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

[jjenny]

Typical battered woman, afraid to file charges. Shouldn't be dependent on the victim to file charges in these cases! Sounds like they need a family suite behind bars:jail: (this kind, not alcoholic ones) for the whole Couch family!!!

How exactly could someone be prosecuted without the testimony of the only witness (who is also the victim)? If he isn't confessing, and she isn't talking-there is no case.

 

[LinasK]

How exactly could someone be prosecuted without the testimony of the only witness (who is also the victim)? If he isn't confessing, and she isn't talking-there is no case.

Were there bruises/scratches/bite marks on her??? Was the place ransacked? Who says eye-witness testimony is the only kind of proof?

 

[LinasK]

There may be a more dysfunctional family somewhere in the world but I surely don't know where that might be!

The Kardashian's?? OctoMom, Kate Gosselin, and Honey Boo-Boo's family are all good contenders.

 

[jjenny]

Were there bruises/scratches/bite marks on her??? Was the place ransacked? Who says eye-witness testimony is the only kind of proof?

She refused to let them take photos of her neck. So there is no evidence of any bruises or scratches on her that they could have possibly presented in court.

 

[faw720]

The Kardashian's?? OctoMom, Kate Gosselin, and Honey Boo-Boo's family are all good contenders.

Oh yes, how could I forget all of them??????

 

[jjenny]

Oh yes, how could I forget all of them??????

Well, as far as we know, they or their offspring haven't killed anyone, so they are not in the same league.

 

[faw720]

Well, as far as we know, they or their offspring haven't killed anyone, so they are not in the same league.

True!

 

[LinasK]

She refused to let them take photos of her neck. So there is no evidence of any bruises or scratches on her that they could have possibly presented in court.

What if the cops testified to having seen them??? I know in some places they do prosecute without the victim's cooperation.

 

[LinasK]

Well, as far as we know, they or their offspring haven't killed anyone, so they are not in the same league.

Okay, well in that case I vote for OJ Simpson's family, the Anthony's, and the Arias's.

 

[faw720]

What if the cops testified to having seen them??? I know in some places they do prosecute without the victim's cooperation.

With all respect..................you forget that the Couch family are Teflon. They don't even get prosecuted for things that we absolutely know they have done.:maddening:

 

[jjenny]

What if the cops testified to having seen them??? I know in some places they do prosecute without the victim's cooperation.

He has a constitutional right to confront his accuser. And his accuser refused to cooperate.

 

[ohreally]

Some states will prosecute even if the abused does want to press charges. The state becomes the accuser and abused person becomes the reporter of the incident. It can go to trial even without the abused cooperation.
In this case where the police didn't have any evidence other than her words and unwillingness to cooperate they had no choose but to let it go.

 

[Sky9333]

Who knew from get go he can't behave? Judge? She shouldn't have sentenced him to probation then. Prosecution was asking for a serious prison sentence. And he can't be send to the big boy jail for remaining years. Because he was sentenced in juvenile court, he can only be held until he is 19, which is 120 days. But he isn't in TX so he can't be held at all.

I haven't read the other thread but I have to say when I heard the defense for affluzena, I seriously thought it was a medical condition.

 

[Sky9333]

Permissive/free-range parenting. It's actually a style. My BIL and SIL practiced it and their kids had problems. I think it borders on neglect.

I think there has to be a medium ground. So many parents are affraid to let kids 7-10 outside alone. I think its important in development. There used to be kids playing outside and now they are stuck on games.

Did I miss something about Ethan being a free range kid?

 

[jjenny]

I think there has to be a medium ground. So many parents are affraid to let kids 7-10 outside alone. I think its important in development. There used to be kids playing outside and now they are stuck on games.

Did I miss something about Ethan being a free range kid?

From the description of his upbringing, he had no boundaries set for him and was allowed to do whatever he wanted. I guess that qualifies as free range.

 

[LinasK]

With all respect..................you forget that the Couch family are Teflon. They don't even get prosecuted for things that we absolutely know they have done.:maddening:

Silly me, you are absolutely right!!!Bet that Juvie judge was paid off!! That's why Ethan said his name would get him out of it...:banghead::banghead::banghead::behindbar:behindbar:behindbar

 

[LinasK]

He has a constitutional right to confront his accuser. And his accuser refused to cooperate.

Just curious, what if the state was the accuser? Not all crimes are against people.

 

[LinasK]

Some states will prosecute even if the abused does want to press charges. The state becomes the accuser and abused person becomes the reporter of the incident. It can go to trial even without the abused cooperation.
In this case where the police didn't have any evidence other than her words and unwillingness to cooperate they had no choose but to let it go.

BBM.
Thanks for answering my question. I know this is done in some places. I think it should be the norm for all domestic violence charges, since the woman frequently is too scared/in denial to testify against them for fear of future reprisal.

 

[LinasK]

I haven't read the other thread but I have to say when I heard the defense for affluzena, I seriously thought it was a medical condition.

That's because linguistically it sounds like influenza (the flu). The lawyer coined that term for that very reason, to sound like a real disease. Every played the game Balderdash? That's what it is about- taking a fake word and making it sound real.

 

[LinasK]

I think there has to be a medium ground. So many parents are affraid to let kids 7-10 outside alone. I think its important in development. There used to be kids playing outside and now they are stuck on games.

Did I miss something about Ethan being a free range kid?

My medium ground was to let my child play in my fenced-in back yard by her self, or at a friend's house- not to walk home alone and be prey.