http://gawker.com/teen-who-killed-four-people-got-off-on-probation-becaus-1480835092 A 16-year-old boy who drunkenly killed four people got probation this week because the judge — with no apparent irony — agreed with the boy's defense that he was a victim of "affluenza," whose parents taught him wealth and privilege shield consequences. The teen had faced up to twenty years in prison. Sixteen-year-old Ethan Couch admitted to four counts of manslaughter after he and seven other boys stole alcohol from Walmart, piled into his car and struck and killed four pedestrians while going 70 miles per hour in a 40 zone. One of his passengers remains in the hospital with severe brain damage, and nine other bystanders were also injured. Couch's BAC was a .24 and he also had Valium in his system. According to reports, he was belligerent at the scene, at one point saying, "I'm outta here." Prosecutors were hoping to get up to 20 years. Couch's defense was that he was a victim of his parents' wealth and privilege; in that he never had to face consequences, which an expert summarized prior to sentencing. 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. The victims' families sort of agree with the reasoning, in that they too feel that Couch's privilege helped him avoid consequences. Couch is now being sent to a $500,000-a-year counseling center. There are apparently five civil wrongful death suits pending against him totaling tens of millions of dollars.
Hmmmm Where is all that right wing talk about personal responsibility??? Somebody should 86 that little cocksucker....the judge...and zimmerman while they're at it.
This even reached the Swedish press.. They say... In America, he is to rich to be found guilty. So yeah, that is what Sweden thinks happened here.
Fucking Texas. I remember a 15 year old black girl getting sentenced to serve time in the Texas Youth Commission (juvenile prison) until she was 21 for pushing a hall monitor and not causing any serious injury. This punk motherfucker murders four people and permanently disables two others and gets put in a $500,000 a year treatment facility with no jail time or community service.
Thank god all of those pot heads who truly are a danger to society are safe in prison where this affluent kid will not be able to kill them.
This is the judge that believed that idiotic defense. I guess the saying there is a sucker born every minute applies to here because you have to be a complete moron to believe Affluenza is a legit excuse in any case.
The Same Judge Who Gave The Rich White Kid Probation For Killing Four... Also Sentenced A Black Teen To 10 Years In Prison For Killing One Person! http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhaLsBo8tpg850E54j
As A Blalck American man the last thing I would ever advocate is vigilantism. Too many of our brothers were left swinging in trees, because people took the law into their own hands. Although I can understand the sentiment.
Wow they aren't even trying to conceal it anymore. Being rich and white means you're untouchable by even Jesus himself. Being black and poor means it only a matter of time before they either kill you or throw your nigga ass in jail.
It wouldn't surprise me if the judge got some financial contribution for letting this kid off with 10 years probation than the death penalty that Texas is famous for. But his folks will be paying up to the victims' families.
I don't know how she sleeps at night with that ruling...I hope those families sue the parents all the way to the poor house
That strikes me as the next possible outcome. It's a pretty novel (read: horseshit) legal defense and it makes me wonder how it will affect the parents' civil liability. After all, the little shit's family can't seriously argue that they're judgment proof. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a wrongful death suit somewhere in the works.