In Tarrant county, Texas, the district attorney is trying to put 16-year-old Ethan Couch behind bars. Couch drunkenly drove his truck with a .24 blood alcohol level and hit Brian Jennings, Shelby and Hollie Boyles, and Breanna Mitchell; killing all four, as reported by the Huffington Post. However, the reason why this story is still being talked about is because Couch’s attorney used “affluenza” as his defense, and Couch only received probation and treatment at a $450,000 treatment center after his trial. Couch has been in and out of trouble, but has never been punished by his parents or authorities; and according to Grio, under state juvenile law Couch would be released when he is 19 if he goes to prison now.
The victims killed during Ethan Couch’s drunk driving spree. 12/11/13 Photo By: NBC
District Judge Jean Boyd gave Couch 10 years’ probation last Tuesday after a sentencing hearing in which Couch’s attorneys argued his wealthy parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility — an affliction one witness called “affluenza.” Prosecutors had asked for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Couch’s blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit and there were traces of Valium in his system when he lost control of his pickup, plowing into a group of people helping a woman whose car had stalled.
This case is one that is surprising many, since it’s not often you can murder four people and only receive probation as your consequence. Using affluenza as a defense probably surprised most people, and it was probably even more surprising that it worked. Even if Couch goes back to court and receives the maximum sentence, he will only serve until he’s 19, so only 3 years. Regardless, it appears at the moment Couch got away with murder, and apparently if you have enough money maybe you can get away with it.
The Scoop 