03-31-2014, 10:08 AM
The root of all evil...
Too rich and spoiled as a teen to know better than to get smashed, pile your friends up in a car, and speed off? Wind up killing some people in the process?
No problem. Affluenza defense -- "I was too rich and spoiled to know better". Well, one judge bought it. No prison time -- lots of rehabilitation treatment instead. (The treatment is good, IMO, but NOT as a substitute for legal punishment.)
![[Image: Couch-facebook.jpg]](http://media.heavy.com/media/2013/12/Couch-facebook.jpg)
Ethan Couch, 16-- killed 4 people driving drunk in June 2013; sentenced to 10 years probation and rehab
Betting the Couch case spurs future Affluenza defense/excuse strategies in US criminal courts. Such a damned sham.
![[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-fBrZ_lFIHaRmijUL90l...VFHYmmcsqg]](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-fBrZ_lFIHaRmijUL90l0OOx4drNOuoP_kYY8fr0dVFHYmmcsqg)
The victims ^ of Ethan Couch, RIP
![[Image: judge-jean-boyd.jpg]](http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52b47df06da8111947fdd824-480/judge-jean-boyd.jpg)
^ The judge: Jean Boyd, Texas
UPDATE/NOTE: There are now 6 civil lawsuits pending against the Couch family -- I don't think they'll have the money to continue indulging themselves and their son without regard for much longer -- good.
Too rich and spoiled as a teen to know better than to get smashed, pile your friends up in a car, and speed off? Wind up killing some people in the process?
No problem. Affluenza defense -- "I was too rich and spoiled to know better". Well, one judge bought it. No prison time -- lots of rehabilitation treatment instead. (The treatment is good, IMO, but NOT as a substitute for legal punishment.)
Ethan Couch, 16-- killed 4 people driving drunk in June 2013; sentenced to 10 years probation and rehab
Betting the Couch case spurs future Affluenza defense/excuse strategies in US criminal courts. Such a damned sham.
The victims ^ of Ethan Couch, RIP
^ The judge: Jean Boyd, Texas
UPDATE/NOTE: There are now 6 civil lawsuits pending against the Couch family -- I don't think they'll have the money to continue indulging themselves and their son without regard for much longer -- good.