Man Sentenced To Life For DWI

Click2Houston.com ^ | 10/29/2010 | Click2Houston.com

[Arrowhead1952]

If he had been in Travis county, he would have gotten probation.

[Wolfie]

That’s because the judiciary and legsilatures identify with the drunk driver.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I would have given him 3 convictions.

[CMAC51]

That's absurd and not justice. In no way is that sentence proportional to the crime...

Drunk drivers kill innocent people. It is no different than stepping out in the street with a loaded gun and firing at random. He should have been sentenced to 10 years for the second offense, 20 years for the 3rd and life for the fourth. My family is out on those streets and I would like them home safe at the end of teh day.

[Drew68]

That’s because the judiciary and legsilatures identify with the drunk driver.

I don't disagree. There's a lot of people who when they read of horrific crashes caused by drunk drivers think to themselves, "There but for the grace of God..."

[CMAC51]

agree completely. Although DUI is stupid behavior and should not be tolerated, there's no way to justify a sentence usually applied to murderers if no harm was done to anyone, even it it was his 100th offense. This reeks of 'Minority Report' and should never happen in a free society.

Drunk drivers kill people. They are threatening the lives of everyone who is on the road with them. It's no diffent than if the closed their eyes and fired a gun at random.

[-YYZ-]

“There’s no way to argue it. Drunk driving is something people don’t want treated too harshly lest they get busted themselves.”

A first conviction with a marginal BAC is one thing, but repeated convictions with high BAC are another. Such people are a real, known danger to everyone else on the road - an accident waiting to happen.

[Huck]

And that’s just the 8 times he got CAUGHT. It’s not as if the guy only did it 8 times, and unluckily was caught every time. He’s got to be a constant menace on the roads. Risking manslaughter every time.

[CMAC51]

He's 59 years old. They should have given him 20 years. That would have been a completely just punishment for his recidivism, and it would have effectively been a life sentence anyway.

This man has repeatedly gone out an been a death threat to everyone on the road at the same time and you want to argue symbolism over substance. Drunk drivers kill innocent people.

[MichaelP]

It is no different than stepping out in the street with a loaded gun and firing at random.

It is very different and a ridiculus anaology!

Mike

[passionfruit]

That's absurd and not justice. In no way is that sentence proportional to the crime... Really? This guy has made it clear that he will drive drunk as long as he is living as a free man. That is a fact. How do you propose that he be kept off the roads? It cannot be any system that requires any degree of honor or trust from this man, because he has no honor and is not trustworthy. He is arrogant, and selfish and drunk. He does not value human life at all, and is willing to put the rest of humanity in danger by driving drunk repeatedly. So, what is your solution to keeping him off the road?

[wideawake]

I'm not arguing symbolism over substance.

I'm saying that we could call it "20 years" instead of "life" to make MichaelP happy - and the substance would still be the same: a dirtbag locked up in prison for life.

[Retired Greyhound]

It is a valid analogy because it involves blatant disregard for the lives of others.

[MichaelP]

I'm sympathetic to the dangers. But, if we are to live in a free and just country, we have to accept a certain amount of uncertanty, and possible danger. We need to be cognizant of that. If we start locking people up because of "possible" dangers, where do we stop? It's part of the price we pay for a free and just society...

Mike

[Retired Greyhound]

In Minority Report they were convicted before committing a crime. DUI is a crime.

He is being sentenced for crimes already committed.

[EyeGuy]

So what about the millions of Americans who drive EQUALLY IMPAIRED while using their cellphone.

[wideawake]

It is very different and a ridiculus anaology!

Not at all.

A vehicle is an extremely dangerous weapon.

If you get hit in the face by a .44 slug or by the grill of a pickup going 50mph, you're just as dead.

[antiRepublicrat]

GPS ankle bracelet and court-ordered to only take public transportation? If he starts moving faster than running speed he’d better be able to show he was on public transportation, or it’s back to jail for another few years just for driving a car (whether drunk or not).

[CMAC51]

I'm not arguing symbolism over substance.

I'm saying that we could call it "20 years" instead of "life" to make MichaelP happy - and the substance would still be the same: a dirtbag locked up in prison for life.

Did you read your response before posting? You say the substance would be unchanged a dirtbag locked up for life but it would be better to say "20 years" rather than "life". That is exactly the definition of arguing symbolism over substance.

[Vaquero]

methinks thou dost protest too much

cheers.