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Now THIS is disgusting.

J

Jen

Senator
HOUSTON (AP) — "Affluenza," the affliction cited by a psychologist to argue that a North Texas teenager from a wealthy family should not be sent to prison for killing four pedestrians while driving drunk, is not a recognized diagnosis and should not be used to justify bad behavior, experts said Thursday.

A judge's decision to give 16-year-old Ethan Couch 10 years of probation for the fatal accident sparked outrage from relatives of those killed and has led to questions about the defense strategy. A psychologist testified in Couch's trial in a Fort Worth juvenile court that as a result of "affluenza," the boy should not receive the maximum 20-year prison sentence prosecutors were seeking.
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WTH???
 
Jen said:
WTH???
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Wow -- for a long time we've had a de facto system where the wealthy got much, much lighter sentences than the poor (e.g., steal a million dollars through embezzlement, get a year in jail, steal $20 from a cash register, get ten), but if we move from where that's just a de facto system to one where it's a recognized legal privilege, we're getting into feudal territory.
 
Arkady said:
Wow -- for a long time we've had a de facto system where the wealthy got much, much lighter sentences than the poor (e.g., steal a million dollars through embezzlement, get a year in jail, steal $20 from a cash register, get ten), but if we move from where that's just a de facto system to one where it's a recognized legal privilege, we're getting into feudal territory.
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We should have been at least somewhat aware of the de facto system where the wealthy get much lighter sentences because their wealth is able to buy those sentences....... since the Ted Kennedy/ Mary Jo Kopechne thing.
 
Jen said:
We should have been at least somewhat aware of the de facto system where the wealthy get much lighter sentences because their wealth is able to buy those sentences....... since the Ted Kennedy/ Mary Jo Kopechne thing.
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Yes. Or Laura Bush, similarly, killing her boyfriend and having no penalty whatsoever.
 
This raises a very interesting question regarding "justice" in general. So...someone runs over your family member.. What would make you more whole - $5 Million, or their spending 20 years behind bars? If the runner-overer is poor, neither he nor you have the option. It's 20 years or nothin'. But..what if he's rich and he and you DO have that option?

How do we balance the scales of justice?

Mind you too, that I understand and accept the "dissuasion" aspect of justice. If the wrong doer is WORTH $5 Billion he shouldn't be able to buy ME off, while leaving society in general, vulnerable to his next driving move. But...what if he's "only" worth $10 Million? Does that change the equation?
 
Jen said:
We should have been at least somewhat aware of the de facto system where the wealthy get much lighter sentences because their wealth is able to buy those sentences....... since the Ted Kennedy/ Mary Jo Kopechne thing.
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People don't usually go to jail for accidental death by auto. Just ask Laura Bush.
 
fairsheet said:
This raises a very interesting question regarding "justice" in general. So...someone runs over your family member.. What would make you more whole - $5 Million, or their spending 20 years behind bars? If the runner-overer is poor, neither he nor you have the option. It's 20 years or nothin'. But..what if he's rich and he and you DO have that option?

How do we balance the scales of justice?

Mind you too, that I understand and accept the "dissuasion" aspect of justice. If the wrong doer is WORTH $5 Billion he shouldn't be able to buy ME off, while leaving society in general, vulnerable to his next driving move. But...what if he's "only" worth $10 Million? Does that change the equation?
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Why is there an equation? Harshest sentence...
 
PhilFish said:
Why is there an equation? Harshest sentence...
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So...what you're saying is that I, the family member of the deceased, who's most touched and affected by the crime, can't have $5 Million? For what it's worth - although "why is there an equation" IS a legitimate question, we should acknowledge that throughout or American justice history, this equation HAS been considered.
 
Arkady said:
Yes. Or Laura Bush, similarly, killing her boyfriend and having no penalty whatsoever.
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Snark all you want, it's liberals that have brought this about with their "It's better to rehabilitate than to punish" and "hell no we shouldn't have a death penalty" attitude.
 
Alinvegas said:
Snark all you want, it's liberals that have brought this about with their "It's better to rehabilitate than to punish" and "hell no we shouldn't have a death penalty" attitude.
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Hmm...wasn't it Pugs who wanted Trayvon Martin's killer to walk?

Well, cases do have "differences"...
 
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