Teen Kills 4; Judge LITERALLY Lets Him Off Because He is Rich!

[appleannie1]

16-year old Ethan Couch was driving drunk at THREE times the legal limit and had Valium in his system. He plowed into four people going 70 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone, killing them. Other victims are severly injured; one has severe brain damage. Even after he killed those people, he was uncooperative and combative with the emergency services and walked away from the police saying "I'm outta here".

He pleaded guilty, of course. But Ethan's parents are very, very, very wealthy. (We are talking the 1%.) They hired an attorney that brought on a psychologist to say Couch was "a product of wealth" and was used to getting "whatever he wanted". Because he was so afluent and accustomed to never having consequences, the attorney argued that he should get therapy as opposed to jail.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/11/1262005/-Teen-Kills-4-Judge-LITERALLY-Lets-Him-Off-Because-He-is-Rich?detail=facebook

[Mojo Electro]

1. Outrageous.

I can't wait to see what a shining example this little asshole turns out to be.

[appleannie1]

2. Another link

Investigators said Couch was driving a pickup truck between 68 and 70 miles-per-hour in a 40 mph zone. The four who died were standing on the side of the road outside their vehicle. Nine others were hurt.
Miller said Couch's parents gave him "freedoms no young person should have." He called Couch a product of "affluenza," where his family felt that wealth bought privilege and there was no rational link between behavior and consequences.
He said Couch got whatever he wanted. As an example, Miller said Couch's parents gave no punishment after police ticketed the then-15-year-old when he was found in a parked pickup with a passed out, undressed 14-year-old girl.
Miller also pointed out that Couch was allowed to drive at 13. He said the teen was emotionally flat and needed years of therapy. At the time of the fatal wreck, Couch had a blood alcohol content of .24, said Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson. It is illegal for a minor to drive with any amount of alcohol in his or her system.
Judge Boyd could have sentenced Couch to up to 20 years.
http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news/Judge-gives-probation-to-teen-who-killed-four-in-crash-235313421.html

I wonder what his sentence would have been if he was an ordinary kid in Texas.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

3. Maybe Zimmerman can...

...visit him next time he's speeding through Texas. What do you think, would they be friends or enemies?

[appleannie1]

6. Since he has money, Zimmy can suck up to him.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. glad the judge bothered to find him guilty.

Glad the parents can pay for the HUGE civil lawsuits that surely must follow.

[rafeh1]

5. innocent until you run out of money

US criminal Justice system is in many ways quite criminal. The problem is money. US criminal justice system primary plank is innocent until you run out of money.

No Money you plea bargain regardless of your innocence. With money its a whole different game.

[frylock]

7. i would advocate for vigilante justice in this instance

[Dawson Leery]

8. "equal justice" indeed.

The level of "equality" just depends on your net worth.