Affluenza inDEED
As bad as this situation is, the phenomenon of wealthy people getting away with murder is clearly not a new thing. The case that really stands out in my mind is the one where renowned architect Stanford White was murdered (on the roof of Madison Square Garden, in front of scores of witnesses) by a pampered child of multi-millionaires named Harry K. Thaw.
Thaw never worked a day in his life, and his incredibly wealthy family looked the other way when he displayed what they called, “eccentricities”. Other people called it sadistic behavior, as well as a few other choice terms.
While Thaw was remanded to a mental institution, he managed to get released within just a few years, and, as a result, he really did get away with murder. This incident took place over 100 years ago, thus proving that the “benefits” of Affluenza are not a new phenomenon.
There are very compassionate wealthy everywhere. It just ends when their own freedom is at stake. For most, how “fair” the justice system is, is directly proportional to how wealthy you are. That’s not true in the military. In the military, rank has it’s privileges.
Note in the story that the young man in Texas will be sent to a rehab in Newport Beach, CA per the agreement between the judge and parents.
Translated, that means getting him out of Dodge until the heat from the public and press subsides. The rehab will be one of those come and go as you please, luxury resort types rehabs that politicians and celebrities check themselves into when caught with the goods.
After 90 days or whatever the guy will be proclaimed “cured” and all will be well in that dog and pony show…
“The rehab will be one of those come and go as you please, luxury resort types rehabs that politicians and celebrities check themselves into when caught with the goods.”
Exactly!
Those who believe that he will be in a locked-down environment are…very naïve.
The type of rehab facility that costs $450k–as this one does–will do almost anything to cater to the whims of the pampered people whom they are (supposedly) rehabilitating. These facilities are notorious for giving their patients “passes” for several hours at a time. Trust me…their patients are not spending time at the public library during those unsupervised hours.
For most, how "fair" the justice system is, is directly proportional to how wealthy you are. That's not true in the military. In the military, rank has it's privileges.
What military were you in? There are different kinds of officers. Some come from wealthy families and are just getting their ticket punched for later political office. I had to deal with one of those once, cost me a Captains Mast (NJP). I worked night shift, he gave someone in the shop an unlawful order (that is an order that is against the law if carried out, i.e order someone to go rob a bank), the guy refused and he wrote up the whole shop. I got woken up in the middle of the day and told to get into my dress blues immediately, I was going to mast. No other officer could have pulled this off, but his cousin was the governor of Virginia. The CO didn’t have the balls to stand up to this guy.
Other examples include Bush, Kerry, McCain, Carter, etc.
Then there are the officers that come from a long line of officers. Daddy was an Admiral, granddaddy was an Admiral, great granddaddy was an Admiral etc. All ring knockers (academy grads). They also carry power beyond their rank, but usually not as bad as the future politicos.
Further down the food chain are the first time ring knockers, the OCS/ROTC and finally the mustangs. The mustangs generally have the most respect from the enlisted ranks because they were former enlisted themselves and know how to wrap their fingers around a broom or mop handle.
While it’s not a knock on the guy as I have lot of admiration for what he’s done, a gentleman who used to live here was very wealthy and owned an original 60s era Ford GT40 race car; not a street legal variant.
Right outside town on an arrow straight, 8 mile stretch of deserted highway one night about 10 o’clock this car ended up rolling over a 1000 feet; ripping out barbed wire fences and scrub trees along the way as it was reported in the newspaper.
The posted speed was 65. The OK Highway Patrol did not issue any citations because they “estimated his speed to be about 35 MPH…”.
The driver of that car was, reportedly, someone who had “borrowed” it without permission.
While I did not personally see it, it was rumored on good authority that the owner of the GT blasted his F1 car down a 4-lane business street one afternoon for hoots; posted 35 MPH.
On a positive note, I think that Ford GT still exists and has been restored after changing hands a few times.
Well I can think of a case here very close,were turning a blind eye to a respected high ranking citizen probaly cost him ,his life.They actually did Him a disservice by turning a blind eye to His behaviour,which I’ve been told,finally cost Him,His life.I suppose this will always go on,John Barleycorn is no respector of rank(I believe I finally learned my lesson anyway)-Kevin
Some years ago, after I retired, a young man in Amarillo very obviously deliberately ran down a punker in a parking lot, and came back for a second shot at him. He was acquitted of the murder charge, but convicted on a lesser charge.
He was on probation, which really torqued off a lot of people.
But, wait, there is good news. Apparently assuming he was exempt from penalties, he violated his probation rules. I can’t remember exactly which part, maybe consuming alcohol, can’t remember. And, they slammed him into prison. After all. That was quite a few years ago now, so I don’t know how long he was in prison.