Posted on 12/11/2013 12:43:33 PM PST by kobald
Prosecutors were pushing for 16-year-old Ethan Couch to spend 20 years in prison. However, State District Judge Jean Boyd sentenced Couch to a decade of probation.
There was no debate about who was behind the wheel last June, when Couch plowed into and killed four people. Couch has admitted to being the driver, and court records show his blood alcohol level was .24 at the time of the crash, three times the legal limit for an adult. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Couch and some friends stole beer from a Burleson Walmart on June 15, the night of the crash. After consuming the alcohol, Couch and seven others got back into his pickup to go to another store. During the trip, he hit four pedestrians, killing them. Two teens riding in Couch’s pickup were thrown from the truck and severely injured.
Couch’s attorneys argued his parents were responsible for the teen’s actions that night because of the way he had been raised. Defense attorneys put a psychologist on the stand who testified Couch was a product of wealth and got whatever he wanted. The psychologist also testified the teen was allowed to drink at a very young age and began driving at 13 years old. Defense attorneys argued Couch needed treatment, not jail and suggested a facility that costs almost half a million dollars a year...
(Excerpt) Read more at dfw.cbslocal.com ...
life has become far too cheap
The world is insane
Glad my wife was not one of those pedestrians or he would not finish his probation, by many years.
A comment at the link says this judge is retiring at the end of her term. This is incomprehensible - probation? Because he was raised in a wealthy lifestyle?? Send them ALL to jail for being idiots!
That half million will buy a lot of luxury. I wonder if it includes political contributions.
Because now, she can afford to?
“Defense attorneys argued Couch needed treatment, not jail and suggested a facility that costs almost half a million dollars a year...”
I would guess the Texas Department of Corrections offers a less expensive treatment program. And was the expert able to put a price on the lives of the four victims?
This distribution of justice is so very lopsided in this case that I predict there will be attempts to administer citizen justice from the local population. If your carelessness results in the needless deaths of four (4) people, no way, should you be walking out free on so called probation. I really doubt if this case is over in the eyes of the public. What a lousy prosecutor, if they could not think of a way to present the case that would automatically deliver a severe punishment. This should have been tried by jury. A Prosecutor must never take for granted that the punishment will fit the crime.
I guess her retirement package is all arranged now.
Star chamber, anyone?
A comment at the link says this judge is retiring at the end of her term.
I guess her retirement package is all arranged now.
************************************************************
Perhaps she now has a SUPPLEMENTAL retirement package now that she has handed down this “no prison time” sentence.
The defense argument is that Couch didn't know any better because he always got what he wanted and never suffered any real consequences for his actions.
So the judge gives Couch what he wants and lets him off without any real consequences for his actions.
Insane is right.
If I were the victims’ family, my “list” would be pretty long....I’ll leave it at that...
The story says the kid was raised “in great wealth”. That may disappear soon. If the vehicle he was driving was owned by one or both of his parents - which seems most likely - the judgements as a result of the lawsuits will no doubt exceed the insurance policy’s limits of liability. In any case like this, that happens but rarely does the party with the liability have assets to take to cover the excess amount. His parents may be about to lose everything and I have no sympathy for them if the account of how they raised their kid is accurate.
Any Freeper Legal Eagles want to chime in on what the civil case could be like? Can the Couches hide/distribute assets before the civil trial or are all assets at the time of the murder available for judgement?
If I were the Couches, I would learn to grow their own food IMHO an hope community justice doesnt arrive on their doorsteps late one evening.
We have a winner!
That rich punk and his friends need to be behind bars for a very long time.
so if his attorney said the blame was on the parents, then file wrongful death and sue them till they are poor.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.