Disturbing Hit and Run Trial

[Animal]

So, Lady Z, quit sitting on the fence and give us your opinion.

Did she deserve what she got or should the courts have been more lenient?

[Ladyzekke]

Well I went back and forth actually watching the trial. Of course right off the bat I wanted her to fry, but then I got sucked into the drug thing, and the "she wasn't in her right mind thing", and then that one part of her testimony (on the video) had me thinking maybe she really truly felt remorse for what she had done, and therefore possible for redemption in the future. This is me thinking she would get at least 10 years in prison and community service later, if she got the most lenient sentence.

But then a lot of facts came out on that Testimony, which just made me believe that she truly was just out for herself, and knew what she was doing. She admitted to taking a HALF of an Ecstacy pill, which supposedly according to experts isn't considered a "full dose", as many who take the drug usually consume an entire pill or two. Also, she drank frequently and smoked pot every day all day, she said she went through an ounce in a week or a week and a half!By herself?! Wow! So in my opinion her system had developed a certain "tolerance" to things like alcohol and pot. She also smoked pot and drank for like 13 years or something. It's just hard for me to believe one HALF pill of Extacy could mess her up to where she could not think to call for help. Again, as I said above, she already made decisions that night, including managing to drive home safely, and get into her garage, and get out of the car, and go into the house and not call 911, but call one of her friends. I do think she was in a lucid frame of mind despite the drugs, and even if she was straight I think she would have made the same decision

She also kept saying how bad she was feeling about the accident afterwards, yet she still never called the police, and even went to the same bar that it all began at and partied it up, went through a few boyfriends, even brought one boyfriend to the house to spend the night, even though the electric had been cut off, he also went and looked at the grisly dented car of hers.

She also had all sorts of ways to clean her urine during drug tests at her jobs, sometimes she'd get other people who didn't smoke pot to give her their urine, and sometimes she'd put a drop of bleach into her urine sample. She "took care of" our elderly, our grandmas and grandpas, worked in a Nursing Home, stoned and messed up on who knows what (as I cannot take out the idea that she may have held back more of her drug use in her "confession")

So there is my opinion. She got the correct punishment I think. Again, I was swayed for a bit, it is really an emotional case when you think about it.


So yes I think she should get life, since the victim got total "life"

[Chewbacca]

It is just my opinion as a responsible ex-user of substances that alter consciousness that people shouldn't get any leniency because they were under the influence. The use of substances is an excuse for people who can't or won't take responsibility for themselves and their actions.

This is why drunk/high drivers should be locked away for a long time after the first offense. My 8 year old cousin was killed by a third-time offender driving with-out a license. No tolerance and no leniency.

[Animal]

Well people holding a position of responsibility need to be held to a higher level of accountability, IMHO.

[Azred]

I listened to much of the trial and sentencing live (love the local all-news radio on 1080 AM). Whether she took drugs or not is irrelevant--she hit a man and left him to die in her garage without calling anyone to get help. It may not be premeditated murder, but it is still clearly murder because her actions--or lack thereof--caused his death.

She fully deserved the 50 (or more) years handed down; she is lucky she didn't kill him in the normally violent method (knife, gun, etc) or she might have faced a death penalty. On the other hand, death might be better than 50 years in prison....

Any sensible person wouldn't even treat a hurt dog that poorly.

[antryg]

Living close by, this is a story that was in the news for a long time. One thing that the testimony doesn't bring out is that no mention of any drug or alcohol use was made at the time they caught her. It was only almost a year later that it became a defense and or issue. Even if she was adversly affected by drugs it still doesn't explain why she didn't help the next day when the man was still alive and pleading (according to reports months ago in "The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram and The Dallas Morning News") for help. At that time she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It also doesn't explain the coverup.

I am sick and tired of the "Reefer Madness" defense. "Drugs and alcohol made me do it. I was God-fearing and pure of heart until the evil drugs took control of my life." Fear and a failure to take personal responsibility are the real reasons. Neither of which excuses the actions taken or the criminal lack of caring, compassion, or common sense.

[True_Moose]

I totally agree with you, antryg. I myself have been under the influence of several substances, but you can still tell between right and wrong. My aunt is schizophrenic, and even under her incredibly powerful medications, she has never committed a violent or illegal act. I don't believe that any substance can make you do what you don't want to do. Carelessness and recklessness must be punished, especially when they lead to the death of a perfectly innocent person.

Lastly, I would like to say that, especially if she is a nurse's assistant, she should be able to assess the risks. I would never drive or go into a car with someone who wasn't in complete control, and I strongly discourage people from doing so whenever I can. Quite simply, if she knew she was going to do ecstasy, while I am not condoning it, she should have taken a cab, or gotten a ride. Quite honestly, I am less concerned with the fact that she did the ecstasy, for which it is a personal choice, and covered up her act, than the fact that she knew she was high, and she chose to drive anyway. This was an unacceptable act, and I am glad she got 50 years.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I remember discussing this case on IW extensively when it first occurred. antryg touched on the one aspect of the case I consider the most important...the fact that the homeless man didn't die right away. He didn't even die the next day. IIRC, one report said that it took almost THREE DAYS before the man finally died. During that time, he was laying on the hood of her car, impaled upon the windshield and in terrible pain. The "nurse" supposedly went out to comfort and apologize to him on more than one occasion, but she still NEVER called 911.

I admit it has been several months and my memory may be wrong about these details (or the report I saw could have been incorrect). But the fact that he did lay in her carport suffering - yet still very much alive - far longer than any drug would have stayed in her system makes her actions totally and completely unforgivable. Sixty years is too short. She should have been given Life +10, or whatever it takes to make sure she never gets out.

This is one case where I actually favor Life in Prison over the Death Sentence. I think it is a far better punishment to allow her to live the rest of her natural life locked away forever so that she can think about what she did every single day.

[Cloudbringer]

I saw this on the news...it was enough to get a lively discussion going in my house! I agree, LadyZ, that she had to have been pretty wellin control of her faculties to drive home, conceal the car and the dying man and call her friends! I don't buy the 'drugs made me do it' story as an alibi or extenuating circumstance, so I guess I'd say she should get the full punishment allowable. If she's been drinking and doing drugs for this long (and Animal, I agree, as a NURSE she should know better!) she's got to take the responsibility for what she did.

I was really appalled that anyone could do what she did... the inhumanity is chilling...to just LET someone die after you caused their injuries is heinous!

[Melusine]

I remember this case as well. I'm having a LOT of trouble finding sympathy for people who take drugs and then behave like assholes and think they're not responsible. Sorry... I realise it's a harsh view, I know that if you succumb to peer pressure ONCE in your teens, you can be on the road to trouble already... Take some drugs a few times because you don't want to be ostracised... and you may already be too addicted to fight it off (depending on the kind of drug you take). Even though I find that "peer pressure" reasoning lame and have never succumbed to it myself, I can find some understanding for how people end up like that. And yet, and yet... I simply cannot bring myself to feel a whole lot of understanding for drug addicts, drunken bums... Compassion, yes. But it just angers me that they ruin their own lives, ruin other lives and won't ever be held responsible for anything they did, because it was the drugs that made them do it. I feel guilty for being so rigid in this stance but... the moment some drunken asshole decides to step into his/her car and drive... they lose all my respect. I had read about what happened to Animals wife before, I often think about how completely unworldy it must feel to know something like that happened to someone you love. I myself have been in a car with a, if not drunk, then definitely pretty tipsy person and couldn't do a thing about it. There is no excuse for it in my eyes, other than such people are irresponsible idiots.
The case of the nurse is just despicable in my eyes. What sort of person would do something so utterly cruel, even when under the influence of half a pill?

[ 06-28-2003, 05:59 AM: Message edited by: Melusine ]