GUILTY TX - Ethan Couch 'Affluenza Teen' DUI driver who killed four gets probation, 2013 #1

[HMSHood]

I disagree.

Every time a drunk gets behind the wheel another doesn't die.... by sheer "luck"

The penalty for DWI needs to be much stiffer!




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Exactly!

 

[jjenny]

Exactly!

It could have been much stiffer. Prosecutor asked for 20 years.
The judge decided to just give him probation.

 

[Joe Friday]

Ethan's fathers company.

http://www.cleburnesheetmetal.com/home.html

 

[Joe Friday]

It could have been much stiffer. Prosecutor asked for 20 years.
The judge decided to just give him probation.

I wonder if Ethan's father was a campaign contributor to the judge's election/re-election campaign.

It would be really interesting to know what contributions Ethan's father has made and to whom.

JMO

 

[Linda7NJ]

It could have been much stiffer. Prosecutor asked for 20 years.
The judge decided to just give him probation.

I was talking about the penalty for drunk driving. It's far far too light. If the penalty was 10 years behind bars, people wouldn't still be doing it.


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[jjenny]

I was talking about the penalty for drunk driving. It's far far too light. If the penalty was 10 years behind bars, people wouldn't still be doing it.


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I was also talking about penalty. This judge had a range of options. She could have sentenced him to 20 years.
He got probation instead.

 

[HMSHood]

It could have been much stiffer. Prosecutor asked for 20 years.
The judge decided to just give him probation.

Absolutely.

I wonder if Ethan's father was a campaign contributor to the judge's election/re-election campaign.

It would be really interesting to know what contributions Ethan's father has made and to whom.

JMO

I wonder about that too.

 

[Joe Friday]

Here is another law suit filed against Ethan, his parents and his fathers company by Sergio Molina the victim who will need medical care for the rest of his life.

Apparently the truck driven by Ethan and involved in the accident was owned by his fathers company.


Snipped from article.




The civil suit

Molina, a Fort Worth resident, remains hospitalized in a coma, his attorney Bill Berenson said.

Berenson recently filed suit in the 96th Judicial District Court in Tarrant County on behalf of Molina and his parents. The suit names Couch, his parents Fred and Tonya Couch and Cleburne Metal Works LLC d/b/a Cleburne Sheet Metal as defendants.

The suit seeks up to $20 million in damages.

Molina’s medical bills have totaled more than $600,000 and may, should he require constant care, exceed $10 million, Berenson said.

Berenson’s suit alleges that the truck driven by Couch is owned by Cleburne Sheet Metal and that it was “entrusted” to him by his father, who is the president of that company.

The suit alleges that Couch’s driver’s license prohibits him from driving unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older and adds that everyone in the truck that night was younger than 21.

The suit also alleges that Couch was not watching the road and may have been texting or using his cellphone at the time of the crash.

Berenson earlier this week said that, as far as he knows, none of the other victims or their families have filed suit against Couch.

See more at: http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/...r-counts-of-manslaughter#sthash.G1eURnOE.dpuf

 

[21merc7]

Old article which I didn't see posted above. One of many lawsuits I'm sure will be filed.



Jennings family files suit against Couch

The family of a Burleson youth minister killed by a drunk driver in June filed a civil lawsuit this week against the 16-year-old driver, his parents and his parents’ company.

See more at: http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/...files-suit-against-Couch#sthash.dbNSS1Pq.dpuf

From your link, and BBM:

Fred and Tonya Couch are included as defendants, according to the petition, because they allowed their son to drive the truck without adult supervision, despite the restrictions on his license, and they failed to adequately supervise the teenager who had already been charged with two alcohol-related offenses before he turned 16.

Wow. Don't know what the previous charges are, could be mundane such as possession of alcohol or drunk in public, but at 16 this is alarming when added to the current deaths, injuries, and sentence imposed!

 

[Joe Friday]

Fifth lawsuit filed in deadly crash on Burleson-Retta Road

Relatives of a mother and daughter who were killed when they rushed from their house to help a stranded motorist have filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the teenage driver of a pickup that hit the motorist’s vehicle, killing four people and injuring 12.

It is the fifth lawsuit related to the deadly crash, which occurred about 11:45 p.m. June 15 in the 1500 block of Burleson-Retta Road in southern Tarrant County.


(Snipped)

Others who have sued the Couch family are Shaunna Jennings, the wife of the youth minister; Kevin and Alesia McConnell, whose son was in Jennings’ vehicle; Marla Mitchell, mother of Breanna Mitchell; and the parents of Sergio Molina, a passenger in the pickup who was seriously injured.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/30/5380220/fifth-lawsuit-filed-in-deadly.html#storylink=cpy

 

[i.b.nora]

There have been five lawsuits so far, that I have found. I can't seem to figure out how to navigate that Cleburne Times site and read their articles but The Star-Telegram has a bunch of articles.

In brief:

# 1. The parents of Sergio Molina thrown from the pickup.
# 2. Shauna Jennings wife of Burleson Youth Pastor who was killed.
# 3. Marla Mitchell mother of Breanna whose car brokedown.
# 4. Kevin + Alesia McConnell parents of Lucas who was injured in Pastor's car
# 5. Relatives on behalf of Hollie and Shelby Boyles who came out of their house to help.

I imagine there will be more.

 

[Joe Friday]

There have been five lawsuits so far, that I have found. I can't seem to figure out how to navigate that Cleburne Times site and read their articles but The Star-Telegram has a bunch of articles.

In brief:

# 1. The parents of Sergio Molina thrown from the pickup.
# 2. Shauna Jennings wife of Burleson Youth Pastor who was killed.
# 3. Marla Mitchell mother of Breanna whose car brokedown.
# 4. Kevin + Alesia McConnell parents of Lucas who was injured in Pastor's car
# 5. Relatives on behalf of Hollie and Shelby Boyles who came out of their house to help.

I imagine there will be more.

One article I read said that all the suits might be combined into one lawsuit. I think this would be a good thing.

Sergio's suit is going to likely have the biggest impact. If all suits were separate the judge(s) hearing each case might not be able to take into consideration the other victims pain and suffering or the loss of others. Combining all the suits into one will show the enormity of the case and just how it has effected so many people, hopefully influencing the judge to award larger settlements.



JMO

 

[kemo]

Is anybody really surprised by this? Does anyone question the advantages that money confer in the Ameeican legal system?

 

[x_files]

I wonder if Ethan's father was a campaign contributor to the judge's election/re-election campaign.

It would be really interesting to know what contributions Ethan's father has made and to whom.

JMO

IF MSM employed real journalists someone would be paid to expose this kind of nepotism.

I am becoming very jaded about our Justice System, it's a joke, easily bought and sold like a common *advertiser censored*.

 

[x_files]

One article I read said that all the suits might be combined into one lawsuit. I think this would be a good thing.

Sergio's suit is going to likely have the biggest impact. If all suits were separate the judge(s) hearing each case might not be able to take into consideration the other victims pain and suffering or the loss of others. Combining all the suits into one will show the enormity of the case and just how it has effected so many people, hopefully influencing the judge to award larger settlements.



JMO

I hope it completely bankrupts the parents. They created this monster with their wealth and money- so hit them where it actually hurts.

 

[Steely Dan]

I was watching more news coverage today about the case.

I don't know what this judge was thinking. I don't think it is all about the money. I do like to see young offenders given some chance to rehabilitate rather than just be thrown away..

HOWEVER in this case, He killed 4 people and paralyzed a 5th. He should be made to pay for that. Maybe not with 50 years but he should have gotten some time.

I did see that it is possible for the prosecution to ask for a sentence review. It is not common but it can be done. I wonder if anyone has had a chance to review this judges rulings as a whole to see where she sits the majority of the time.

I think the problem is not with this kid. The facts are there. He should have had to serve time, I don't know how much but time. I believe here the problem lies solely with the judge.

BBM

I agree. The judge should be put up for judicial review, JMO I'm wondering what "violating his parole" will mean to them. How large does his "violation" have to be?

Old article which I didn't see posted above. One of many lawsuits I'm sure will be filed.



Jennings family files suit against Couch

The family of a Burleson youth minister killed by a drunk driver in June filed a civil lawsuit this week against the 16-year-old driver, his parents and his parents’ company.

See more at: http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/...files-suit-against-Couch#sthash.dbNSS1Pq.dpuf

I hope these suits bankrupt the parents and they can't afford to pay for juniors rehab in beautiful cottage in the sunny hills of California.

I think that removing him from the parents and sending him to rehab with a bunch of other people suffering from "Affluenza" will help him immensely. <------ That's sarcasm kids.

It could have been much stiffer. Prosecutor asked for 20 years.
The judge decided to just give him probation.

What's below is a great question for why the judge may have done this.

I wonder if Ethan's father was a campaign contributor to the judge's election/re-election campaign.

It would be really interesting to know what contributions Ethan's father has made and to whom.

JMO

 

[Steely Dan]

Is anybody really surprised by this? Does anyone question the advantages that money confer in the Ameeican legal system?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who deny that wealth has any advantage. I've talked to many on the internet.

 

[rob]

Quote: A 16-year-old boy who drunkenly killed four people got probation this week because the judge &#8212; with no apparent irony &#8212; 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.

What if this same boy had taken a high powered rifle and gunned these same people down. A gun owned by the family, purchased by the company. People would be up in arms about it, more gun control, blah, blah, blah. He did the same thing with an auto and needs to be held responsible for it. I was alarmed that he had 2 previous offenses. Maybe he should have already been in some treatment before innocent people lost their lives. Will the court/judge be montoring if he goes to treatment and actually stays there?

 

[Reader]

This is a hope for some justice:

Couch was sentenced by a juvenile court judge Tuesday. If he violates the terms of his probation, he could face up to 10 years of incarceration, according to a statement from the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office.

All the probation orders I've ever seen for juveniles had a 'no alcohol' clause. That will probably be the first one he violates. He is already working on being an alcoholic. He will for sure slip some inside his party, ur I mean, treatment facility.

It's been a while but in my experience juvenile probation is usually good about following up and due to this injustice and being handed this notorious punk's case, they will stay on top of him closely. I've sat in on several probation revocation hearings since the juvenile was brought in on charges when I was on duty. They are usually fairly quick.

And I agree with bankrupting his parents through the law suits. They created this monster, let them pay for it. The families and victims deserve compensation since they haven't gotten justice.

What a horrible example this case sends to the youth of that county and state. That judge should never be reelected.

 

[Reader]

Quote: 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.

What if this same boy had taken a high powered rifle and gunned these same people down. A gun owned by the family, purchased by the company. People would be up in arms about it, more gun control, blah, blah, blah. He did the same thing with an auto and needs to be held responsible for it. I was alarmed that he had 2 previous offenses. Maybe he should have already been in some treatment before innocent people lost their lives. Will the court/judge be montoring if he goes to treatment and actually stays there?

BBM - and this judge just reinforced what the parents had taught him.