A Very Small Measure of Justice for Brian
As some of my readers know, I lost a dear friend last year in a drunk driving accident. My friend Brian was driving up a residential road (speed limit 25) on Christmas night, 2006 when he was struck by a speeding (estimated around 75 MPH based on the damage), drunk (0.12+ BAC), underaged (19), who ran a stop sign. He not only killed Brian, but another person in his own car. This happened within a mile of my house, on a road Amy and I had driven up not 30 minutes before.
After a year, judgement has been passed and we know what Wisconsin thinks two lives are worth: 13 years behind bars and 15 years of extended supervision. That's 6.5 years behind bars and 7.5 years of supervision for each person he killed. I could not be more disgusted at the Wisconsin legal system, the judge, and everyone involved with this farce of a judgement. The murderer was allowed to plea bargain, why, I could not say, but it resulted in leniency from the court. I can tell you this much, Brian's life was worth much more than 6.5 years behind bars. As if the judgement wasn't a slap in the face to Brian's memory, while we were waiting for the legal system, the murderer was let out on bail for several months, free to do as he pleased, and only went back to jail when he failed a drug exam. Great system we have here when someone who obviously killed people by drunk driving is allowed out of jail to do other drugs, crack in this case.
And so goes how Wisconsin treats drunk driving offenses. I read nearly every day how some jerk just had his or her 8th DUI, and somehow they keep on driving. There's a man I know just down the road from where I live, who uses the roads Amy and I drive on everyday, and he's been convicted of 3 drunk driving offenses, but he still is drives. I read nearly every day how someone was killed by a drunk driver, but I rarely if ever hear of the drunk murderer being put away for life. Hardly ever do the drunk driver kill themselves, where is God, or Fate, or Karma, or whatever?!
I grew up believing that the death penalty was wrong. I no longer believe that. I grew up filled with faith, and now I question it daily. I grew up believing that the government and legal system was fair and just. I know better now. I could not be more disgusted at the whole situation. I'm also disgusted at myself because part of me hopes that he messes up while in prison and gets what's coming to him. I never used to have such thoughts.
Brian got a very small measure of justice in my opinion, his life was certainly worth much more than what is being paid.
After a year, judgement has been passed and we know what Wisconsin thinks two lives are worth: 13 years behind bars and 15 years of extended supervision. That's 6.5 years behind bars and 7.5 years of supervision for each person he killed. I could not be more disgusted at the Wisconsin legal system, the judge, and everyone involved with this farce of a judgement. The murderer was allowed to plea bargain, why, I could not say, but it resulted in leniency from the court. I can tell you this much, Brian's life was worth much more than 6.5 years behind bars. As if the judgement wasn't a slap in the face to Brian's memory, while we were waiting for the legal system, the murderer was let out on bail for several months, free to do as he pleased, and only went back to jail when he failed a drug exam. Great system we have here when someone who obviously killed people by drunk driving is allowed out of jail to do other drugs, crack in this case.
And so goes how Wisconsin treats drunk driving offenses. I read nearly every day how some jerk just had his or her 8th DUI, and somehow they keep on driving. There's a man I know just down the road from where I live, who uses the roads Amy and I drive on everyday, and he's been convicted of 3 drunk driving offenses, but he still is drives. I read nearly every day how someone was killed by a drunk driver, but I rarely if ever hear of the drunk murderer being put away for life. Hardly ever do the drunk driver kill themselves, where is God, or Fate, or Karma, or whatever?!
I grew up believing that the death penalty was wrong. I no longer believe that. I grew up filled with faith, and now I question it daily. I grew up believing that the government and legal system was fair and just. I know better now. I could not be more disgusted at the whole situation. I'm also disgusted at myself because part of me hopes that he messes up while in prison and gets what's coming to him. I never used to have such thoughts.
Brian got a very small measure of justice in my opinion, his life was certainly worth much more than what is being paid.
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I'm very sorry to hear about your friend.
It blows huge chunks when the word Justice these days really means Justice for the criminals. It's a situation that I fear will never get any better.
Here via Blogexplosion.