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

[Wreckem]

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.

The two cases in Tarrant county this year, both were in close proximity to the 3x range. Not sure about speed of the vehicle but the speed limit on the street for one of them was 30(it was in Downtown Fort Worth) and they blew through a red light and missed hitting a cop car driving through the intersection by mere inches. Considering all deceased passengers in both instances were wearing seat belts, the vehicles involved were obviously going at a high rate of speed. One hit a building and one hit a tree. The other thing is, the kid in this case plead guilty. The guys in the above cases went to trial.

I am not saying the kid didn't deserve jail time. I feel the Texas legislature should rewrite the law and require jail time for all intoxication manslaughter cases. I just feel the kid is being singled out unfairly. The righteous indignation is because he is rich and white, but the reality is plenty of people of all ages, statuses, and races get the same sentence fairly routinely. Maybe this will be the tipping point to change the law, I don't knowm Texas has always been one of the most lenient states for DWI/DUI offenses.

 

[Exophase]

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.

How many drunk drivers intend to hurt people?? If that was the case his sentence should be much worse than 20 years IMO...

Some 16 year olds get tried as adults. The prosecution was pushing for it, the legal system allows it, and it's for a reason. In this case I don't see much argument that his mental state and circumstances would have changed much in two years. Yes there'd me some more natural brain development but the real root cause damage was already long done here. He was already partaking in age-restricted privileges long before he was legally allowed to like driving (at 13) and drinking (at 16). I don't think he actually had a lack of understanding of why driving drunk like a maniac and going on petty crime sprees (as a wealthy person!) were bad things, he just didn't care.

The two cases in Tarrant county this year, both were in close proximity to the 3x range. Not sure about speed of the vehicle but the speed limit on the street for one of them was 30(it was in Downtown Fort Worth) and they blew through a red light and missed hitting a cop car driving through the intersection by mere inches. Considering all deceased passengers in both instances were wearing seat belts, the vehicles involved were obviously going at a high rate of speed. One hit a building and one hit a tree. The other thing is, the kid in this case plead guilty. The guys in the above cases went to trial.

Okay, maybe you can explain how this is supposed to work then - I just don't understand how you get the minimum sentence for DUI + vehicular manslaughter when you're guilty of a bunch of other crimes, even if they're misdemeanors (kids will very often get juvenile detention for those things). If ALL he's getting is 10 years probation then it's like he's getting zero sentence for those other things. I don't know what the minimum sentence is for those things, if any - but assuming there is one are the sentences not additive?

 

[Wreckem]

How many drunk drivers intend to hurt people?? If that was the case his sentence should be much worse than 20 years IMO...

Some 16 year olds get tried as adults. The prosecution was pushing for it, the legal system allows it, and it's for a reason. In this case I don't see much argument that his mental state and circumstances would have changed much in two years. Yes there'd me some more natural brain development but the real root cause damage was already long done here. He was already partaking in age-restricted privileges long before he was legally allowed to like driving (at 13) and drinking (at 16). I don't think he actually had a lack of understanding of why driving drunk like a maniac and going on petty crime sprees (as a wealthy person!) were bad things, he just didn't care.



Okay, maybe you can explain how this is supposed to work then - I just don't understand how you get the minimum sentence for DUI + vehicular manslaughter when you're guilty of a bunch of other crimes, even if they're misdemeanors (kids will very often get juvenile detention for those things). If ALL he's getting is 10 years probation then it's like he's getting zero sentence for those other things. I don't know what the minimum sentence is for those things, if any - but assuming there is one are the sentences not additive?

Its more or less in the same scheme/occurrence. Also petty theft doesn't even get you jail time(although if you assault someone during a petty theft, it can be trumped up to robbery/aggravated robbery). Furthermore, it is rare for Texas to run sentences consecutively.

One of the cases I mentioned above, the guy got two 10 year probation sentences, but that is still 10 years. I am not sure in this case, because the kid plead guilty, but he likely has multiple sentences of 10 years probation(for each count, unless they let him only pled down to one count), again, it is still 10 years because the time is served concurrently. IE even if he got the max of 20 years per each count, he would have served 20 years and not 80.

Also it doesn't have to be in the same scheme/occurrence for sentences to run concurrently. My brother plead down and served two years total on two separate aggravated robbery charges. One county was going to give him probation for one of the charges, but the other county wouldn't give him probation for the other unless he rolled over on the people he was with. In the end though he served two two year sentences concurrently. He paid less than $5k for counsel($3500 IIRC). My family is not affluent nor do we know anyone with power.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Apparently the only thing you understand is that whitey is the reason why your life is miserable, and all other minorities as well.

Instead of being a victim, why don't you do something productive with your life? Nobody is a victim. When you drop the bullshit, you will be able to move on and improve your life. You know what I'm saying???

So much this.

Not necessarily at who you are replying to(but there is a history of that) but it's so sickening that people walk around with such victim mentalities. Wake up people! Take charge of your own life and make your own way. It's not easy, but it sure is more enjoyable than wallowing in hate.

 

[chowderhead]

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

not according to this original article in September.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/09/11/5154628/16-year-old-charged-with-intoxication.html

Prosecutors chose not to pursue adult charges but to try the driver as a juvenile and to seek a “determinate sentence.” That means the teen, if convicted, could start a prison sentence in a youth facility and, after age 19, complete it in an adult prison, according to Melody McDonald, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.

The judge had the opportunity to sentence him to the maximum but chose not to. The prosecutors should have tried him as an adult ... god knows this is Texas here.

 

[SheHateMe]

This is what Liberal judges do.

Judge is Repub, dipshit.

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.

It doesn't matter what his intentions were, he committed a crime and he should pay. Being a minor has shit to do with it, this boy is not some 8 year old kid, he's a fucking teenager that clearly knew enough about what he was doing when he decided to steal beer and go joyriding.

 

[shortylickens]

OJ was white? Who knew.

Oh wait, the idiot OP didn't realize this was wealth privilege, not white privilege.

No because he's a stupid liberal. Science only counts when it fits your agenda. Otherwise fuck it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

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

Let's go with the common sense thing. People who aren't "dirt poor" or "1 percenters" tend to have little in the way of disposable income. Spending, what, 10 or 20k for a decent lawyer or more to defend isn't something the vast majority have. They haven't the resources the top end has nor can they get assistance. This is why merely the act of legal defense is ruinous to most people and that "not guilty" doesn't mean lasting hardship.

 

[Geosurface]

Let's go with the common sense thing. People who aren't "dirt poor" or "1 percenters" tend to have little in the way of disposable income. Spending, what, 10 or 20k for a decent lawyer or more to defend isn't something the vast majority have. They haven't the resources the top end has nor can they get assistance. This is why merely the act of legal defense is ruinous to most people and that "not guilty" doesn't mean lasting hardship.

Most families can circle the wagons and scrape together 20k if someone in the family needs to defend themselves while in legal peril.

If a person is from a family that can't do that, there's something seriously wrong with that family or they don't care about the person enough and there's probably a reason for that.

If someone does a DUI that results in people dying, they don't need a lawyer they should enter a guilty plea and accept the consequences of their actions.

 

[Engineer]

If someone does a DUI that results in people dying, they don't need a lawyer they should enter a guilty plea and accept the consequences of their actions.

Bingo. Even a lawyer shouldn't get them out of it, period.

 

[SheHateMe]

Most families can circle the wagons and scrape together 20k if someone in the family needs to defend themselves while in legal peril.

If a person is from a family that can't do that, there's something seriously wrong with that family or they don't care about the person enough and there's probably a reason for that.

"most families" can scrape together 20k on a whim for a lawyer. :whiste:

 

[Via]

A kid in Chicago got 32 years for knocking an old lady down some stairs (killing her) while fleeing with a stolen phone.

So, you know......

justice.

 

[Nebor]

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.

I agree. Nothing is gained from locking him up.

 

[Geosurface]

"most families" can scrape together 20k on a whim for a lawyer. :whiste:

Well first of all I'm including extended family. Between all of a person's uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, friends, etc most people could beg and borrow til they had what they needed, but this would probably depend on them being in a situation that seemed like it was unjust and they deserved to get a lenient sentence or a not guilty verdict. Most families might not feel like chipping in to defend someone when it was uncontested that they'd done a DUI and killed 4 people, for instance.

And that's not "on a whim" I'm talking about a crisis situation where a beloved family member who doesn't deserve to serve time, is looking likely to get absolutely bent over by the court system, and people are motivated in their social circle and family to try to help them.

For others, there are public defenders.

 

[videogames101]

I agree. Nothing is gained from locking him up.

Why is a 16-year old not responsible for his actions?

The age of majority is insanely high in this country. It should be 16 in my opinion. Drinking, consent, voting, conscription, trials "as an adult" (no decision made by the prosecution, it needs to be cut and dry), the whole thing. Our system is retarded right now.

 

[Angry Irishman]

Got to love the justice system.....that is to say if you're the criminal. The ruling and argument is disgusting.

 

[BoomerD]

I would bet Moonbeams nuts the judge is a liberal.

You might have to pay up...the judge is a Republican.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Got to love the justice system.....that is to say if you're the criminal. The ruling and argument is disgusting.

You would be wrong as she's a registered Republican.

 

[Angry Irishman]

You would be wrong as she's a registered Republican.

I was wrong and changed my original statement. I thought about it and decided it was an unfair assumption and Moonbeam should keep his kiwis. The ruling is however, disgusting.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Local news just reported tha Ethan will be confined in a rehab center for the next year. Granted it's not jail or prison but it not unfettered freedom either.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Most families can circle the wagons and scrape together 20k if someone in the family needs to defend themselves while in legal peril.

If a person is from a family that can't do that, there's something seriously wrong with that family or they don't care about the person enough and there's probably a reason for that.

If someone does a DUI that results in people dying, they don't need a lawyer they should enter a guilty plea and accept the consequences of their actions.

We know different "most families". Could the money be had? Perhaps, but what's the true costs? Real median income is down, good jobs of the past are going going gone, and costs of living continue to rise. Many people I know are a few paychecks from bankruptcy. This isn't the '50's TV show days of prosperity.

As for the second part if you are accused and wish to pay there's nothing stopping you. My point went beyond that however to cover a real disparity in what passes for "justice" in the US.

 

[Wreckem]

We know different "most families". Could the money be had? Perhaps, but what's the true costs? Real median income is down, good jobs of the past are going going gone, and costs of living continue to rise. Many people I know are a few paychecks from bankruptcy. This isn't the '50's TV show days of prosperity.

As for the second part if you are accused and wish to pay there's nothing stopping you. My point went beyond that however to cover a real disparity in what passes for "justice" in the US.

Honestly I think you over estimate how much a decent criminal lawyer costs.

 

[Wreckem]

Local news just reported tha Ethan will be confined in a rehab center for the next year. Granted it's not jail or prison but it not unfettered freedom either.

He has to do a minimum of 1 year in patient and 1 year out patient.

 

[Scotteq]

We know different "most families". Could the money be had? Perhaps, but what's the true costs? Real median income is down, good jobs of the past are going going gone, and costs of living continue to rise. Many people I know are a few paychecks from bankruptcy. This isn't the '50's TV show days of prosperity.

As for the second part if you are accused and wish to pay there's nothing stopping you. My point went beyond that however to cover a real disparity in what passes for "justice" in the US.

Hey now... We have the best Justice System money can buy...

 

[Wreckem]

A kid in Chicago got 32 years for knocking an old lady down some stairs (killing her) while fleeing with a stolen phone.

So, you know......

justice.

Which means committed aggravated robbery/aggravated assault(either one is a felony) and someone died during said felony which makes it felony murder. Felony murder is far more serious(atleast to the criminal justice system) than intoxication manslaughter.