Ethan Couch the "affluneza" killer has run off to Mexico......

a reply to: HUMBLEONE

His Father owns a sheet metal business which started metal roofing about the time it became in vogue for metal roofs. One of the first in the south to do such work and it has done well. They are not billionaires as some have stated but do have controlling interest in a company worth millions.

a reply to: sdcigarpig

Even if they switch it to adult court, the penalty would still be the same as the offense occurred as a juvenile. He could serve the sentence in adult jail but 120 days is the max under Texas law. Once the court decides to switch it to adult court any further transgressions will be under the jurisdiction of the adult court and then he could face the full penalty plus fines and more time according to the infraction but as of now it is 120 days max.

I remember when this happened a few years ago, happened a county over from me. Watched the local news pick it up as soon as more info came out about the kid and his parents. There was literally an update every single evening news spot. The dude stole a bunch of beer from a store and then went out joyriding and killed 4 people. The kid should have had the book thrown at him. It's not like it was his first mess up either.

en.wikipedia.org...

Couch drove himself to school at the age of thirteen. When the head of the school questioned that practice, his father threatened to buy the school. At the age of fifteen, Couch was cited for "minor in consumption of alcohol" and "minor in possession of alcohol," after he was caught in a parked pick-up truck with a naked, passed out 14-year-old girl. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation, a compulsory alcohol awareness class, and 12 hours of community service.

His parents have their own somewhat recent history with criminal acts to, in addition to the recent helping a fugitive flee the nation.

His parents have each had their own run-ins with the law, publicized retrospectively in the media following their son's conviction. Fred Couch has been charged with criminal mischief, theft by check, and assault, but the charges were dismissed. On August 19, 2014, he was arrested for impersonating a police officer, allegedly displaying a fake badge during a disturbance call. In 2013, Tonya Couch was sentenced to a $500 fine and a six-month community supervision order for reckless driving when she used her vehicle to force another motorist off the road.

I wouldn't mind if Mexico decided to keep Ethan in their prison for a few more years. But since his mom has already been deported, and it looks like they'll deport Ethan in about 3 days, I guess we may as well throw the books at him here. Isn't it a federal crime to flee the country while on felony probation to? He has 4 counts of intoxicated manslaughter.

As for the judge, we elect our judges in Texas. If I remember correctly, the judge that gave the kid the probation sentence wasn't running for re-election that year. She/he didn't have to worry about getting chewed up during voting season so that may have played a part in the sentence IMO.

a reply to: crazyewok

Did this TURD use the Cartel Head's private tunnel to make His escape?

originally posted by: luciferslight
a reply to: crazyewok

Wait, a run away mexican dui car crash? This doesn't make sense. Why do you guys want to kill somebody over something, almost, everyone does? Just because he's mexican I bet.

That's not the story. Basically what happened is some time ago this guy was caught drunk driving, he killed 4 people and seriously injured another. This wasn't his first offense either, he was caught with drugs, etc in the past as well, and if I remember right in his DUI case he wasn't even old enough to drive at the time. His parents however have a lot of money, and got him off with a good lawyer. In the DUI case where he killed people his lawyer used the defense of "affluenza" which was that he didn't know right from wrong because in his entire life money was able to just make every problem go away.

The judge ended up accepting the argument and instead of jail time gave the guy 10 years probation. Now, less than a year after that he skipped to Mexico.

A lot of people are saying that they wouldn't accept the court ruling, and would rather serve justice themselves. That's not right, but it was a ridiculous defense and shows the power of money in the legal system and people are very pissed off about it.

originally posted by: seagull
I've thought about this case for about ten minutes, or so... My conclusions will, without a doubt, reflect that.

Civil forfeiture should, won't, but should apply here. The families of those victims should receive a huge cash settlement, were-gild if you will. The balance remaining after said settlements should be given to victims rights organizations, or something of the sort.

Parents are punished. Kid is destitute for the remainder of his little useless life.

Jail is fine, too. But civil forfeiture would be even worse for folks of this ilk...IMHO, of course.

Easier said than done, taking the parents assets involves taking their company and liquidating it which ultimately means putting innocent employees out of a job.

a reply to: buni11687

Wow, this kid was on probation before this incident and this judge still let him off with probation? It sounds like the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree. This kid's parents seem to think they're above the law and also had run-ins with the law. I find this judges sentencing simply outrageous and criminal. Sounds like this judge had some kind of connection with the family or he was paid-off. Maybe they need to look into this judge's background and possible connection with this family?

What a travesty of justice!

a reply to: Aazadan

Oh, I know that... But it sounded cool while I was thinking it up.

Many people would wind up being hurt, too many, to make this a worthwhile endevour.

Some form of civil fine/penalty would hurt them worse than jail, though that's certainly not a horrible idea.

a reply to: DJMSN
If, and they are looking and discussing switching it to adult court, not only will he have to come back to Texas, but he goes into a jail cell, and sit there without bail or bond to get out. That is in the law. Then he goes before a judge to explain his actions. This is where it may go bad for him.

He and his mother did pre-plan this entire thing, so that shows meditation on his and her part. The fact that he drove and then changed his looks and she changed hers, also shows planning. So he could have to not only do the 120 days in jail for his action, but also additional time for the violation of his probation by drinking alcohol, probably driving without a valid DL, leaving the country while on probation without permission, evading the officers, just for a start. And if the Judge is looking to see justice served, and he is found guilty of all of those charges, not only will there be fines, but the jail time extended, and the sentencing run concurrently, not concurrently. And we can only hope that it is concurrently, cause that would mean he spends more time behind bars for his actions and away from the very thing that made him get in trouble in the first place.

a reply to: sdcigarpig

Shouldn’t he get the full 10 years in prison for violating his probation?

I though the idea was you can walk "free" but mess up and you spend the rest of the probation term behind bars?

a reply to: crazyewok
If he was tried as an adult, yet, but he was not tried initially as an adult, he was tried as a juvenile. Thus it would have to be the original sentence that would stand, when he was given probation.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
... Just levy a fine and ...

I could get behind this idea under one set of circumstances. I do mean exclusively one set of circumstances. One where the law works evenly for everyone. An event where there can never be an exception.

Everyone makes a mockery of this being a case of "affluenza" (whatever the Hell that truly means). Everyone.

That makes levying the fine relatively simple. You lose everything ... forever ... that could be the cause of your ... 'whatever'. Everything.

... Momma's money. Daddy's money. 401Ks. Inheritance. Land. Cars. Other property. Etc. Everything.

But, as everyone can clearly see in this case, some folks just can't abide. And then it might be time to do what no one wants to openly say. No one.

Just kill 'em all (and let God sort it out).

Who is more culpable ? The judge , the parents , or the media ? He needed separation from home in a center , be it rehab or another option. The system here in the U.S. has so many loopholes and turns that most courts do not even know the law.
The bottom line here is that we all need to be more careful with our own actions and behavior and we all hate to see money run the justice system although it does in many cases.