"Rich" kid kills 4, gets probation.

[Andara Bledin]

Well, looks like little chance of this piece of crap doing any jail time...

Well, you know, unless he really is unrepentant and irredeemable and thus ends up violating parole, anyway...

[eltf177]

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/ju...atal-car-wreck

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/te...en-behind-bars

Well, looks like little chance of this piece of crap doing any jail time...

[eltf177]

I'm glad to see the dad and his company are being sued as well. Something tells me by the time this is all over dad's not going to have a cent left to his name, meaning there's now no money to send this brat to his expensive day care in lieu of jail time. And (horror of horrors) because of this he now has to do hard jail time!

Couldn't happen to a more deserving jackass!

[fireheart17]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/1...n_4461585.html



His bogus defense and "expert" testimony, is going to bite his family in the ass. Out of the fire and into the frying pan.

I hope they get the caramelization right.....

And no matter how much he claims that he's being picked on because he's rich, the claims won't fly. Don't want to be picked on because of your wealth? You should've admitted to your actions and taken responsibility for them.

[ebonyknight]

And so it begins.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/1...n_4461585.html

His bogus defense and "expert" testimony, is going to bite his family in the ass. Out of the fire and into the frying pan.

I hope they get the caramelization right.....

[Gravekeeper]

I'm still wondering if the kid isn't a straight up sociopath at this point. It looks like when he was arrested for underage drinking he got probation, community service and had to attend an alcohol awareness program. That was only 4 months prior to this. Obviously he didn't give a rats ass about the program. However, to say he's not aware of consequences after serving probation, community service and a mandatory program is bullshit.

He's aware of consequences, he just doesn't care.

[draco664]

If I'm not mistaken, she was innocent.

She was.

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.

Yeah, but during her trial, people were using her lack of remorse as 'proof' that not only was she guilty, she deserved to be put to death. I remember, as a child, being completely fucking bamboozled at how people would ignore the logical inconsistencies of the case and focus completely on her attitude in the six seconds of footage they saw on the news.

That case really affected me, and I wasn't even 10 when it was playing out. If Australia still had capital punishment in the 80s, there would have been a monumental miscarriage of justice.

[D_Yeti_Esquire]

If all people were the same way it would be fine. Completely different but same concept: Bill Clinton's hummer. Sure, if he'd just said "yea, Monica blew me and I apologize to my wife and everyone else" some people would have let it drop. But not everyone and a fairly predictable percentage wouldn't. Republicans, adults sensitive to adultry, strict moralists, etc. He said nothing and we all know they had pollsters collecting data helping make that decision.

When we consider oddities in the courtroom, it's best to remember it's such a high stakes game that they have statistics on everything. If by and large defendants don't apologize at sentencing, the reason is most likely they've been coached/told not to. The only reason a lawyer tells you to not do something is if they know it will harm you.

I think "the public" believes it is more forgiving than it is. I also think it tends to discount its use of the logic "sometimes an apology isn't enough." It then wonders why people don't apologize.

The non-effect of apologies on judges and the danger of perceptions of being perceived as dishonest about it.

Actually that link also has bits about why the judge might have been more likely to forgive this boy, yet less likely to forgive someone else.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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?

[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. -.-

[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.

[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".