GUILTY TX - Ethan Couch 'Affluenza Teen' DUI driver who killed four gets probation, 2013 #2

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'Affluenza' Teen's Mom's Lawyers Issue Sarcastic Statement to Sheriff

"We would like to thank Sheriff Dee Anderson for taking time out of his busy day serving as this county’s chief law enforcement officer to personally escort a 5’1”, 110 pound handcuffed and leg shackled female who was guarded by at least 2 armed deputies yesterday," the lawyers, Stephanie Patten and Stephen E. Gordon said in the statement.

The statement went on to say "we have never witnessed an elected official take such a personal interest and escort a suspect."

"We have also never seen or heard of a sheriff taking the additional unprecedented step that he took earlier today of interrogating her while in custody at court today (surrounded by four deputies) and while clearly represented by counsel, but without her counsel present!" the lawyers said.
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http://abcnews.go.com/US/affluenza-...sarcastic-statement-sheriff/story?id=36176774
 
MsJosie said:
She was strained polite to the Judge, a few comments I heard were a little, little snippy...that is how I see it, so dont jump on me for how I saw things, JMO. I think she was upset her lawyer was not there, I would be too. She thought she was out of there today and now has to spend the week end in jail. Infact IMO neither of them thought they would be in jail for more then a night.
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bbm

That's just how I saw it, too. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could swear I heard her huffing & puffing as she came in -- like she was highly irked. Not used to being drug around that way, ya know. I had to smile. :D

She didn't have to say much to the Court, but what she said seemed clipped and pizzed. Anyway, back she went to her little bed and mattress, her two (?) towels, her blanket, ruff sheets and prolly 95-degree cell. Pity, that.

Some folks would fight to have it even that good, I'm sure.
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faw720 said:
Oh, I'm not jumping on you!! You were just probably paying more attention than I. I am not a terribly observant person. I can drive down the same road every day & then after months, I happen to notice a new building that has gone up & I have no idea how or when it appeared. Like I say, I'm just not very observant. BTW, I would have been upset too if my lawyer were not there.
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It is not you who jumped on me....was a bit back I asked and commented on something and well it went south. You did nothing....you are just fine. :). Sorry about smilie, having trouble accessing those lately, think its my computer...grrr.

Edit to add...smilie appearred!
 
perfectingpink said:
Has this been posted yet?

'Affluenza' Teen's Mom's Lawyers Issue Sarcastic Statement to Sheriff



http://abcnews.go.com/US/affluenza-...sarcastic-statement-sheriff/story?id=36176774
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IMO, this looks/sounds like the defense is going to play as much as they can in the media to get the results they want. The sheriff may be doing it too, LE may want to take the silent road until the sentencing is over. With that said, mom could have refused to answer any questions until lawyer is present....wonder what really happened. The lawyer should know about CA traffic and made arrangements so she was on time. This may get ugly.
 
jjenny said:
As far as I can tell he didn't successfully complete his probation period. His probation period was supposed to have ended on June 19th. He killed four people in a drunk driving incident on June 15th.
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You are correct. He did not complete his probation. In fact, his own mother admits that he hadn't even started his community service. So, I do not believe for one moment that his previous issues with the law hadn't landed in the hands of the Judge. I also believe she was paid off. Or did a favor.
 
Non-stop, bat guano...

A Tarrant County judge has ordered Tonya Couch to get a mental exam, saying in a court order filed Friday there's "reasonable cause" to believe she has a mental illness or is "a person with a mental retardation."
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The order for Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County (MHMRTC) to examine Couch's mental health came from a magistrate court, not Tarrant County Judge Wayne Salvant, who is the judge in Couch's criminal case.
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http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Ma...64712391.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_DFWBrand
 
He fled after a viral video surfaced Dec. 2 that showed him at a party where alcohol was served. The affidavit says that Tonya Couch was present when a plan was devised “to lie about the video and say that it wasn’t him” because Ethan Couch was apparently “scared that his probation would be violated.”

The next day, Dec. 3, Ethan Couch’s probation officer attempted to reach him to have him take a drug test. The teen did not respond, the affidavit said. That same day Tonya Couch called her husband, Fred Couch, and told him that he would never see them. Authorities later checked Tonya Couch’s bank records and discovered she withdrew $30,000 that day. Authorities also learned that Tonya Couch “was present for a discussion” about an “intent to leave Texas and travel to Mexico.”
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http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/201...aignment-hearing.html/?cid=twitter_dallasnews
 
faw720 said:
What is a Magistrate? I don't know.
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a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones. They have some of the powers that a judge has.
 
pappa rob said:
a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones. They have some of the powers that a judge has.
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Thanks! I assume that this magistrate who ordered the mental evaluation was probably asked to do so by Tonya's attorney??????? Apparently the attorney is grasping for straws to keep Tonya out of jail.
 
pappa rob said:
She's used to preferential treatment, so they just want her to feel at home... She'd better get used to it.
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I actually think what her lawyer said is funny. I mean, really? All this behavior like she's Public Enemy Number 1 and will require real muscle to apprehend her is kind of silly. And embarrassing. We don't need the chief LEO out there for a photo op.

And honestly, is there any of us who thinks she has normal intelligence? She's certainly capable of withstanding trial, but I'd bet her iq is somewhere between 80 and 90. She certainly doesn't have good life skills, and doesn't make decisions well. Before deciding on her IQ level they'll obviously have to take into account her school records, and not a test done now where she would benefit from appearing impaired. But if she has an average intelligence (which for upper middle class is 110, due to greater opportunity for learning) I'll be very, very surprised.
 
faw720 said:
What is a Magistrate? I don't know.
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"Short" answers -- "magistrates" in Texas are, broadly, anyone who fills a statutory judicial function: district court judges, municipal court judges, justices of the peace, county judges who preside over probate proceedings, etc.

Magistrate courts are used to conduct some hearings and other functions upon referrals from a district court judge. Magistrate court judges are appointed for one year terms rather than elected. Magistrate courts are mostly utilized to alleviate time stresses on district court calendars.

Federal courts also utilize magistrate judges in a similar fashion.

One of the judicial functions a magistrate court in Texas does not do is hear cases on the merits at trial. That function for felonies is reserved for district courts only. I think the same is true in the federal courts.

I'm generally a "statute nerd." The numerous statutes covering the functions of magistrate courts give me a headache.

Most likely this particular instance arose from her mental health screening that is part of the jail intake process.

In 2009, the commission [Texas Commission on Jail Standards] began requiring jail staff to notify a magistrate of an inmate who’s received mental health services. Once the magistrate is notified, he or she is supposed to order a local mental health authority to conduct an evaluation, Wood said.
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http://www.dentonrc.com/local-news/local-news-headlines/20150825-cry-for-help.ece

That requirement is not always followed; Sandra Bland's confinement in the Waller County jail being a notable example of noncompliance.

Without knowing for sure, I am guessing that Tarrant County is in compliance and that Tonya Couch has either received mental health services/treatment in her past or has other indices of mental health issues that appeared in her intake.
 
JeannaT said:
I actually think what her lawyer said is funny. I mean, really? All this behavior like she's Public Enemy Number 1 and will require real muscle to apprehend her is kind of silly. And embarrassing. We don't need the chief LEO out there for a photo op.

And honestly, is there any of us who thinks she has normal intelligence? She's certainly capable of withstanding trial, but I'd bet her iq is somewhere between 80 and 90. She certainly doesn't have good life skills, and doesn't make decisions well. Before deciding on her IQ level they'll obviously have to take into account her school records, and not a test done now where she would benefit from appearing impaired. But if she has an average intelligence (which for upper middle class is 110, due to greater opportunity for learning) I'll be very, very surprised.
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If she wants to improve her IQ, maybe she should stop popping pills.
 
jjenny said:
If she wants to improve her IQ, maybe she should stop popping pills.
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I'm not sure she wants to improve her IQ. I'm just surprised that posters on this forum who are watching this story don't agree she probably has a lower functioning IQ than average.
 
faw720 said:
According to this article, Fred Couch filed for divorce sometime after Dec. 3, 2015. I suppose he doesn't want to foot the legal bills again.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/loca...ails-couches-plans-lie-flee-country/78531900/
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Well alrighty, then.

Guessing he won't be ponying up bail money and/or serving as surety on a bond and putting his assets at risk should she go rabbit when/if she bonds out.

Without his assets as a surety, she may well have difficulty bonding out if the judge keeps her bail at a high figure.
 
JeannaT said:
I'm not sure she wants to improve her IQ. I'm just surprised that posters on this forum who are watching this story don't agree she probably has a lower functioning IQ than average.
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And I am suggesting that if she does, it's because of the pills she is reportedly addicted to.

"Hydrocodone can impair thinking and the physical abilities required for driving or operating machinery."

http://www.rxlist.com/vicodin-side-effects-drug-center.htm
 
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