"Rich" kid kills 4, gets probation.

[ebonyknight]

"During his recent trial, the 16-year-old admitted his guilt in four cases of intoxication manslaughter and two cases of intoxication assault," said the statement from District Attorney Joe Shannon. "There has been no verdict formally entered in the two intoxication assault cases. Every case deserves a verdict. The District Attorney's office is asking the court to incarcerate the teen on the two intoxication assault cases," it continued.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/te...nsense-111078/

As much as I want him to do jail time, they shouldn't get two bites at the apple. I have a feeling this won't go anywhere.

[Gravekeeper]

http://www.christianpost.com/news/te...nsense-111078/

As much as I want him to do jail time, they shouldn't get two bites at the apple. I have a feeling this won't go anywhere.

Well, technically its not double jeopardy if those two charges are still pending without a verdict as indicated. He plead guilty to them.

[ebonyknight]

Yeah, but not for the controversy, they would have considered the matter settled. I don't know how I feel about it.

[eltf177]

Yeah, but not for the controversy, they would have considered the matter settled. I don't know how I feel about it.

Well, if it's not double jeopardy (and it sounds like it isn't) then hit him with it. He's shown _zero_ remorse and deserves a little slap of reality!

[Andara Bledin]

Well, if it's not double jeopardy (and it sounds like it isn't) then hit him with it. He's shown _zero_ remorse and deserves a little slap of reality!

I just love all the declarations that he's shown no remorse, as if random internet people have been following him around to check for it.

They're holding verdicts aside for future leverage. It's a stick against the carrot of going through the rehab program. If he fucks up, they can go ahead and charge him on those, on top of the other sentence already handed down, and it won't require much effort as he's already pled guilty.

He's already given them the rope with which they can hang him. They're giving him a chance to prove he's not an utter waste. If he can manage it, everybody wins. If he can't, he'll go to jail, and probably for longer than he thinks he will.

[Gravekeeper]

In other news, both parents have had numerous run ins with the law and his parents are actually divorced.

Most notably, dad has had a few charges for theft and one for assaulting mom. Also a litany of driving violations. And a mullet. Whereas mom once intentionally ran someone else off the road.

I don't think wealth has anything to do with it. This is just straight up shitty parenting. Which is not a defense in court. -.-

I just love all the declarations that he's shown no remorse, as if random internet people have been following him around to check for it.

There is nothing wrong with the statement that he has shown no remorse. Whether or not he feels any in private is up for debate, yes and we may never know there. However, it is true that he has displayed no remorse in the public eye, before the court and in private to any of the victim's families.

Which is generally what people mean when they say someone has shown no remorse.

[D_Yeti_Esquire]

There's nothing wrong with the statement he's shown no remorse, but it's also a dubious statement unless you really know a person. Some people are quite stone faced by nature. And we're in the legal world so apologies themselves may not be forthcoming for entirely legal reasons.

For me, he may be a heartless jerkass or he may just be a kid lost in an extremely real and f'd up part of his life. I can't even say how I'd react. I actually do tend to be stone faced to the point people actively do not read me well without me exaggerating my expressions. So it would be hard for me to look at some random stranger and tell you what he does or does not feel about what he's done. Maybe that's just me.

[Gravekeeper]

There's nothing wrong with the statement he's shown no remorse, but it's also a dubious statement unless you really know a person. Some people are quite stone faced by nature. And we're in the legal world so apologies themselves may not be forthcoming for entirely legal reasons.

Its not dubious, because it's shown no remorse. As in, displayed none. Which is true. So, like I said, whether or not he feels any in private is debatable, but he has certainly displayed/shown none.

Also, he plead guilty to all charges. So there's no legal self implication if he should apologize or otherwise show remorse to the victim's families. But as I noted before, he refused to acknowledge them even when directly questioned by them in court.

So it would be hard for me to look at some random stranger and tell you what he does or does not feel about what he's done. Maybe that's just me.

Which is fine, but as I said, the phase is *show* remorse. Whether or not he feels it is another debate and perhaps one that could have been answered had they bothered to give the kid a psych evaluation. But I get the sense a legitimate evaluation would have undermined the one the defense paid for. -.-

[draco664]

Its not dubious, because it's shown no remorse. As in, displayed none. Which is true. So, like I said, whether or not he feels any in private is debatable, but he has certainly displayed/shown none.

Neither did Lindy Chamberlain, which is exactly why I never give any weight to reports of "showed no remorse".

[Anthony K. S.]

Neither did Lindy Chamberlain, which is exactly why I never give any weight to reports of "showed no remorse".

If I'm not mistaken, she was innocent.

In the case of Ethan Couch, there is no factual dispute that he committed the crimes he was charged with.

When a defendant claims to be innocent, you wouldn't expect them to show remorse, whether they're telling the truth or not. It's a different matter when the defendant pleads guilty.

[Gravekeeper]

Neither did Lindy Chamberlain, which is exactly why I never give any weight to reports of "showed no remorse".

Anthony is correct, Lindy Chamberlain was innocent. So that's probably not the best example. -.-

[HYHYBT]

The problem with "not shown remorse" isn't that it's false, but that it's meaningless. Many people who feel remorse naturally do not display it, and others are (rightly or not) advised by their lawyers. Likewise, many people who have no remorse can fake it. Putting the two together, and that someone shows none tells is absolutely nothing. So why do people keep treating it as if it had significance?

[Kheldarson]

The problem with "not shown remorse" isn't that it's false, but that it's meaningless. Many people who feel remorse naturally do not display it, and others are (rightly or not) advised by their lawyers. Likewise, many people who have no remorse can fake it. Putting the two together, and that someone shows none tells is absolutely nothing. So why do people keep treating it as if it had significance?

Because, in this case, he pled guilty. He was throwing himself on the mercy of the court and couldn't even muster a sorry? And still got probation? That just don't wash.

[Kelmon]

Saying "I'm sorry" having any influence on the outcome of a trial is about as sensible as making it depend on how well you do a secret handshake with the judge...

It's just meaningless to anything but maybe console the relatives of the victims. It should not be "required", meaning either benefit you or harm your defense.

[Kheldarson]

Saying "I'm sorry" having any influence on the outcome of a trial is about as sensible as making it depend on how well you do a secret handshake with the judge...

It's just meaningless to anything but maybe console the relatives of the victims. It should not be "required", meaning either benefit you or harm your defense.

It's not required, but we'd be lying if we said it didn't have some effect. Who would you be more willing to be lenient on: the kid who apologized, admitted he was wrong, and declared he'd do better, or the kid who refused to address his victims, never apologized, and seemed to be waiting for it all to be over with? It shouldn't be the sole factor for sentencing, but we're only human and do respond to emotional intent.