that isn't a minor but is still in their "care". Yes in Texas if you are a teacher YOU CAN(and it has happened) go to jail for having a consensual sexual relationship with your 18 or 19 year old student.

 

[BoomerD]

He said you didn't have to be WEALTHY to afford a lawyer. If only there were people who were neither dirt poor or 1%ers? :hmm:

Gawd-Dammit...keep common sense out of this thread. This IS P&N after all. Common sense has no place here.

 

[Exophase]

How many intoxicated manslaughter cases have resulted in 10 years probation in Tarrant County this year? Several. How many of those sentences were for adults? All but this one. How many were a minority? At least one.

Of all those people, how many had just stolen the alcohol they drank and were about to go steal some more? How many were also high on vallium? How many were going twice the legal speed limit? What was the average level of intoxication, was it 3x like in this case? I don't think his age is a call for leniency (in that I don't think his brain would be functioning any better at 18), if anything that's just yet another crime he's guilty of (underage drinking).

There's a big gap between minimum and maximum sentence because situations vary. I could think of DUI + vehicular manslaughter scenarios that might call for more lenience than this. I definitely don't think this qualifies for the minimum. No one's arguing that the judgement is illegal but that doesn't make it appropriate.

It really doesn't even matter whose fault it is that he ended up this way or why it happened. I bet you anything that this will only reinforce his feelings that he can get away with anything and I really doubt it'll stop him from screwing up again. Hopefully his probation will actually stick when that happens but who knows what the price will be.

 

[bshole]

I'm sorry, age is a mitigating factor. He did not INTEND to hurt anybody and he is a minor. He should be charged differently than an adult. If he can be treated like an adult, then all people of that age should be treated like an adult for EVERYTHING.