You Be the Judge

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/04/07/drunk_driver_leaves_devastated_lives/


Is thirty months in a House of Correction enough of a sentence for a drunk driver who struck a car and then a pedestrian leaving him a quadriplegic to pay?

To the victim’s family thirty months is not enough. Ten beers and a liter of vodka was enough to put a man, facing being booted out of his house, out of his misery.

The man that was hit was hit with such force that made him bite a good portion of his tongue off. How do you place a value on a person’s loss of speech?

I don’t think there’s any amount of punishment that will bring the victim back to what he was, make him whole so to speak. So where do you draw the line? Is three years enough? How about ten?

I don’t have an answer. All I know is that if he has any feelings he will remember the devastation he caused while under the influence.

If I was the judge in this case, I would have added and additional stipulation to the sentencing which would be that once out of jail he would have to take care of the man he hit. Maybe by having the victim around would provide enough of an impetus for the man to stay sober.


Is thirty months in a House of Correction enough of a sentence for a drunk driver who struck a car and then a pedestrian leaving him a quadriplegic to pay?

To the victim’s family thirty months is not enough. Ten beers and a liter of vodka was enough to put a man, facing being booted out of his house, out of his misery.

The man that was hit was hit with such force that made him bite a good portion of his tongue off. How do you place a value on a person’s loss of speech?

I don’t think there’s any amount of punishment that will bring the victim back to what he was, make him whole so to speak. So where do you draw the line? Is three years enough? How about ten?

I don’t have an answer. All I know is that if he has any feelings he will remember the devastation he caused while under the influence.

If I was the judge in this case, I would have added and additional stipulation to the sentencing which would be that once out of jail he would have to take care of the man he hit. Maybe by having the victim around would provide enough of an impetus for the man to stay sober.