Drink-driver jailed for LIFE in the U.S. after clocking up his ninth offence

[Disclaimer]

It's not misspelled... it's an article from the UK (so, maybe it is misspelled?)

I even started the thread in the Political sections because I know that's where it's going to end up. You're welcome

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1303298/Repeat-offender-person-life-drink-driving-ninth-conviction.html

Thoughts?

[SAMBUSA]

Fear, moar of it:dunno:

[chevysoldier]

It took nine offenses to finally get this punishment?

[cg2112]

Normally, I'd be pretty appalled, but "life" doesn't really mean "life." He'll be eligible for parole in 5 years, and probably won't spend more than 10 years in jail. A long time for DUI, but 9 times is ridiculous.

http://apexnewsnetwork.com/26047/texas-man-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-ninth-dui/

[Casper]

Nine DUIs? Holy crap. Wonder if he was partying with Coleman's wife.

[Steve Butters]

i woulda thought by the 9th time, he would already be spending that much time in jail...hell you can get 6months for the first offense, i would think by 5 or 6 youre looking at years upon years

serves him right....9 fucking times?? what a fucking loser

[dorifto240]

This is going to get interesting. People complain that not enough is done to prevent crimes from happening, locking this guy away is prevention.

But some are going to say that this punishment doesn't fit the crime...

Personally, they should have figured out he was a repeat offender after his fourth, fifth or sixth offense; and done something then. This guy sounds like he isn't going to change.

[Disclaimer]

An implantable chip powered by body heat/vibration after your 2nd DUI that broadcasts your location and what your offense was. This information would be picked up by a TomTom/Garmin type device (to be built into vehicles / watches / cell phones in the future) that would alert you to GTFO off the road.

Chips would be updated with other/more offenses as necessary.

[SpeedTriple44444]

serves him right....9 fucking times?? what a fucking loser

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

[vw151]

9 times, he needs to go to jail just to sober up. Life might be a little much but you can't say he didn't ask for it.

[Cheech]

An implantable chip powered by body heat/vibration after your 2nd DUI that broadcasts your location and what your offense was. This information would be picked up by a TomTom/Garmin type device (to be built into vehicles / watches / cell phones in the future) that would alert you to GTFO off the road.

Chips would be updated with other/more offenses as necessary.

until you collect enough chips and start to seek out Sarah Connor.

I don't buy the "the guy has a disease" defense. I'm not going to argue the possibility that he's an alcoholic, but he almost certainly just doesn't give a shit. He had ample opportunity to go to rehab, counseling, and so on.

[cg2112]

until you collect enough chips and start to seek out Sarah Connor.

I don't buy the "the guy has a disease" defense. I'm not going to argue the possibility that he's an alcoholic, but he almost certainly just doesn't give a shit. He had ample opportunity to go to rehab, counseling, and so on.

I half agree.

First, alcoholism isn't an excuse for breaking the law. No disease is, and alcoholism shouldn't be treated differently than any other disease.

That said, the dude is almost certainly an alcoholic. People don't put themselves in that position over and over again who aren't. I know I've been there, a DUI in 1998. For people who don't have to drink, the threat of getting arrested (and most certainly, having it happen to them once) is enough. However, for someone who does have to drink, the consequences are less important than getting high.

What the guy needs is to detox, is my guess. 5 to 10 years in prison, which is what he'll likely end up serving, even if the sentence is appealed successfully, will hopefully be enough to do that.

[Steve Butters]

However, for someone who does have to drink, the consequences are less important than getting high.

if you wanna drink, be my guest

but i think its BS when people say they "have" to drink

gtfo dude, nobody "has" to drink....its real fuckin simple, put down the beer, and dont do it ....nobody is holding a gun to his head and forcing him to drink AND especially not to drive

drinking is a choice, it is not forced.....and to say it shouldnt be treated diff than other "diseases" is BS too... people who alzheimers (insert other disease) dont choose to get that shit, this dude CHOSE to drink...fuck him and his "disease", he deserves what he got since he cant keep his drunk ass from running into other people on the road (if you notice in the article, he did infact hit another and his passenger was injured)

Edited August 16, 2010 by Steve Butters

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

No one has to drink. Alcohol isn't a medication, or a treatment of some sort. Make a change in your life style. Also alcoholism isn't fucking disease it's an addiction.

[Steve Butters]

alcoholism isn't fucking disease it's an addiction.

agreed.

[SAMBUSA]

It's fear

[cg2112]

No one has to drink. Alcohol isn't a medication, or a treatment of some sort. Make a change in your life style. Also alcoholism isn't fucking disease it's an addiction.

It's really not as simple as "put down the beer." It's hard for people who aren't alcoholics to understand.

Saying "alcohol isn't fucking disease it's an addiction" doesn't make all that much sense, as addiction is a disease. You may be of the opinion that addiction isn't a disease, but you're going to do no good trying to arguing that point to me - you're going to have to take it up with modern medicine.

People who think that addicts can just put it down remind me of Michael Savage, that right wing talk show host who told his audience that autism was a fraud, that it was just a case of kids who haven't been told to knock the act off, that autistic kids just don't have someone around to tell them to stop being idiots, don't be a putz.

Like autism, a lot of people don't understand alcoholism, and think that it's just a sign of weak character, but it really isn't. It's a real disease, like diabetes or cancer, and it kills people, just as it killed my father-in-law.

And again, that doesn't excuse this guys behavior. He put himself in the position before he was drunk, knowing that he'd end up drunk. He deserves to go to jail, and should be held responsible for his actions.

[Steve Butters]

dude...youre really comparing some dude drinking his ass into addiction to CANCER??

youre such an idiot. please just stop posting in this thread.

[cg2112]

dude...youre really comparing some dude drinking his ass into addiction to CANCER??

youre such an idiot. please just stop posting in this thread.

Yes, I am comparing some dude drinking his ass into addiction to some dude smoking his ass into cancer (though, some are genetically predisposed to addiction, something a lot of people who know little about alcoholism don't really know).

Thank you, by the way, for your effort to engage in civil discussion. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

[Steve Butters]

Yea...cigarettes cause all forms of cancer!

Predisposed my ass... I have a long line of alcoholics in my family, including my father, and I don't even drink - let alone get smashed every night and pilot my car through the streets smashing into shit.

It's hard to have a civil discussion with somebody saying stuff as stupid as what you're saying right now.

All the children that die from cancer every year, should have just not smoked huh?

[cg2112]

Yea...cigarettes cause all forms of cancer!

Predisposed my ass... I have a long line of alcoholics in my family, including my father, and I don't even drink - let alone get smashed every night and pilot my car through the streets smashing into shit.

Well, since you don't drink, modern science must be completely wrong.

I, also, have a long line of alcoholics and addicts in my family. Both my parents and my grandparents. I do drink, and don't really have much of an issue with it (today - I was used to be a pretty irresponsible drinker, but that was an issue with responsibility, not alcoholism).

But then, on my ex-wife's side, her dad died of alcoholism, despite fighting it with everything he had until his body shut down. She's 11 years sober, thankfully, but she knows that if she picks up a drink, she won't stop.

That's not to say that alcoholics aren't responsible for their actions, they are. Especially guys like this, who have been arrested many times, and can easily make the clear headed decision not to put himself in the position where he would end up driving. Please don't think I'm trying to make anyone feel sorry for this guy.

[Steve Butters]

He didn't fight it with everything he had or he would have just not drank. Like I said, nobody is holding a gun to their head.

Especially in modern society when he could have checked into an in-patient rehab center if he had that big of a problem.

It's all about willpower, blaming a disease is a cop out.

You cant just put a disease on hold like you can alcoholism. People cant stop drinking something and be cured from cancer magically.

Put down the beer if you have an alcohol problem, it's that easy.

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

It's all about willpower, blaming a disease is a cop out.

Facebook "like" button would be pressed if I could, but I cant so Ill give you REP... Oh wait I cant do that either.....

[cg2112]

He didn't fight it with everything he had or he would have just not drank. Like I said, nobody is holding a gun to their head.

Especially in modern society when he could have checked into an in-patient rehab center if he had that big of a problem.

Actually, my father-in-law was in AA, in and out of rehab many times, and tried as hard as he could to give it up. He was a man of great character, who cared about his family, loved his children, and was a great friend to all who knew him. You don't know what you're talking about.

It's all about willpower, blaming a disease is a cop out.

You cant just put a disease on hold like you can alcoholism. People cant stop drinking something and be cured from cancer magically.

Put down the beer if you have an alcohol problem, it's that easy.

It's not that easy. It's not about will power at all. Will power has absolutely nothing to do with it, and everything you say is at odds with actual medicine. One of the characteristics of alcoholism, in fact, is the inability to consistently abstain. You don't have to agree - that's fine, it's okay to have your own opinions, but just keep in mind that when science and opinion are at odds, science is usually right.

You can't put alcoholism on hold. Once you're an alcoholic, you're an alcoholic. You can be sober, but at that point, you're a sober alcoholic.

The attitude that "it's will power" kills people. Teach alcoholics that if they just have the will power, that if they just try hard enough, and you're just going to end up with an alcoholic who stops drinking for a short time. And given the progressive nature of addiction, without treatment, the drinking is going to end up getting worse.

[Cheech]

It's fear

we need moar of it.