General Discussion

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)

58. To make the distinction is to minimize.

Wed Feb 5, 2014, 11:54 PM

Feb 2014

Whether he meant to kill these people or not, he chose to drive drunk KNOWING that there was a good chance someone would be injured or killed. It can't be treated as just happenstance, something regrettable but unavoidable.

When you get back...answer this:

Would you really oppose a long community service sentence for this kid?

Or even a requirement that he apologize?

It sounds like you don't think he should have to be affected by his actions at all.

And it sounds like you don't care that the ONLY reason this kid is getting this no-consequences treatment is because he's the spawn of the wealthy.

When you have time to post again, please clarify your actual feeling on those points.

Because just repeating "prison is useless" isn't an answer to anything we're talking about here.

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No jail for "affluenza" fuckwad who killed 4- again. [View all] cali Feb 2014 OP

Wish they could stick his brain into xfundy Feb 2014 #1

They should just shoot him in the back of the head. DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #2

A few years in jail would suffice. NuclearDem Feb 2014 #3

He is the only teenager that has ever driven drunk. DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #5

You think 5 years in jail is not justice? n-t Logical Feb 2014 #6

If he's a grown man with priors, probably DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #9

So a DUI to you should be punished the same if no one dies vs. 5 people die? I think.... Logical Feb 2014 #12

People died and that's horrible DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #15

You need some downside to killing people through intentional negligence.... Logical Feb 2014 #18

That may be true, but everyone here knows if this kid had been poor and/or black... pink-o Feb 2014 #80

Of course it wasn't intentional. That's why it's manslaughter, not murder. NuclearDem Feb 2014 #55

And he probably will be a grown man with priors before too long.. mountain grammy Feb 2014 #59

He did have priors. This was not Ethan Couch's first DUI offense. smokey nj Feb 2014 #72

Let us be honest. If he was not from a wealthy family, avebury Feb 2014 #78

Not the only one who's ever driven drunk...but likely the only one Ken Burch Feb 2014 #29

Why don't you direct your ire at that judge truebluegreen Feb 2014 #4

Two wrongs don't make a right. DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #7

You are assuming facts not in evidence, counselor. truebluegreen Feb 2014 #14

You are confused DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #17

Somebody certainly is. truebluegreen Feb 2014 #28

Obviously giving the other kid 20 years was wrong DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #31

You seem determined to keep answering the wrong question. truebluegreen Feb 2014 #67

Throwing both kids in jail for 20 years. n/t ieoeja Feb 2014 #83

Thanks for your input, but it sidesteps the question truebluegreen Feb 2014 #87

No, it does not. ieoeja Feb 2014 #90

Your answer would have been helpful truebluegreen Feb 2014 #91

He/she was obviously *was* talking about two things that "might" have happened. ieoeja Feb 2014 #92

You're basically saying that it's FINE that this kid got off scot-free Ken Burch Feb 2014 #30

I'm saying prison isn't a magic bullet DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #34

Nobody here believes that prison is a magic bullet. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #38

I'm not at all surprised by the "blowback" DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #41

My opinion wasn't "pro-prison"...it's "pro-consequences" Ken Burch Feb 2014 #42

Restitution isn't that simple in a criminal case DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #45

His parents are insanely rich...THEY could pay. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #47

He was tried as an adult DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #57

So you don't think he should face any jail time for killing innocent people? Rex Feb 2014 #10

Prison is America's answer for everything. DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #13

So that is a long way of saying, 'no I do not think a murderer needs to pay for their crimes.' Rex Feb 2014 #19

You think this was murder? DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #20

Not really, you seem to be incapable of placing blame on this person Rex Feb 2014 #22

Why must we assume that prison is the only way to "take responsibility"? DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #24

Because of the severity of the crime committed? Otherwise no one has suggest such a thing. Rex Feb 2014 #25

You're using the WRONG case for the point you're trying to make here. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #33

It's perfectly possible to be against mass incarceration Ken Burch Feb 2014 #43

+1 Rex Feb 2014 #54

What do you believe should be his consequences? Evergreen Emerald Feb 2014 #76

What was it if it wasn't murder? Ken Burch Feb 2014 #49

Murder is an intention killing DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #56

To make the distinction is to minimize. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #58

This isn't the case to use if you're making an argument against prisons. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #32

Again you assume that prison cause people to "learn" DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #37

I agree with letting the poor kid out. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #40

I'm sorry I am part of the "progressive" mob and I haven't heard anyone advocate such extremes Drew Richards Feb 2014 #16

No just let him out soon to kill a few more people. alphafemale Feb 2014 #21

If only it was that simple DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #23

But this kid wasn't given any NON-prison forms of punishment. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #35

If he went to prison odds are EXCEEDINGLY HIGH that he would never kill someone with his car again.. TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #36

Of course it does DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #39

So present an alternative. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #44

I'm out of time DefenseLawyer Feb 2014 #48

Thanks for admitting you just came here to be a shit-stirrer. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #51

Defending the rich is a rewarding job. jsr Feb 2014 #60

And then reimburse them for the costs with a tax cut. Ken Burch Feb 2014 #61

The victims should really apologize. jsr Feb 2014 #63

Darn right. And there's NOTHING less "pro-life" Ken Burch Feb 2014 #68

And then reimburse them for the costs they incurred buying their freedom Ken Burch Feb 2014 #62

Your China comparison lacks an important detail TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #82

let me explain this to you really simply: As long as the norm is prison time for these cali Feb 2014 #74

I was always bothered when the rightwingers would call Ted Kennedy a murderer Chathamization Feb 2014 #64

No, asshole. What should be an appropriate punishment is for him to spend as much time cherokeeprogressive Feb 2014 #66

It's the class distinction that is at issue.... Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2014 #69

people like you get more outraged at those who are angry over what happened JI7 Feb 2014 #70

he should have gone to prison. I never, ever advocate violence. cali Feb 2014 #73

Red Herring, Red Herring! Springslips Feb 2014 #79

Come the hell on Blue_Tires Feb 2014 #84

Nope. I've told my sons since they were young... tnlefty Feb 2014 #89

And now........... PumpkinAle Feb 2014 #8

The wealthy live by different rules then the working class. Rex Feb 2014 #11

The only law at the parasite level is that you can never, ever fuck with another parasite. Egalitarian Thug Feb 2014 #26

Yes it is our reality in 2014. Rex Feb 2014 #27

Sad, but true. n/t PumpkinAle Feb 2014 #86

Brilliant find.... Blue_Tires Feb 2014 #85

Moral of the story: Rich people don't go to prison. jsr Feb 2014 #46

Must be nice to be so rich. blkmusclmachine Feb 2014 #50

This should be cause celeb for Democrats in Texas. denverbill Feb 2014 #52

Another prime example of the paradise that is Texass. n/t Egalitarian Thug Feb 2014 #53

The stupid hurts. blackspade Feb 2014 #65

But if you pee on the Alamo... 3catwoman3 Feb 2014 #71

The best solution? Make Ethan Couch this judge's personal driver nt Loaded Liberal Dem Feb 2014 #75

That is a great idea! Eom Redford Feb 2014 #81

Thank you! :-) Loaded Liberal Dem Feb 2014 #88

I hope people are watching and scrutinizing every action he does for the rest of his life ck4829 Feb 2014 #77

He is a teenager gerogie2 Feb 2014 #93