EPTThe families of the victims are outraged and they should be. This is a much lighter sentence than anyone would want for someone who caused a terrible tragedy and killed their loved ones. But the justice system is there to weigh out both sides and the court determined it should not create another victim by putting a kid in a cage when he has a realistic shot of changing his life and becoming a good person. It is definitely a tough call but I think ultimately the best for everyone involved.
US Politics Mega-thread - Page 717
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coverpunch
United States2093 Posts
The families of the victims are outraged and they should be. This is a much lighter sentence than anyone would want for someone who caused a terrible tragedy and killed their loved ones. But the justice system is there to weigh out both sides and the court determined it should not create another victim by putting a kid in a cage when he has a realistic shot of changing his life and becoming a good person. It is definitely a tough call but I think ultimately the best for everyone involved. | ||
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DoubleReed
United States4130 Posts
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Stratos_speAr
United States6959 Posts
On December 16 2013 00:07 DoubleReed wrote: I think the problem is less the actual sentencing and more the absolutely blatant two-tiered justice system that we have. You don't even have to bring race into it. It's a class thing. A poorer kid would never get another chance. This. Anyone who tries to delude themselves into thinking this is just about "a kid getting another chance" instead of this kid getting this second chance because of the fact that he is well-off is incredibly naive. A poor kid (or, even more likely, any non-white kid) definitely would've gotten prison time, especially in Texas. | ||
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xDaunt
United States17988 Posts
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Mohdoo
United States15690 Posts
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DoubleReed
United States4130 Posts
On December 16 2013 03:37 Mohdoo wrote: Is no one concerned for what kinda precedent this sets for other situations like this? If another rich kid kills some people, do we want it to simply always be that they don't suffer the same as joe schmoe? Dude, this is already precedent. This has been precedent for a while. You realize Keith Alexander committed perjury multiple times egregiously against congress. And it's not like he's ever going to trial for that. It's not going to be a 'lenient sentence.' He's just not going to trial. Of course, the goal is that we apply this kind of judicial treatment to everyone, not just rich people. Like hey, look at how Sweden is closing down prisons because of lack of inmates. | ||
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JonnyBNoHo
United States6277 Posts
On December 16 2013 03:37 Mohdoo wrote: Is no one concerned for what kinda precedent this sets for other situations like this? If another rich kid kills some people, do we want it to simply always be that they don't suffer the same as joe schmoe? Not a lawyer, but unless court papers state that he received a lesser sentence because he was rich or cites affluenza as a legit medical condition, I don't think that precedent will be set. He was in juvenile court and deemed a good candidate for rehabilitation and if he screws that up, he can still go to prison. Hopefully that precedent gets set for everyone. | ||
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Sabu113
United States11048 Posts
On December 16 2013 01:17 Stratos_speAr wrote: This. Anyone who tries to delude themselves into thinking this is just about "a kid getting another chance" instead of this kid getting this second chance because of the fact that he is well-off is incredibly naive. A poor kid (or, even more likely, any non-white kid) definitely would've gotten prison time, especially in Texas. Yeah. Plenty of kids have serious extenuating circumstances. How does parental neglect because they were too rich (as opposed to on crack) give this kid an out? Rehabilitation or not, there should have been some criminal penalty beyond a probation officer. | ||
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
On December 16 2013 02:34 xDaunt wrote: Coverpunch is right. The kid is going to pay plenty for what he did. Presuming that he is not psychotic, there will be a helluva long term mental toll for him as well. I agree with xDaunt and kwark. I don't think sacrificing this kid does very much to reduce the influence of the MADD lobby fighting for serious drunk driving penalties. And I don't think drunk driving is going to go away in a suburban culture of cars pairrd with plenty of drinking to cover up the apathy and despair of American suburbia. | ||
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Livelovedie
United States492 Posts
On December 16 2013 05:33 IgnE wrote: I agree with xDaunt and kwark. I don't think sacrificing this kid does very much to reduce the influence of the MADD lobby fighting for serious drunk driving penalties. And I don't think drunk driving is going to go away in a suburban culture of cars pairrd with plenty of drinking to cover up the apathy and despair of American suburbia. Yep the apathy and the despair of the rich person... what are you even talking about? Rich kids don't drink because their life sucks, its because they wanna keep up with their friends and throw house parties and have sex and crap like that... you make it sound like they are alcoholics (though I guess some of them might be). | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
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Livelovedie
United States492 Posts
On December 16 2013 07:22 sam!zdat wrote: it's both at the same time I disagree... most people are happy leading a life devoid of true meaning... most people choose that everyday... and I'm not different. | ||
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coverpunch
United States2093 Posts
On December 16 2013 00:07 DoubleReed wrote: I think the problem is less the actual sentencing and more the absolutely blatant two-tiered justice system that we have. You don't even have to bring race into it. It's a class thing. A poorer kid would never get another chance. It's not two-tiered so much as "the justice system is as merciful as the representation you can afford." It's all about the narrative you can construct for sentencing. This kid's lawyer brought in the story of a kid who can treat his substance abuse, go to an elite university, and go on to be a productive member of society. Throwing him in jail for 10 years would cut his life off at the knees and 10 years probation with a record of killing people is hardly going unpunished. This kid has to wear it and if he ever gets in legal trouble again, the next judge is likely to really bring the hammer down on him as a convicted felon. Put this way, the judge was persuaded. Would it work with another young kid from a poorer family? Maybe not, but it would depend on a lot of circumstances and how they could fit a similar narrative - whether the kid showed real remorse, whether there was malice involved, etc. | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
On December 16 2013 08:10 Livelovedie wrote: I disagree... most people are happy leading a life devoid of true meaning... most people choose that everyday... and I'm not different. there's a foundation of deep existential angst underlying the superficial contentment | ||
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Paljas
Germany6926 Posts
On December 16 2013 08:56 sam!zdat wrote: there's a foundation of deep existential angst underlying the superficial contentment why? | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
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DoubleReed
United States4130 Posts
On December 16 2013 08:33 coverpunch wrote: It's not two-tiered so much as "the justice system is as merciful as the representation you can afford." It's all about the narrative you can construct for sentencing. This kid's lawyer brought in the story of a kid who can treat his substance abuse, go to an elite university, and go on to be a productive member of society. Throwing him in jail for 10 years would cut his life off at the knees and 10 years probation with a record of killing people is hardly going unpunished. This kid has to wear it and if he ever gets in legal trouble again, the next judge is likely to really bring the hammer down on him as a convicted felon. Put this way, the judge was persuaded. Would it work with another young kid from a poorer family? Maybe not, but it would depend on a lot of circumstances and how they could fit a similar narrative - whether the kid showed real remorse, whether there was malice involved, etc. Are you actually trying to justify a two tiered justice system? What exactly is your point? | ||
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Paljas
Germany6926 Posts
dunno why this would lead to a deep existential angst | ||
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Chocolate
United States2350 Posts
On December 16 2013 07:16 Livelovedie wrote: Yep the apathy and the despair of the rich person... what are you even talking about? Rich kids don't drink because their life sucks, its because they wanna keep up with their friends and throw house parties and have sex and crap like that... you make it sound like they are alcoholics (though I guess some of them might be). It's easy to think that rich people have it made but I can guarantee that rich kids' lives can also suck. | ||
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sam!zdat
United States5559 Posts
On December 16 2013 09:07 Paljas wrote: well, i´d expect the same average level of happiness as in the rest of the society. dunno why this would lead to a deep existential angst no, it's almost worse, because you have everything but you are still unhappy so there is nothing left to blame | ||
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