Judge Says Drunk Teen Is Too Rich to Pay the Price for Killing Four People

LiquidPen

Forum Sponsor
Jun 23, 2011
3,073
22
Bartlett, IL
I am at loss for words...


Judge Says Drunk Teen Is Too Rich to Pay the Price for Killing Four People

The comfort made him do it.

That was the successful defense strategy used by a Texas teenager sentenced Tuesday to 10 years of probation after he killed four people in a June drunk-driving accident.

According to news reports, a psychologist hired by 16-year-old Ethan Couch said the teenager was a victim of ā€œaffluenza,ā€ a condition caused by the sort of absurdly permissive home life that comes with being wealthy. The lenient sentenceā€”prosecutors had sought up to 20 years in prisonā€”prompted anger by the victimsā€™ families and others.

These things tend to happen in free-market capitalist societies, said Oliver James, a British psychologist and author of Affluenza: How to Be Successful and Stay Sane. Wealth skews perceptions of right and wrong, he said.

ā€œAmerica teaches people that greed is good,ā€ James said. ā€œThere are very few parents who donā€™t imbue their children with some values, but what those values are is another story. Bernie Madoffā€™s children were undoubtedly given a model that money is king.ā€

Though, notably, Madoff's kids turned him in.

Couch likely will be sent to a California alcohol-treatment center that costs nearly $500,000 per year, news outlets reported. His blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit, and he was driving about 70 mph in a 40 mph zone when he killed four people standing near the side of a road. Nine others were also injured.

The Dallas-area teen was charged with manslaughter. Jan Withers, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said he should have faced murder charges and been sent to prison.

ā€œThe families were very disappointed, and I personally was very disappointed in the verdict handed down to him,ā€ said Withers, whose 15-year-old daughter was killed by a 17-year-old drunk driver. ā€œWe wish he had been held more accountable. He could get the help he needs and still be held accountable.ā€

Although research has shown the justice system routinely imposes harsher sentences on poor African-American defendants than on wealthier whites, young people of any race or income level should be treated with sensitivity, said Regina Austin, a University of Pennsylvania law professor who has written about the roles of race and class in criminal law.

ā€œThere is a concern that overindulgence of children will not produce the kinds of responsible citizens we want,ā€ said Austin.

But it's worth considering that, whether rich or poor, ā€œyoung people can be stupid,ā€ she said.

Couch is not the only defendant to blame income levels for criminal actions, she said. But most of the time the defense is used by poor minorities.

ā€œThat idea has been used by some minority defendantsā€”ā€˜If I were rich and white, I wouldnā€™t be prosecuted for this,ā€™ ā€ Austin said. ā€œYou could say a rotten social background defense is comparable to the affluenza defense.ā€

You could also say they're exact opposites.
 

Flyn

Go ahead. I'll catch up.
Moderator
TCG Premium
Mar 1, 2004
68,052
27,984
Selling homes on the Gulf Coast of Florida
I hope the families hire a good lawyer and hit the family where it hurts rich people the most. In the pocketbook.

Didn't read the article since I already saw this on the news a couple days ago but I remember the father saying he'll pay $400K+ a year to send his son to a "private" California treatment facility. Must be nice.

This story followed a story about an Amish family who had two daughters killed by some psycho who then killed himself. The Amish family showed up at the funeral to console the parents of the psycho. The psycho's mom now cares for another girl who was badly injured in the attack once a week at the home of one of the Amish families.

Two completely different ways to handle tragedies like this. I don't see the rich father in this case doing much to help the victim's families unless it's dragged out of him.
 

radioguy6

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
May 23, 2008
11,911
24,201
Schaumburg
Real Name
Greg
So from this case I have learned in order to get out of jail for murdering 4 people while driving drunk one:

1. Must be wealthy
2. Must suffer from "Affluenza", the I don't give a flying fuck disorder about anyone other than myself because my rich fuck parents never taught right and wrong and basic common sense?

A person can be sentenced to decades in prison for drug possession, but a wealthy 16 year old can get behind the wheel drunk, kill 4 and injure 9 but receive just 10 years probation and a year admission to the Ritz Carlton rehab facility?

Justice.
 

SMRTSS1

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Jan 12, 2010
5,140
7,568
Elgin
Well there's everyone's "out" for committing heinous crimes?!?! "I'm wealthy, it's not a big deal!" So if I win the mega millions I can drive to California and stab that piece of shit in the neck? When the cops show up I'll just say "It's ok, I'm a multi millionaire!" And everything is ok.

The moral fiber of society and this country is going to hell in a hand basket.
 

firemandan1700

Bite my shiny metal ass
Apr 6, 2008
8,635
10
LaSalle County
I agree this is total shit!! 10 years probabtion and no jail time?? Down here About 8 years ago a kid who was 20 years old, was speeding and rolled the car he was driving and killed his cousin and he served 5 years in DOC. Makes his case look like slap on the wrist.

But I can see it now this texas kid could fuck his life up with a DUI or even fart wrong, and get his probabtion revoked lol. For an asshat like this it's gonna be hard not to fuck up.
 

Ear Rak

Underemployed
Nov 11, 2005
25,557
87
Fort Worth, TX
This has been all over the news down here. The shit bag defense lawyer convinced the judge that affluenza, a made up syndrome by an author to describe todays entitlement mentalitiy amongst the younger generation, is a valid defense along side stuff such as a mental disability.



What pisses me off the most is not only the sentence but the video shots of this kid walking around and into the courtroom with a smirk like he knows he got away with mowing down 6 people and killing four.

If I could have a guarantee of immunity, I would gladly show up to that courthouse and blast this mother fucker with my .45.
 

Mr_Roboto

Doing the jobs nobody wants to
TCG Premium
Feb 4, 2012
25,669
30,555
Nashotah, Wisconsin (AKA not Illinois)
Hoping the family die as paupers. If money is the problem make him live poor. If they cant handle the responsibility of money take it from them. A mickey d's or walmart job may be worse than jail to him. Maybe worse than a bullet even. My bet is a bought judge. Plausble when you have more money than god.

Pool on how long till he breeches probation?
 

Blood on Blood

rumble baby rumble
Apr 6, 2005
56,488
45,987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJvBUpIt7jo

I normally don't get into the fairness debate about poor vs rich but when it comes to stuff like this, I agree with this video.

Also agree with the video. The kid needs to be tossing Bubba's salad in prison for the next 20 yrs.

If just probation, then make this teen perform anti-drunk driving seminars in schools for the next 10 yrs too. 1 seminar per month.

Hope his family takes a financial hit. Further, he has to write a monthly check to the families for the next 50 years so he never forgets or becomes laxxed. They can be low denominations.
 

ktraver97ss

I say what everyone thinks
Aug 29, 2007
13,458
142
Roselle, IL
No one on TCG has ever driven drunk.


:s00ls:

The defense is obviously utter stupidity, but saying this 17 yr old should be killed for this is bit much. Some real jail time for sure. Something like this could prob have happened to anyone on here at one time in their stupid teenage years. Not saying its ok by any means but you guys get a little high and mighty on shit like this. Its a shame though that he is getting this slap on the wrist and will learn nothing from it. Really he will probably be encouraged to do more stupid risky shit after getting away with this.
 

ktraver97ss

I say what everyone thinks
Aug 29, 2007
13,458
142
Roselle, IL
Yes, and he should spend time in jail for it, but to want to rape and murder the dumb kid over it is too much. He made a bad decision, yes, but he did not go out with the intention to do this. The sick fucks that rape and murder children or do shootings are the ones that truly deserve the harshest punishments.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant. Consider starting a new thread to get fresh replies.

Thread Info