Affluenza Defense: Rich Texas Teen Gets Probation For Killing 4 Pedestrians While Driving Drun

[noneedtoaggress]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/12/affluenza-defense-probation-for-deadly-dwi_n_4430807.html

Video at the link.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A North Texas teen from an affluent family received a probation-only sentence this week for losing control of his pickup truck while drunk and killing four pedestrians, a punishment that has outraged the victims' families and left prosecutors disappointed.

The 16-year-old boy was sentenced Tuesday in a Fort Worth juvenile court to 10 years of probation after he confessed to intoxication manslaughter in the June 15 crash on a dark rural road.

Prosecutors had sought the maximum 20 years in state custody for the Keller teen, but his attorneys appealed to state District Judge Jean Boyd that he needed rehabilitation instead of imprisonment, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/1f8GnvQ ) reported.

Authorities said the teen and friends were seen on surveillance video stealing two cases of beer from a store. He had seven passengers in his Ford F-350, was speeding and had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, according to testimony during the trial. His pickup truck slammed into the four pedestrians, killing Brian Jennings, 43-year-old Burleson youth minister; Breanna Mitchell of Lillian, 24; Shelby Boyles, 21, and her 52-year-old mother, Hollie Boyles.

If the boy, who is from an affluent family, continued to be cushioned by his family's wealth and another tragedy is likely in his future, prosecutor Richard Alpert said in court.

"There can be no doubt that he will be in another courthouse one day blaming the lenient treatment he received here," he said.

Boyd said the programs available in the Texas juvenile justice system may not provide the kind of intensive therapy the teen could receive at a rehabilitation center near Newport Beach, Calif., that was suggested by his defense attorneys. The parents would pick up the tab for the center, which runs more than $450,000 a year for treatment.

Scott Brown, the boy's lead defense attorney, said the teen could have been freed after two years if he had drawn the 20-year sentence.

"(The judge) fashioned a sentence that could have him under the thumb of the justice system for the next 10 years," he told the Star-Telegram.

Survivors of those killed in the accident drew little comfort from that assurance.

Eric Boyles lost his wife and daughter, and said the family's wealth helped the teen avoid incarceration.

"Money always seems to keep you out of trouble," Boyles said. "Ultimately today, I felt that money did prevail. If you had been any other youth, I feel like the circumstances would have been different."

Shaunna Jennings, the widow of the minister, said her family had forgiven the teen but believed a sterner punishment was needed.

"You lived a life of privilege and entitlement, and my prayer is that it does not get you out of this," she said. "My fear is that it will get you out of this."

A psychologist called as an expert defense witness said the boy suffered from "affluenza," growing up in a house where parents were preoccupied with arguments with each other that led to a divorce.

The father "does not have relationships, he takes hostages," psychologist Gary Miller said, and the mother was indulgent. "Her mantra was that if it feels good, do it," he said.

 

[Origanalist]

He should apply for a police job, he's perfect.

 

[phill4paul]

He should apply for a police job, he's perfect.

Naw, $350k a year is peanuts to this scion.

 

[belian78]

See!!?? It's this kind of crap that encourages folks to support the DUI arm of the police state. You try to tell someone, there's no need for warrant-less stop n searches we have laws for murder and manslaughter on the books now. Then this shit happens, and we have egg all over our faces. How was this allowed!?

 

[Origanalist]

Naw, $350k a year is peanuts to this scion.

I'm sure he would figure out some way to "break bad".

 

[aGameOfThrones]

Naw, $350k a year is peanuts to this scion.

He would not be applying for the pay.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

Too spoiled to go to jail... wait, how does that make sense?

Also, why the hell did he steal the beer when he had plenty of money to buy it? Probably just bored...

 

[belian78]

Too spoiled to go to jail... wait, how does that make sense?

Also, why the hell did he steal the beer when he had plenty of money to buy it? Probably just bored...

People that have enough money to not have to want for things, they find other ways to stimulate themselves. Such as theft, as you pointed out.

 

[Snew]

Once again the word "pedestrians" replacing what the victims actually are... people.

Not a surprising story considering the needs of the automobile are always considered more important than the needs of people that walk and/or cycle. Plus the fact that the kid is rich as heck doesn't hurt him.

 

[Philhelm]

Survivors of those killed in the accident drew little comfort from that assurance.

Some of the people killed had survived...?

 

[Red Green]

Man, did that judge hit the jackpot. I bet all the judges were fighting to get that case. I wonder if he had to share the payola with the other judges?

 

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Too spoiled to go to jail... wait, how does that make sense?

Also, why the hell did he steal the beer when he had plenty of money to buy it? Probably just bored...

underage?

 

[VoluntaryAmerican]

Some of the people killed had survived...?

haha nice catch.

 

[acptulsa]

underage?

This. He stole beer because he is too spoiled not to have beer when he wants it and he's sixteen.

I wonder if he'd have avoided the wreck if he had been driving a car instead of this truck. Many car drivers do avoid wrecks that people in light trucks can't avoid. Then I read how spoiled he is and wonder if he tried. Maybe he just wanted to see if Grand Theft Auto was more fun in real life.

'Affluenza.' Is that another way of saying, 'Psychosis is hereditary'?

See!!?? It's this kind of crap that encourages folks to support the DUI arm of the police state. You try to tell someone, there's no need for warrant-less stop n searches we have laws for murder and manslaughter on the books now. Then this shit happens, and we have egg all over our faces. How was this allowed!?

But, of course, that panacea is less effective than a placebo. He'd really have gotten more than a slap on the wrist for getting caught in a checkpoint than for killing four people? No way. Yes, rich people who get set scot free to do it again kill far more people than poor people who avoid getting their lives ruined at a Nazi roadblock after three drinks. But how many people analyze the problem that accurately?

 

[brushfire]

Some of the people killed had survived...?

"Survived by"

But yea... oddly worded.

 

[chudrockz]

Not to change this again into a debate on drunk driving laws, but for my part, I don't really care "why" someone is driving like a homicidal maniac. I went to Walmart the other night and witnessed some stupid kid in a sports car literally going 50mph+ in a crowded parking lot and completely ignoring stop signs and people alike. I don't care if the bastard was sober as the day, I badly wanted to see him hit a light post and be impaled by it.

 

[youngbuck]

I met a guy who was sentenced to 5 years, and served nearly 3 of them for crashing into an off duty cop while driving drunk. The cop wasn't killed (or paralyzed), but was seriously injured.

 

[eduardo89]

If the boy, who is from an affluent family, continued to be cushioned by his family's wealth and another tragedy is likely in his future, prosecutor Richard Alpert said in court.

Is that even a sentence?

 

[angelatc]

I am actually sort of happy that he didn't get 20 years for an accident. He's just a kid who made a horrible choice that had unimaginable consequences.

 

[bolil]

I'll level with you: Good. Kid fucked up and killed some people, that he is going to have to answer for and not to us, not to them, but to something larger and longer. The fact that he won't be in a rape cage pleases me. Yeah, he got drunk and murdered some people, drone pilots do that shit sober, so sue me if I am happy for the kid. If only everyone was treated like that...