It pays to be rich

[widebody911]

Interesting that they used the fact that he comes from a wealthy family as a defense.

Texas teen Ethan Couch gets 10 years' probation for deadly DWI crash - CNN.com

[arcsine]

"affluenza" claims the defense

Spoiled 16 year old kid steals beer with his buddies, gets wasted, kills four people and gets off with probation because his daddy is disconnected and mommy says you should do whatever you like.

And 10 years of probation will not be any sort of disincentive as daddy's expensive lawyers will get this precious POS off from all the other things he will do during that time.

This is about as f*cked up as anything I have heard of.

[craigster59]

I hope the families sue his parents into poverty in civil court.

[Rikao4]

that's sick..
if I lost my wife and kid...
he wouldn't be safe anywhere..
as would his breeders..


Rika

[arcsine]

[arcsine]

"It wasn’t the first screw-up for this model young citizen. According to trial testimony, he has been arrested on other alcohol-related charges. At one point, he was caught with an underaged girl, undressed and passed out, in his car."

And now he gets 'treatment' at a $450,000/year Malibu Beach facility that specializes in chef-prepared meals, equine therapy, martial-arts training, yoga and nature hikes. It’s described as a “respectful recovery environment” where teenagers can get the “unconditional love they need to heal.”.

I'm with craigster, poverty-inducing civil court penalties for these model parents is the only hope.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Pretty ironic. His defense was that he never faced consequences for his actions, and as a result.........he doesn't face consequences for his actions.

Just an aside, but we're setting the bar for "disease" pretty damn low these days. Spoiled rich kid = disease, cheating on wife = disease, caught smoking crack = disease. What would the disease be for someone that wants to buy lots of guns and cars?

[Evans, Marv]

Nothing new. We've been seeing this with politicians and celebrities for years & years.

[Noney]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

What would the disease be for someone that wants to buy lots of guns and cars?

Stuffluenza

[Baz]

Well it shouldn't be too surprising given the expected recipient of this year's Heisman award is an accused rapist.

There are no more values left in the country....

[BlueSkyJaunte]

It's good to be da king.

[dan88911]

A POS with a lot money avoids jail.
Not uncommon in America.

[74-911]

Here in the great state of TX we have some of the best judges money can buy....

[Rick Lee]

What can realistically happen now? Surely his folks are shifting money around, creating shelters in the Cayman Islands and planning on being judgment proof by the time the civil suits arrive. And how on the hook can they be? They didn't give him the booze. Can the victims' families get more than the policy limits of the company truck the kid drove? Was the kid in legal possession of the company truck? This is so outrageous. But the best punishment for the parents would be to see their kid get what he really deserves.

[nynor]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Nothing new. We've been seeing this with politicians and celebrities for years & years.

unfortunately, there is some truth here. ted kennedy.... and many others from both sides of the aisle.

[aschen]

I read a more detailed discussion where the judge indicated this was the most sever punishment she could give. Something about him getting off in 2 years as an adult if sentenced to juvenile jail.

[dondarnell]

I was under the impression the affulenza defense didn't work. Seems Texas isn't as serious about drunk driving as other states. That would be prison in Michigan.

Why would the parents be liable for the kids tort? We have an owners liability statute here in Mich, but we have no-fault, and it's unique (and sucks), and I don't think Texas has the same kind of lability.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Pretty ironic. His defense was that he never faced consequences for his actions, and as a result.........he doesn't face consequences for his actions.

Well according to his attorney he is facing consequences, among other things he won't be able to play his Xbox.

That'll teach him.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Well according to his attorney he is facing consequences, among other things he won't be able to play his Xbox.

That'll teach him.

That's WORSE than prison!!!

[bivenator]

Wonder if the inner city kids (code for black) would be able to bring the defense of daddy being disconnected and mommy never teaching him right from wrong defense would work in a liquor store hold up.