"Affluenza Kid" avoids jail time in DUI that killed four people

[fan_since79]

He got probation and a stint in rehab. Outrageous.

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/05/no-jail-for-teen/5242173/

 

His defense team used an "affluenza" defense at his trial last year, saying the then-16-year-old had grown up with a sense of entitlement and developed poor judgment after being coddled by his wealthy parents.

 

Prosecutors said Couch's blood-alcohol level was three times Texas legal limit when his pickup slammed into a group of people who were helping a woman with a stalled car last June. The driver, Breanna Mitchell, and bystanders Brian Jennings, Hollie Boyes and daughter Shelby, were killed. Nine others were injured.

 

According to police, Couch was going 70 mph in a 40 mph zone when he lost control of his father's pickup and his blood alcohol content was 0.24. The state's legal limit for adults is 0.08.

 

 

[HaloCory22]

I hope this **** gets a bullet in his skull.

[mtangelsfan]

If you are rich and white, you can do what you want.

 

Even kill somebody.  Awesome. 

[HaloCory22]

Same goes for the scumbag lawyers who defended this idiot.

[Blarg]

Cory, are you willing to hand out this death sentence yourself?

[fan_since79]

A related point: this is why I will never stop on the freeway to help a stalled motorist.

 

A few months ago, I came upon an accident that had just happened moments before on the 405 in Long Beach. The people were still in their cars (3 cars were involved), and I saw a couple other drivers stop in the fast lane (!) and they were getting out of their cars to help! It was total chaos, there was smoke and wreckage strewn across the two left lanes. I had to swerve a bit and hit the brakes hard to avoid a crash myself (I was in the second lane from the right). This was at 9:30 at night! 

 

I'm sorry, but I don't want to get killed standing in the fast lane by some drunk driver who can't see what's happening in front of him. 

Edited February 6, 2014 by fan_since79

[HaloCory22]

Cory, are you willing to hand out this death sentence yourself?

Gladly. I'll use the "I didn't know better. I'm Mexican" defense and get off with a slap on the wrist.

[mtangelsfan]

Can we stop arguing about stupid extremes here?  Bottom line is no way in hell should you take four lives driving with Valium in your system and having 3 times the legal limit of alcohol also while driving and receive zero jail time.  He's a kid, I get that.  He should have gotten some serious time in jail.

[fan_since79]

One other person was left severely disabled. There were seven other teens in his truck!

 

 

On June 15, 2013, he lost control of a Ford F-350 pickup registered to his dad’s company and started a deadly chain of collisions on Burleson-Retta Road in southern Tarrant County. He would admit drunkenness after his blood alcohol tested at 0.24 percent. That’s three times the legal limit for an adult and infinity times what the law allows for a minor. Tests also revealed Valium in his system.

Ethan Couch (WFAA.com)

He managed to achieve his blissful state of wastedness by drinking at the house his parents led him have and stealing beer from a Walmart. Then, he drove far too fast into two parked vehicles. Killed were Breanna Mitchell, 24, of Lillian, whose car had broken down; Brian Jennings, a youth minister from Burleson who had stopped to help; and Hollie Boyles, 52, and her daughter, Shelby Boyles, 21, who walked over from their house nearby to help.

 

Of the seven other teens jammed into Couch’s truck, four were tossed, and Sergio Molina and Solaiman Mohman remain seriously injured. Molina was left with a severe brain injury and is unable to move or talk. Mohmand suffered broken bones and internal injuries.

 

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/02/no-time-for-ethan-couch-no-justice-for-his-many-victims.html/?nclick_check=1

 

[IEAngelsfan]

Over 30 years ago, I had a DUI.  I remember visiting an attorney and he stated that his minimum cost would be $500 and he would show up in court.  He couldn't promise anything more.  He also mentioned that he had another client who was charged with a DUI and possession of drugs and that client was able to pay him a lot more for his defense.  The attorney was able to drag the case along and had the drug possession charge dropped and got his DUI reduced to reckless driving.  So basically, if I was willing to pay a lot more for my defense, he would get the charge dismissed or reduced to reckless driving.  I couldn't afford more than $500, so I ended up getting the DUI.

 

Bottom line is that money gets you a better defense.  It's not right, but that's the way it is.

[nate]

Based on that defense they should then charge the parents with manslaughter.

 

Total bullshit though.  Especially considering the defense, this kid is just learning that he can get away with anything.

[Adam]

I would hope that if my son does something like this that I would want him to be held accountable.

[TobiasFunke]

"junkie drug dealer, gets 50 years time. While the millionare murderer just pays a fine."

[Tank]

how in the world was this kid allowed to walk? what defense strategy did his attorney use, and what kind of scum-sucker would he have to be to try and keep his client out of jail after driving drunk, killing four, and injuring seven?

 

when my friend was in law school, they threw together a band called "blind justice and the all white jury." seems like there's a cover band of this going wherever this kid lives.

 

if you're the kid, how do you live with the guilt? won't be surprising to hear someday that he swallows a gun.

[TobiasFunke]

 

if you're the kid, how do you live with the guilt?

Material possessions usually do a good job at masking guilt

[nate]

Material possessions usually do a good job at masking guilt

 

Valium does too.

[Blarg]

Gladly. I'll use the "I didn't know better. I'm Mexican" defense and get off with a slap on the wrist.

 

Sorry, Cory, but brown people have no defense strategy. You need to be white and entitled to get away with murder.

[gotbeer]

I can't wait till someone goes to court in Texas and the defense is I couldn't help myself, that's the only way I knew how to do it, since I'm poor.   And use this case as precedence.

[HaloCory22]

Sorry, Cory, but brown people have no defense strategy. You need to be white and entitled to get away with murder.

No hablo.

[Blarg]

Dad's company is going to be sued by all parties involved by supplying the truck. If justice really prevails here the entire family is bankrupted by this and the kid's affluenza is cured.

[Blarg]

No hablo.

 

Hasta la vista, now pick up your orange jumpsuit at the end of the table.

[Brandon]

how in the world was this kid allowed to walk? what defense strategy did his attorney use, and what kind of scum-sucker would he have to be to try and keep his client out of jail after driving drunk, killing four, and injuring seven?

 

when my friend was in law school, they threw together a band called "blind justice and the all white jury." seems like there's a cover band of this going wherever this kid lives.

 

if you're the kid, how do you live with the guilt? won't be surprising to hear someday that he swallows a gun.

 

Does not compute.

[AngelsFaninGA]

how in the world was this kid allowed to walk? what defense strategy did his attorney use, and what kind of scum-sucker would he have to be to try and keep his client out of jail after driving drunk, killing four, and injuring seven?

 

when my friend was in law school, they threw together a band called "blind justice and the all white jury." seems like there's a cover band of this going wherever this kid lives.

 

if you're the kid, how do you live with the guilt? won't be surprising to hear someday that he swallows a gun.

 

I think the exact opposite happens; after getting off, he develops an even bigger sense of entitlement (and it's not like his parents will do anything to curb it), and I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years we read about how this guy killed his girlfriend or swindled retirees out of their life savings.

[gotbeer]

Dad's company is going to be sued by all parties involved by supplying the truck. If justice really prevails here the entire family is bankrupted by this and the kid's affluenza is cured.

 

If you cure his affluenza, then you can send him to jail since he no longer suffers from that horrible disease.

[Adam]

Lots of good posts here. Unifying Thread of the Year on AW