IGX

Is bad parenting an excuse for murder?

That’s what Scott Brown, attorney for Ethan Couch and an expert witness psychologist, implied when he used the term “affluenza” to argue against intoxication manslaughter and assault charges for his client. Couch, 16, was on trial after he stole beer from a Walmart last summer, got drunk at a party, and gunned his car into four victims who had stopped on the side of a Burleson, Tex. road to help a stranded motorist. All four died, and both passengers in Couch’s pickup truck who were riding in the open bed were tossed from the vehicle; one is unable to move or talk due to brain injuries.

But even though Couch was behind the wheel, it wasn’t he, argued psychologist G. Dick Miller, who should bear the burden of punishment for the tragedy. Instead, it was his parents, who raised their boy with few limits and even less discipline, indulging him to the point where he was unable to appreciate the importance of rules and laws, not to mention the consequences of breaking them.

raised their boy with few limits and even less discipline, indulging him to the point where he was unable to appreciate the importance of rules and laws, not to mention the consequences of breaking them.

climber511 wrote:And the judge finds a nice vacation package in the mail I assume. With 4 people dead and a couple more messed up - if the kid doesn't go to prison, then the parents should. I mean even the lawyer said it was the parents fault in the defense.

Batboy2/75 wrote:And people wonder where draconian laws like "3 strikes" come from. When you can't count on judges to do their jobs; you take away any discretion regarding sentencing. This what happened in the 1980's and 1990s after decades of idiot judges letting career criminals off with light sentences.


Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison. Instead of removing the idiots and thugs (Police, prosecutors & Judges) in the criminal justice system, the sheeple we bleat for more tough laws. Laws that will be used against them by and ever increasing police state.

nafod wrote: Three strikes is a total, stupid failure,

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:And people wonder where draconian laws like "3 strikes" come from. When you can't count on judges to do their jobs; you take away any discretion regarding sentencing. This what happened in the 1980's and 1990s after decades of idiot judges letting career criminals off with light sentences.


Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison. Instead of removing the idiots and thugs (Police, prosecutors & Judges) in the criminal justice system, the sheeple we bleat for more tough laws. Laws that will be used against them by and ever increasing police state.

This is a one-off. Not a trend.

Three strikes is a total, stupid failure, brought about by politicians trying to out-tough each other. We have insane incarceration rates and prisons are just training grounds for criminals. Stupid. Need to fix that so we have room for this kid and his parents.

Batboy2/75 wrote:

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:And people wonder where draconian laws like "3 strikes" come from. When you can't count on judges to do their jobs; you take away any discretion regarding sentencing. This what happened in the 1980's and 1990s after decades of idiot judges letting career criminals off with light sentences.


Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison. Instead of removing the idiots and thugs (Police, prosecutors & Judges) in the criminal justice system, the sheeple we bleat for more tough laws. Laws that will be used against them by and ever increasing police state.

This is a one-off. Not a trend.

Three strikes is a total, stupid failure, brought about by politicians trying to out-tough each other. We have insane incarceration rates and prisons are just training grounds for criminals. Stupid. Need to fix that so we have room for this kid and his parents.

Talk about missing the forest, while looking at the trees.

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:And people wonder where draconian laws like "3 strikes" come from. When you can't count on judges to do their jobs; you take away any discretion regarding sentencing. This what happened in the 1980's and 1990s after decades of idiot judges letting career criminals off with light sentences.


Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison. Instead of removing the idiots and thugs (Police, prosecutors & Judges) in the criminal justice system, the sheeple we bleat for more tough laws. Laws that will be used against them by and ever increasing police state.

This is a one-off. Not a trend.

Three strikes is a total, stupid failure, brought about by politicians trying to out-tough each other. We have insane incarceration rates and prisons are just training grounds for criminals. Stupid. Need to fix that so we have room for this kid and his parents.

Talk about missing the forest, while looking at the trees.

This case is a fluke, which is why it is so newsworthy. It is also complicated the kid being a kid, i.e., a minor. But we are doing just fine at putting kids in jail.

Batboy2/75 wrote:Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison.

nafod wrote: But we are doing just fine at putting kids in jail.

Batboy2/75 wrote:

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:

nafod wrote:

Batboy2/75 wrote:And people wonder where draconian laws like "3 strikes" come from. When you can't count on judges to do their jobs; you take away any discretion regarding sentencing. This what happened in the 1980's and 1990s after decades of idiot judges letting career criminals off with light sentences.


Stupid judges like this will result in drunk driving laws eventually including mandatory time in jail or prison. Instead of removing the idiots and thugs (Police, prosecutors & Judges) in the criminal justice system, the sheeple we bleat for more tough laws. Laws that will be used against them by and ever increasing police state.

This is a one-off. Not a trend.

Three strikes is a total, stupid failure, brought about by politicians trying to out-tough each other. We have insane incarceration rates and prisons are just training grounds for criminals. Stupid. Need to fix that so we have room for this kid and his parents.

Talk about missing the forest, while looking at the trees.

This case is a fluke, which is why it is so newsworthy. It is also complicated the kid being a kid, i.e., a minor. But we are doing just fine at putting kids in jail.

He swings and misses!

Do you really think I see this as a trend? That Judges across the land are letting well healed, spoiled, drunken brats off the hook or that a national epidemic trust funders are drinking too much and killing innocent people with their parents luxury cars?

I was commenting on another American trend.

Drew0786 wrote:Depending on how the kid was charged as an "adult" or as a "minor" If he was charged as a minor he would walk after 18 anyway so 10 years probation would be longer than his jail term. I have seen drunk drivers kill people and get manslaughter charges typically with weekend jail time and probation I think the "affluenza" term is what put this case newsworthy.

The victims families should go after this kid and his family in civil court. Not sure if they could sue the family and the kid. It depends on whose name was on the car title and insurance etc.