Lone Star Justice
Dec 16, 2013, 12:00 PM | Updated: 12:00 pm
Texas-style justice usually means execution. Considering the number of convicted criminals who go from death row to death, capital punishment has become a major attraction in the Lone Star State.
But wait … there seems to be a spirit of courtroom compassion afoot, at least in Fort Worth. Ethan Couch, a 16-year-old from a privileged Texas family was recently convicted of killing four pedestrians while driving in a state of extreme impairment.
He admitted his guilt to the charge of intoxicated manslaughter and then it was up to the judge, Jean Boyd. Prosecutors asked for a 20-year prison sentence, but instead, Couch got 10 years … of probation.
How is that remotely possible? Well, it seems the judge was convinced that this was a case of what a psychologist testified was “affluenza,” a condition, they claimed, of the children of richer families feeling a since of entitlement and irresponsibility.
A wealthy drunken kid kills four people and gets probation! Hey Texas, you’ve given us all something to remember besides the Alamo.
I’m Pat McMahon.
