A Wealthy Teen's Defense For a Deadly Drunken-Driving Crash: "Affluenza"

[Jeremy Mason]

So if your rich, hey, its just a kid. But if your poor, 20 years of prison. Rick, other kids have been persecuted with longer, tougher sentences.

 

[Awoon]

God blessed Texas.

[youtube]mbH60wCO-Yw[/youtube]
Little Texas - God Blessed Texas - YouTube

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Sorry, the male brain does not fire on all cylinders till your mid twenties.

This isn't the case for all males or we wouldn't have such people such as child prodigies and others who have very high IQ’s at a young age.

It is not like he got mad and shot these folks. If I let my 16 year old grandchild have the keys to my beemer and he drives 160 on the highway and kills alot of folks would it be any different handing him a gun when he was upset?

If it's used in an improper way then what's the difference. Both are dangerous. If he was drinking before handling the gun and shot someone...do we give him a slap on the wrist?...If he was drinking, knowing full well..even at 16..you should not drink and drive then what's the difference. If your premise is that (the brain isn't firing on all cylinders til your mid 20's)...then why are the 18 and above (18-24) treated as adults for these crimes. No, it seems that the courts treat the 18 and above, in many cases, the same. There are a few out there where teens have been tried as adults.

The kid got drunk, messed up and went to court and pled guilty to manslaughter. He did not lie or try to get out of things. The judge wants him fixed not ruined for life in prison.

And I find that no locale is consistent with their laws and their punishments. We have a young lady right now in Florida about to spend the next 20-25 years in prison because she fired a warning shot at a known and admitted abusive boyfriend.....She took no life, was trying to defend herself....and this "kid" makes the decision to drink under age because he felt as though he could, get behind the wheel of a car, drove it drunk and mowed down 4 people...and he gets 10 years probation.....and he may not even spend all of it on probation is he gets off on special circumstances....

Do you really see him with the general population in prison? He would be raped every day, is that what you want?

Come on now....They wouldn't put him in gen-pop. I've visited plenty of prisons and he would stay in juvi' until 18 then he'd be transferred to a prison.

He is a kid not a man.

But thought he was man enough to make the decision to drink and man enough to make the decision to drive which resulted in 4 people dieing...?

If you really think he is a man, lets give him the needle for killing those folks. OK?

I'm not asking for that.

 

[Uberpod]

His defense was that he was overindulged by his parents and his punishment is to be overindulged by the system?

 

[psychoslice]

I'm thinking the truck he drove would not be in his name, the parents could be sued in Civil Court.

Yea whatever, get them all in prison.

 

[Curious George]

People are dead because of this young man's actions; we should not lose sight of that.

What is the purpose of our justice system? Is the sole aim to punish those who cause harm in our society, or is the purpose to protect those in our society from harm? Do we want to rehabilitate offenders or do we seek merely retributive justice?

These are not easy questions, and the implications of our answer to what role the criminal justice system provides will always be controversial. I agree that "affluenza" is a crap defense. But let us remember that this is not a defense that is put forth in court. This is a request for leniency in sentencing. The kid likely struck a pleading deal with the prosecution. And both the defense and prosecution signed off on the deal.

I think that it is a misrepresentation to suggest the standard punishment is twenty years. I would like to see the case law precedent for sentencing 16 year olds who commit first offense drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter for this jurisdiction. Age is certainly a factor in sentencing, so is previous criminal history.

I do not doubt that money can unfairly tip the scales of justice, but I am not so quick to point my finger and slam the justice system. I think more facts should be known.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

 

[Curious George]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

I do not think I am included in that grouping, but it seems that for some liberal ideas go out the window when talking about the evil rich.

I think that is because people realize if they cannot punish people outright for being rich, they should punish the rich as much as they can whenever the chance arises.

Just kidding of course, well sorta. I also find it interesting, that you are the voice of rehabilitation here. Maybe you do have some redeeming qualities, I would call off the hit in light of this, but once you pay ninja assassins, there is no way to get a hold of them to cancel.

however, your take on adult justice still misses the mark horribly.

 

[psychoslice]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

Well you can't help that.

 

[Slapstick]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

I think 10 years of probation is enough, and have somewhat liberal views on this, but at the same time I do realize that those with tons of money can basically get off the hook and be treated with "special privileges" no matter what they do.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

People are dead because of this young man's actions; we should not lose sight of that.

Yes this is very important.

What is the purpose of our justice system? Is the sole aim to punish those who cause harm in our society

Not sole purpose but it should be one aspect.

is the purpose to protect those in our society from harm?

Yes.

Do we want to rehabilitate offenders or do we seek merely retributive justice?

Both.

These are not easy questions, and the implications of our answer to what role the criminal justice system provides will always be controversial.

I agree...which is why I've always had a problem with the criminal justice system and how and to whom they apply these laws to. It's never consistent and it bugs me.

I agree that "affluenza" is a crap defense. But let us remember that this is not a defense that is put forth in court. This is a request for leniency in sentencing. The kid likely struck a pleading deal with the prosecution. And both the defense and prosecution signed off on the deal.

Yeah...you're right...Still sucks though.

I think that it is a misrepresentation to suggest the standard punishment is twenty years. I would like to see the case law precedent for sentencing 16 year olds who commit first offense drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter for this jurisdiction. Age is certainly a factor in sentencing, so is previous criminal history.

I see what you mean...I'm just a little leery that it could set a precedent for the youth. More and more of them in today's society experiment and use various drugs and alcohol more socially. I want the laws to be tougher and consistent. Rehabilitation is a must as well as court ordered community service in the respective area of the crime that was committed (in most cases).

I do not doubt that money can unfairly tip the scales of justice, but I am not so quick to point my finger and slam the justice system. I think more facts should be known.

True...

 

[Dirty Penguin]

I do not think I am included in that grouping, but it seems that for some liberal ideas go out the window when talking about the evil rich.

I think that is because people realize if they cannot punish people outright for being rich, they should punish the rich as much as they can whenever the chance arises.

Just kidding of course, well sorta. I also find it interesting, that you are the voice of rehabilitation here. Maybe you do have some redeeming qualities, I would call off the hit in light of this, but once you pay ninja assassins, there is no way to get a hold of them to cancel.

however, your take on adult justice still misses the mark horribly.

Yea, I don't want to "punish" the rich...but I want to point out the inconsistency. I don't like laws and deals when some one can mow down four people, serve no time, get probation....I know for the most part it's not going to be easy for this kid. Mentally he has to deal with this the rest of his life....but I also like to point out these inconsistencies when it comes to people being arrested on drug charges and sentenced 10/20 years in prison.....I'm sure there are many facets to all of this I'm not considering..but it makes me lose confidence in our justice system (sometimes).

 

[Uberpod]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

Just because your view lacks logic and moral weight doesn't make it liberal.

 

[Revoltingest]

Just because your view lacks logic and moral weight doesn't make it liberal.

If I many defend the Rev, I find him reasoned & liberal in his desire to rehabilitate the youth, rather than to merely punish.
Sorry, Rev....I don't intend offense, but you are liberal in your compassion & tolerance.
If you want to be a doctrinaire stereotypical conservative, you're failing utterly.

 

[Awoon]

The story is not about the kid, it's about Texas justice system. Now figure that out.

 

[Curious George]

If I many defend the Rev, I find him reasoned & liberal in his desire to rehabilitate the youth, rather than to merely punish.
Sorry, Rev....I don't intend offense, but you are liberal in your compassion & tolerance.
If you want to be a doctrinaire stereotypical conservative, you're failing utterly.

And I commend him for the same reasons for which you defend him.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

I find it interesting that I have a more liberal view on this than most of you.

:no:Your confusing liberal views with apathy.

 

[Reverend Rick]

My issue with the justice system is a person can never pay off their debt to society. After they serve their time, they still can't vote or buy a gun for instance. If we truely have rehabilitated a person and they have paid their debt to society why can't they vote?

All we are doing is sending them to criminal college.

 

[Magic Man]

He is a kid, who wants him in prison? We as society need to figure out when a child becomes an adult. Could he vote, get married, buy a gun, beer, liquor? But we can charge him as an adult?

16 is too young to be driving. These are adult things. He is not an adult, so we try to fix him not warehouse him for life.

The flip side is we should give him the needle for what he done if he is an adult.

I don't disagree, but the inconsistency in the system displayed by this example is what is most disturbing. If we are going to treat people like this, then it should apply across the board, not selectively.

Also, not holding him accountable for his actions, but instead blaming his parents, doesn't seem like the best way to teach him responsibility.

 

[Magic Man]

My issue with the justice system is a person can never pay off their debt to society. After they serve their time, they still can't vote or buy a gun for instance. If we truely have rehabilitated a person and they have paid their debt to society why can't they vote?

All we are doing is sending them to criminal college.

Fully agreed. Good post.