Is the Affluenza defense valid?

I'm sure most have heard of the "Affluenza" teen. He was 16 years old and got drunk and accidentally killed 4 people. Using the "affluenza" defense his only punishment was 10 years probation. If you don't know what it is, affluenza is essentially when a person doesn't really know right from wrong because of "financial privilege".

Side note he is now serving a 700+ day jail sentence because he was stupid enough to violate his probation and then *flee* to Mexico, surely because he just didn't even know he was doing anything wrong. But that isn't the point here..nor I suppose is the complete and utter failure of our justice system the main point.

The point is does anyone think this is a legitimate defense? I should also point out that "affluenza" isn't recognized as a diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association.

That's silly

Here is the kicker: his lawyers have also asked for a lesser jail sentence. The judge said no but then added "nothing is set in stone, I might reconsider" and the case reconvenes in 2 weeks.

It's that Wealth Privilege that is so prevalent in this country. I also can't even figure out how a wealthy person could suffer from this unless their parents kept them locked up in their house at all times and home schooled them and never let them leave or be exposed to the outside world.

You want to know the other depressing part? He's wealthy and yet the taxpayers had to pay for most of his rehab costs lol.

Of course it isn't.

Yes, because what rich people really need is a free ticket to murder people on top of every ****ing thing else.

The other funny part is if affluenza was actually a thing then allowing him to get away with these crimes would just feed his affluenza and make it worse.

Don't know if actual ability to tell right from wrong is affected, but wealth and privilege can definitely make it harder to understand the suffering of others, definitely makes it harder to put oneself in another's shoes, and apparently decreases compassionate action. They've supposedly got this verified via electric feedback in lab tests:

http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2015/01/06/brain-scans-show-rich-people-display-less-empathy/

Originally posted by Surtur
I'm sure most have heard of the "Affluenza" teen. He was 16 years old and got drunk and accidentally killed 4 people. Using the "affluenza" defense his only punishment was 10 years probation. If you don't know what it is, affluenza is essentially when a person doesn't really know right from wrong because of "financial privilege".

Side note he is now serving a 700+ day jail sentence because he was stupid enough to violate his probation and then *flee* to Mexico, surely because he just didn't even know he was doing anything wrong. But that isn't the point here..nor I suppose is the complete and utter failure of our justice system the main point.

The point is does anyone think this is a legitimate defense? I should also point out that "affluenza" isn't recognized as a diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association.

You're fully capable of knowing that getting piss drunk is stupid, then getting behind the wheel even more stupid. It's not like this hasn't been shoved into our culture for decades.

"What is the likelihood if this was an African-American, inner-city kid that grew up in a violent neighborhood to a single mother who is addicted to crack and he was caught two or three times ... what is the likelihood that the judge would excuse his behavior and let him off because of how he was raised?"[28]

This dipshit kid's stupidity isn't an excuse, he should be locked up and the key thrown away.

Couldn't believe this was an actual legal defense. The judge should have thrown it out immediately.

Well you can't be shocked. This is the same state that knew this punk violated his probation and fled to Mexico and the new judge STILL said he might lessen his sentence.

So apparently shit in Texas is changing, because this definitely isn't just a single judge doing stupid shit.

If you get 10 years probation and violate your parole you should serve the rest of your probation in jail.

Hell no. Just because some rich kid can afford high priced lawyers doesn't mean he should get a light sentence or use some absurd excuse for killing in a DUI accident. *******.

#Never Trump

I'm sure the kid has an education and has atleast a basic understanding of right and wrong, as pertains to criminal law. He knew what he did was wrong, at the very least aggravated manslaughter. He knew enough to skip the country.

Affluent must equal mental retardation if you can claim it as a defense. You have to really be mentally retarded to not know right from wrong in this case.

Night of the crash, he was driving drunk on a restricted license due to previous shenanigans involving drinking and driving. He also had only a few hours before the crash stolen a couple cases off beer from a Walmart.

This guy will kill again; it's going to be the fault of the original judge who let him off with less than a slap on the wrist (considering the crimes) and this second judge who gave him two years jail in breaking probation for killing four people, turning one guy into little more than a vegetable and injuring several others.

I also think he will do it again sooner or later. He clearly hasn't learned anything.

Remember, he is getting 2 years. His mother might get 2-10 years for helping him flee. So the mother might serve more time for helping him flee then he does for killing people. Let that sink in for a second.

This entire case is ****ed from start to current, as I'm reading it, he didn't really get time for breaking the stipulations of his juvenile probation and then fleeing the country. He was held in jail since January after returning from Mexico though.

He got a mandatory 180days(the max in TX) in jail for a juvenile probationer transitioning into adulthood for his previous juvenile felonies/crimes(he might have avoided this entirely if he didn't break the law again). The judge happened to make it 180days times four, one jail sentence for each of the deaths.

His lawyer is crying foul and saying all four deaths should count as one and Couch should only get 180days in total. The Judge is set to reassess the case in a few weeks.

He seems to have slipped by completely free for turning one guy into a vegetable, the other multiple injuries and robbery.

Yep and why do I get the weird feeling the judge will side in this kids favor?

It could go either way, Judge could add more time for his adult crimes of breaking probabtion and fleeing, but yeah, wouldn't be surprised at all if his current 720days is reduced to 180 mimus time served and he gets probation again.

In short, he gets more probation for breaking probation. I'm sure that will teach him.

Yep, and if affluenza is even real we just keep feeding it. That is what makes even less sense. It is truly like sentencing an alcoholic to work in a brewery or something. You just keep feeding the addiction.