Drinking and Driving.

[Moonlight J]

Matt Bush got 3 yrs & time served after his DUI hit and run when he ran over a guy's head. Thankfully, the helmet protected the guy from being killed

[Frank]

Are we telling people on here to **** off now? 'cause I've got a list...

That's pretty funny....among my favorite posts.....probably need to hold a lottery to see who is permitted to use heyye's post in their sig.

I concur with BK's position .
Careing people who ( MADD etc)who volunteer time & passion to raise the consciousness of driving while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and distractions are gold to me ...one of my daughters was president of her high school SAD ( Students Against Drunk Driving) group; She became involved after one of her classmates was run over by a drunk driver while jogging.

I am truly sorry for yours and all who have lost loved ones because of the selfish acts of under the influence drivers.

By the way Gris, I respect your confession as a self professed functional drunk driver - however you have also professed your rebirth as a practicing Christian father and husband...seems a little hypercritical to me....just my observation.

[Hornsby]

The death penalty is not something I'll ever support for any reason.


I guess I'd need to know more about legal precedence (maybe our cadre of lawyers can help me). Is DWI often considered manslaughter when someone is killed? Is texting while driving often considered manslaughter when someone is killed? I seem to recall that a kid was prosecuted in this manner recently, but I could be wrong.

I support a legal system that delivers fair and equitable punishment across the board without over reliance on emotional issues, emotional claims, or hysteria.

After a cursory search for sentences given in "intoxication manslaughter" cases, it appears that everything from probation to 12 years in prison were given out. With that in mind, no I would not support a life sentence.

Murder, in my mind (and again the legal eagles can check my work), needs to have premeditated intent.

Murder
murder [mər-dər] n

[partly from Old English morthor; partly from Old French murdre, of Germanic origin]
: the crime of unlawfully and unjustifiably killing another under circumstances defined by statute (as with premeditation)
;esp
: such a crime committed purposely, knowingly, and recklessly with extreme indifference to human life or during the course of a serious felony (as robbery or rape) compare cold blood, cooling time, homicide, manslaughter NOTE: Self-defense, necessity, and lack of capacity for criminal responsibility (as because of insanity) are defenses to a charge of murder. Most state statutes and the U.S. Code divide murder into two degrees. Florida, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania currently have three degrees of murder. Some states do not assign degrees of murder.

de·praved-heart murder
[di-prāvd-hÄ rt-]
: a murder that is the result of an act which is dangerous to others and shows that the perpetrator has a depraved mind and no regard for human life NOTE: Depraved-heart murder is usually considered second- or third-degree murder.

felony murder
: a murder that occurs in the commission of a serious felony (as burglary or sexual battery) compare misdemeanor-manslaughter at manslaughter NOTE: Felony murder is usually considered first-degree murder. Felony murder does not require specific intent to kill, and an accessory to the felony may also be charged with the murder.

first-degree murder
: a murder that is committed with premeditation or during the course of a serious felony (as kidnapping) or that otherwise (as because of extreme cruelty) requires the most serious punishment under the law

second-degree murder
: a murder that is committed without premeditation but with some intent (as general or transferred intent) or other circumstances not covered by the first-degree murder statute

third-degree murder
: a murder that is not first- or second-degree murder: as
a : a murder committed in the perpetration of a felony not listed in the first-degree murder statute
b : depraved-heart murder in this entry
vt : to kill (a human being) unlawfully and under circumstances constituting murder
vi
: to commit murder

http://dictionary.findlaw.com/definition/murder.html

[bryanbutler]

BTW - in the albuquerque journal today there was a full one page (both sides) insert with all the DUIs in the recent past posted. two things stand out from glancing at this: 1 - people drive *really* drunk (the highest BAC i saw was 0.29 i think - yeesh!); 2 - there is a real problem with repeat offenders. here in NM at least (i don't know how it is elsewhere), we have a clear problem with folks that have many DUIs. some have more than 10. that is something that to me is atrocious. despite my cautionary notes in my previous post, i firmly believe that penalties should be stiff, and should get exponentially stiffer as more DUIs pile up. getting your 10th DUI should mean a serious stretch in jail.

[Fresno Bob]

How do you get 10 DUIs and be allowed to keep driving, in california, id lose my license for 3 significant speeding tickets

[ironfist]

How do you get 10 DUIs and be allowed to keep driving, in california, id lose my license for 3 significant speeding tickets

Just cause youre not allowed to drive doesn't mean people don't still do it. You're not allowed to drive drunk either. I've known of people with suspended licenses still driving.

[Gregg]

How do you get 10 DUIs and be allowed to keep driving, in california, id lose my license for 3 significant speeding tickets

As has been mentioned, they drive while suspended.

Multiple DUI's is driving with intent. Intent for what? I want to drink, in order do it I need to drive. I am going to drink too much and then I am going to drive home. I can handle it. I never mean to get a DUI. It is just bad luck. See no intent. Oh and I have no drinking problem and even if I did it is my right to drink as much as I want to. Stop being a buzz kill. Pay for a cab? No, it costs too much. If I do that I do not have enough money to buy the drinks I want for tonight and the rest of the week. I will go out and be good, I will not drink more than I can handle. I will make the decision after a few drinks determined on how I feel. I am sure my judgement will not be impaired during the process. Bar keep, give me one for the road. It is late and I have to get home.

[nots]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21609016/blindsided-how-one-college-coach-took-on-tragedy

[Mithrandir]

A four year sentence for the prick that killed that baby. WTF is wrong with our legal system? How is this permitted?

[Gregg]

Just cause youre not allowed to drive doesn't mean people don't still do it. You're not allowed to drive drunk either. I've known of people with suspended licenses still driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reports that one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence are repeat offenders. In 2008, the organization reported that there were 2 million three-time offenders on the road and 400,000 people who had been convicted five times of drunk driving. MADD also reports that 75 percent of offenders continue to drive -- even with a suspended license

[Mithrandir]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ook-on-tragedy

I just sent an email to my State Representative that contained this article. I asked him and his fellow legislators to take a look at PA's drunk driving penalties and strengthen them.

[Fresno Bob]

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reports that one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence are repeat offenders. In 2008, the organization reported that there were 2 million three-time offenders on the road and 400,000 people who had been convicted five times of drunk driving. MADD also reports that 75 percent of offenders continue to drive -- even with a suspended license

I think that you should get your car seized if you drive with a suspended licence

[nots]

I just sent an email to my State Representative that contained this article. I asked him and his fellow legislators to take a look at PA's drunk driving penalties and strengthen them.

Kudos to you. Someone with multiple drunk driving arrests that kills another while driving 4x above the legal limit deserves more jail time than the 30 months or so this guy is going to serve.

[Gregg]

I think that MADD should have all of its federal funding immediately and permanently revoked.

I'm feeling feisty today --- bring on the ad hominem attacks!

I am confused as how you can read those statistics and what you come away with is that you are mad at MADD.How can you not be angry about the multiple offenders?

The only thing I can come up with is that you are a lot like I was and really really want to drink and drive.

I do not mean this to offend. It just reminds me a lot of me when I drank and drove 6 days a week.

[heyelander]

I think he thinks the focus/penalties on drinking and driving is inequitable in relation to other hazardous driving practices...

I think he also just feels like being particularly argumentative today.