There is a bizarre case out of Texas where Ethan Couch, 16, was facing 20 years for killing four people in a drunk driving incident. His wealthy family hired a top gun trial attorney and leading expert who invoked what could be called the Richie Rich defense — Couch’s long spoiled lifestyle in the top one percent left him uncaring and irresponsible . . . and left four people dead. It would seem the type of argument that would produce a lynching rather than a light sentence in front of most juries. However, Couch was in front of State District Judge Jean Boyd, who sentenced him to probation and therapy. Couch, it turns out, predicted the outcome. Described as non-cooperative at the accident scene, he reportedly said “I’m Outta here” and walked away.
Couch pleaded guilty to driving drunk and could certainly expect a reduction in light of the plea. However, few people expected no jail time. However, the defense insisted that what Couch needed was therapy and argued that such therapy would cost more than $450,000 a year at a rehabilitation facility near Newport Beach, California– which would be paid by his wealthy parents. Half a million a year? That is the highest claim that I have encountered in such cases.
At trial, the defense expert Gary Miller trashed the parents as messing up their son, particularly after a bitter divorce. The father was described as someone who “does not have relationships, he takes hostages.” The mother was described as a materialistic individual right out of Bonfire of the Vanities with a “mantra was that if it feels good, do it.” The accident fittingly occurred on Father’s Day.
Miller insisted that Couch basically raised himself. An ironic argument since he would have received more jail time as an abusive parent than as the killer for four people in this case.
As a result, Couch walked despite a plea to four counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury. Couch had seven passengers in his Ford F-350. Seven. Two were riding in his bed of the truck. Those two kids were seriously injured. Solimon Mohmand had extensive broken bones and internal injuries while Sergio Molina remains paralyzed and communicates by blinking his eyes. Therapy is not going to do much for Molina.
The dead included Breanna Mitchell who was by the side of the road with a broken car; Hollie and Shelby Boyles (right), who came out of their homes to help Mitchell; and Burleson youth minister Brian Jennings (shown left), a passer-by who had also stopped to help. Couch was going 70 miles an hour (in a 40 miles an hour zone) when he smashed into the car.
Couch had a BAL that was three times the legal limit as well as Valium in his system.
He appears narcissistic and spoiled but one would think that holding him accountable would have tremendous therapeutic value. If not, it would do wonders for the families of the victims.
Yet, Couch asked for the judge to sentence him — a smart move.
The irony did not escape Tarrant County assistant district attorney who noted that under this “too spoiled to care” defense “[t]here can be no doubt that he will be in another courthouse one day blaming the lenient treatment he received here.”
Now Couch can move on with this life. One possible dating prospect can be found in New York with Rachael Sacks who attracted a firestorm with a published essay on why “I’m Not Going To Pretend That I’m Poor To Be Accepted By You” . Sacks has words that might resonate with Master Couch: “People have been very mean to me. But people have been mean to me my whole life, so what. They think I’m a spoiled brat, and I am.”
There has been no public word from the parents who were featured so prominently in their son’s defense and candidates for the worst parents — let along people — in the world. Judging from the expert testimony, the response to the verdict of the mother was likely something like this:
The father was also no doubt celebrating:
Therapy shmerapy. What’s going to stop him from doing something else after he finishes probation?
I live in Florida and thought we had all the outrageous cases and news events but Texas is really making a run here.
Kayla Mendoza, another irresponsible drunk airhead, will be his future girlfriend.
Thanks for the kind words Gene, Mike & Darren, but actually I’m a 56-year-old sitdown curmudgeon. I didn’t set out to be ironic.
A little satire – sure. My muse is mockery and ridicule of the establishment elite. I couldn’t care less about drunk teenagers or former Marines that are lesbian waitresses that feign victimhood as they have little effect on the world around them.
The real irony here is that my words are considered ironic while millions of people in America actually think along similar lines, manifesting itself in presidents like Bush and Obama – who murder thousands of people and enable financial grifters to run amok – to live like royalty after having been youthful users of illegal drugs that they demand your children should be punished for, sometimes jailed, thereby ruining future prospects for youngsters who preferred smoking a joint to drinking booze.
Ironic is a mild word to describe what America is and always has been. But what do I know, I’m a crazy anarchist and have been stoned for decades.
So, since this is Texas we’re talking about, what’s the over-under on a disgruntled relative or friend of one of the victims seeking out Young Mr. Couch in pursuit of some payback?
Max-1 1, December 13, 2013 at 1:03 am
Poor, 14 years old, kill one person… 10 years behind bars
Rich, 16 years old, kill four people… 10 years probation
ALL BEFORE THE SAME JUDGE!
Yep, Granted something like this could happen in other states but Texas is very out front with regards to showing favoritism to the country club set.
In addition of the Dr. Drew interview:
It appears that the
judge and psychologistcourt appointed sociopaths, happen to think only rich people, (aka those who can afford it) deserve one free murder before they’re placed behind bars…Max-1
1, December 13, 2013
Equal Justice under the law, much?
Dr. Drew: ‘Affluenza’ is Ridiculous
Poor, 14 years old, kill one person… 10 years behind bars
Rich, 16 years old, kill four people… 10 years probation
ALL BEFORE THE SAME JUDGE!
Texas Man Who Lost Wife And Daughter To Rich Kid Drunk Driving Fumes Over Sentence
AC360 “affluenza” psychologist part 1
Judges belonging to political parties is just wrong from the get-go. Should be non-partisan positions.
Nice irony. He must be a Gen-x’er 🙂
OT:
http://www.krmg.com/ap/ap/political/harry-rosenthal-ap-reporter-dies-at-86/ncJwH/
That’s some fine stand up comedy there, Tom.
“That’s some fine stand up comedy there, Tom”
Gene,
I agree. Tom has a fine sense of ironic satire.
So first his parents gave him no consequences and left him irresponsible and uncaring. And now the judge has done the same.
It is refreshing to see that a reasonable verdict was reached in a case that could have resulted in tragic results for a promising young man. The judge apparently recognized that young Ethan is more equal than the typical hoodie-wearing scum that attempt to excuse their crimes on poverty or a poor upbringing.
When those who are destined to become leaders in the future make a mistake, leniency should be granted. To ruin Ethan’s bright future merely because of a car accident would be a real crime.
Now, let us all pray that Ethan will be rehabilitated so that he may realize all of his dreams. Sure it is unfortunate that some people died, but Ethan didn’t intentionally kill them and for all we know they were stoned on drugs. Perhaps God was acting through Ethan in order to rid the earth of these people who probably didn’t rise to the grand stature of Ethan.
We can all be thankful that we live in a country where there is a fair system of justice for the best and brightest who are often persecuted by those envious of their superior status.
**Oky1, Oklahoma is far worse than Texas. **
SwM,
That’s part of why I’m still here, it keeps a lot of that Yankee/Cali riffraff out. 🙂
Over 10 years ago & still today I’m being advised to get citizenship in a 2nd country as the USA is headed straight into hell. And that does seem the verifiable case mathematically.
Your USA credit Card for this type socialism for Wallst is at about it’s limit SwM.
Only trouble is in most of the known 5000+ years of history the USA is the only one with this type of “Preamble to the Bill of Rights” & the “Rights” there in contained.
Of interest to me is with all those places in the world with those socialist Utopian govts like most of Europe, Mexico & North Korea why are so many out to convert & destroy this country’s democratic Republic. Why don’t they just leave us be & they move to their socialist utopian dream?
I’d rather live among all these Jesus freaks the among the NY/ Bloomberg mafia goons.
E pluribus unum, If we are to all be pounded into & homogenized into one let it be that were forged into Thomas Jefferson/James Madison’s vision & not the Hitler/Stalin/King George the Red Coat type tyrants that the world has known since both & after the founding of this nation.