General News Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Driving

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

"But instead, the judge "fashioned a sentence that could have him under the thumb of the justice system for the next 10 years," he told the Star-Telegram."

I think this line is incredibly relevant. This is a 15 year old boy we are talknig about here. Not some hardened criminal. You lock him up, and eventually he gets out and does it again. The jail system in The US is awful, and would probably just make this kid worse. Beyond that, as mentioned in the article, he could be out in 2 years. Thats nothing. Give the kid a chance to understand his mistakes. just my 2 cents.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

^ He ain't a kid. He has hair growing from his armpits and between his legs. A sign that he has physically matured. He is also mentally matured since he obviously knows the difference between right and wrong (plus not suffering from any mental issues). So he ain't no kid. He is an idiot who needs to be punished. The moron needs to serve prison sentence and then be executed. I don't care about "oh lets give the poor darling second chances." WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!

NO MORE "oooohh he's a kid he didn't know what he was doing" BLA BLA BLA BLA. Stop being such a "ooooooh ma nail is broken". It is time to get tough *eats a heart of a baboon* RARRRR

He KILLED 4 CIVILIANS! I would personally lash him in public everyday, lock him up in prison and then execute him. Should serve a lesson for all those who want to do stupid dangerous stuff. Excellent deterrence if I do say so myself.

Rehabilitation will do f*ck all. Criminals need actual punishment like lashes, flogging and stuff.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

saw this on facebook. Irony is that the judge isn't giving him punishment because he never had one before? WHAT?

the comments (i think on facebook) though, about how if he's a different ethnic kid, the judge would imprison him, IDK. And then I doubt the counseling will do any good. bad parenting sucks, rich or poor.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

An amusingly stated point, i like it. Not entirely wrong either.
But, seems a bit kneejerk. We don't know what mental issues this kid might have for one. This kid is being punished for two. And, personal views of how you would punsih him aside, what would you prefer: he servers 2 years in prison, comes out a changed man. A man who spent two of the most important years of his life, behind bars, with all manner of bad people. People, arguably worse then him. He comes out, having missed two years of high school, with no friends cept the people he met there. What does he resort two? Maybe he finishes high school. Goes on to become a productive member of society. More likely he turns too a life of crime, Ends up killing a couple more people in similar accidents. Gets thrown in jail again. COmes out many a year later. The process repeats.
Or, he goes to rehab. Gets a closer eye kept on him by the police. Doesn't lose an important part of his life. Becomes a productive member of society. Maybe he does it again, having squandered his second chance hes thrown in jail for much, much longer.
Peronally, i'd like to see him rehabilitated IN jail, learning an actual lesson from all this. But come on, this is The United States of America. You guys don't have that great jails.
Ultimately, why should we ruin more lives. 4 people died, their families are devestated. Why should we ruin another families life?

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

TL;DR: While I may not agree with what is happening in this case, knee jerk reactions that are unconstitutional aren't going to improve the situation either.

He is not "mentally matured". That doesn't happen until the age of 25. Also, I believe that the poster you're speaking to called him a kid because he is not legally an adult. In the US, you can't execute a minor (Roper v. Simmons 2005) and you can't give them life in prison without the possibility of parole (Miller v. Alabama 2012).

Ignoring the fact that what you're suggesting is unconstitutional, how would that be great deterrence? Drinking and driving is a decision that one makes while intoxicated. Intoxicated individuals are not known for their great decision making so it probably wouldn't have much of an effect. Your post is a bit reminiscent of certain aspects of Cornish and Clarke's Rational Choice Theory. That is all well and good but sometimes people make irrational decisions. I'd argue that that is a lot more likely to happen if they're intoxicated.

I'm not sure if you're against rehabilitation for this case or all cases. If you're talking about all cases, America already did the punish punish punish thing a few decades ago. It was a part of Right Realism a criminological theory that was heavily pushed by James Q. Wilson among others. What it ended up doing was getting prisons so full many people had to be released before they finished their sentence because we had neither the space or money to continue to imprison them. Which can lead to crap like this happening

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

The judge who sentenced Couch to probation once sentenced a Black 14-year-old to 10 years in prison for throwing a single punch.

Judge who let off 'spoiled' rich teen who killed four in DUI previously put boy aged fourteen in prison for TEN YEARS | Mail Online

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

What's the betting he was also working class?

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

Okay, first....it's sad that these people died. Let's get that off the bat.

However, when I look at this, what would putting him in jail do? Let him rot away? That's....nice. That does a lot. Say he got 25 years. He'd be out at 40. He's rich. Do you think mommy and daddy will let him suffer? No. They will probably give him money or a trust fund. Then he could just go back and do this shit again.

I'd be more open to a huge amount of community service, or like...something that actually could do good for him and could benefit our community! I don't think that jail is the end all, be all.

---------- Post added 16th Dec 2013 at 06:05 PM ----------

Also, in a completely legal sense, he committed manslaughter. Not murder. There's a difference there. I know - people still are dead, it's sad..but in a legal sense, it's different.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I saw put him to work in the fields, picking cotton for 10 years, give him a taste of hard work, and make him give the money to the families of the victims. Or make him clean the pens at a hog farm. He's a rich kid who got off easy, due to mommy and daddy's money.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I dunno how i feel about the fact that that article. It seems way to concerned with this recent case, instead of being outraged that this happened.
Of course, this sort of behaviour is unacceptable. However, I don't think these cases are as comparable as that article makes them out to be. You got one case, of a kid who had everything and had no concept of consequences, and an awful upbringing, who people are trying to rehabilitate (No mention on any sort of remorse though). And another, of a kid who went out of his way to cause physical harm to someone, and felt no remorse for it when he killed that person. One of these people is a sociopath, one is a kid who made a mistake.
Of course, that doesn't mean a ten year sentence is reasonable for the kid. Pyschological help, and proper rehabilitation would have both been far more reasonable. Not throw him in jail, and make things worse.
That said, i'm in favour of her being disbarred. Or fired. Or whatever it is you do to judges.
Just saying, we can't go around assuming this was purely a matter of wealth, or race. There were other factors at work. But get a more impartial judge in that court.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

Now, I'm not arguing with you because I do agree in a theoretical sense; however, in realistic application I feel as though nothing good is going to come of his current punishment either. It's not that easy for individuals who have grown accustom to a certain mindset or way of life to change simply because they were called out and order to pick up trash. I am all for educational rehabilitation over incarceration, but I don't agree with our justice system's ideas of rehabilitation. Probation or community service isn't going to change much of anyone's awareness or mindset.

Not to mention, this is not mercy that has been given to the plethora of other youth who have commit the same actions he has. If we are going to try to encourage growth from this experience rather than locking him away, then that should be a sentiment that is applied to all individuals in this situation.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I agree. The excuse is basically "you have money and we don't want to upset rich people" without disguise. Punishment might not work for a lot of people, but someone that spoiled needs a very harsh reminder that he doesn't have the right to do whatever he pleases, and that the law doesn't bend to him because of his social position.

Sadly, he'll learn that the law makes way for people like him, and that he deserves freedom while poor people and non-whites get a very harsh treatment for far lesser actions.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

So why don't we just hang him in the streets and cut his legs off, so he can't drive? That will send a big old message!

Granted, that's cruel and unusual...but still. I hope my point is getting across. I really don't think this argument should get into "the rich always win out" or crap like that. I think it might be smarter to focus on fixing the situation and people taking responsibility.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I don't think it should be that, but it is. There is nothing to excuse this but the fact that he's rich.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

What's your evidence for that? I mean, legal, standing, solid evidence? I really hate blanketing this on just rich people...it's more than that, and unfair to do to people who do have money.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

A) Did you read the article? If courts are willing to let this slide by, then perhaps legal standards aren't the best way of evidence, anyway. The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming, and doesn't need to be officially declared for it to be an obvious truth.

B) Oh, no! Think of those poor rich people. I don't hate the rich, but wealth doesn't mean you deserve to be treated better by the law. The rich are never subjected to any problems due to wealth. They're not a vulnerable group in need of protection from criticism and a statement of fact.

Wealth wasn't the only thing that got him into trouble, but it's the only think that got him out of trouble.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

Not word for word - I understand what is happening. Weird things happen everyday in court - hello OJ Simpson. Hello George Zimmerman. hello life...

Do I have to keep saying this? Manslaughter is different than murder, okay? If this kid got upset and went out and shot his teacher because he didn't get a 143 percent on his test, then yeah....we have a problem there.

Please stop generalizing the rich. Not all rich people are heartless! Guess what? If you had millions of dollars, you'd use it to get yourself out of trouble. Maybe not in a court of law, but you'd use it. It might be much simpler, but I think it's ride to just say all rich people are so horrible. On top of that, it's very judgmental of you and isn't that bad? (Not compared to this scenario, but you know what I mean...)

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I've never said rich people are horrible. That'd be pretty hypocritical coming from someone who's currently in line to inherit well over a million euros and several properties. What I did say is that wealth doesn't excuse corruption and doesn't justify being protected from someone's own stupidity. Don't give me a patronising lecture about something I'm neither guilty of or ignorant of.

What he did would have ended a poor black kid in gaol for a long time, no questions asked and a swift trial. The problem is that this rich white kid can just do as he pleases with debauched behaviour and get only a slight tap on the wrist.

 

Re: Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 While Drunk Drivi

I changed "jail" to "justice" because jail is only one piece of the puzzle, but yeah I agree entirely. We have criminal treatment totally wrong, and as a result I don't trust any established programs we have, whether they're lenient or harsh prison sentences. But I would certainly give him like 1000 hours of community service, because driving drunk and underage was willful and wanton disregard for human life. <<That's basically all there is to DUI manslaughter in Florida at least, and it's a serious crime.