Why Are Sentences So Light for DUIs That Kill Others?

[Anonymous]

If people feel that life sentences are too severe, then what about a life without driving? You get to work and see your family every day, you just can't drive. That seems fair since these people make it so others can't drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think people need to rot in jail for something they didn't do on purpose but I do think you should lose your license forever after the 2nd DUI

...in a way, it was on purpose. You knew you had keys to a car before you drank the alcohol.

Yeah but people drink and drive all the time and the vast majority of the time, no one dies. Not excusing it, it's still horrible, but I do think intent matters. It's not the same as picking up a gun and shooting at someone.

It is like picking up a gun and shooting into a place that you can't be sure if someone is not there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s right and fair. Sentences in the US are far too long. For someone lacking the intent to take a life, we should have short sentences. We should also have more 10-20 year sentences for intentional murders.

In other countries, DUI sentences are more severe. In Japan, you get punished even if you're "just the passenger" in a car with a drunk driver. In Scandinavian countries the acceptable blood level of alcohol is ZERO. As it should be here.

BINGO. Stop drinking alcohol and driving, people. There’s simply no excuse - except the liquor lobby.

[Anonymous]

Non drinker here. Years ago I was at a party where they served a very cold drink with vodka in it. I was not told that there was alcohol in it, and I drank about a third of it. Thank goodness I was not pregnant. Anyway, I had to get to a date soon after I had the vodka. I used the phone to call my date to tell him that I would be very late. Then I sat in my car for an hour waiting to be sober, when I felt better, I drove home and still nearly rammed my car into my garage door. I don't understand how people play with this kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

My husband was killed by a drunk driver on his way home from work. The driver was three times the legal limit, and had no recollection of being in a car crash when he came to in a jail cell the following morning. As he was poor, uninsured, and without a license, he was held in jail till the sentencing where he was given the maximum time - 10 years - for a DUI death in our state. I was there for the sentencing and gave a Victim Impact Statement.

Over the next few years, he had parole hearings, which I showed up for and listened to his tales of remorse, finding Jesus, participating in the prison's AA program and so forth. Each time I appealed to the board and his residency in the prison system continued. I was notified when he was finally released after he fulfilled his term. I had to make peace with it, some things in life can't be undone and you simply have to accept what is. And in reality, another 10 years, or life in prison wouldn't bring my loving husband or the father of our kids back.

Don't drink and drive.

[Anonymous]

Pp. I am so sorry. This thread has motivated me to get involved with MADD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband was killed by a drunk driver on his way home from work. The driver was three times the legal limit, and had no recollection of being in a car crash when he came to in a jail cell the following morning. As he was poor, uninsured, and without a license, he was held in jail till the sentencing where he was given the maximum time - 10 years - for a DUI death in our state. I was there for the sentencing and gave a Victim Impact Statement.

Over the next few years, he had parole hearings, which I showed up for and listened to his tales of remorse, finding Jesus, participating in the prison's AA program and so forth. Each time I appealed to the board and his residency in the prison system continued. I was notified when he was finally released after he fulfilled his term. I had to make peace with it, some things in life can't be undone and you simply have to accept what is. And in reality, another 10 years, or life in prison wouldn't bring my loving husband or the father of our kids back.

Don't drink and drive.

I’m so sorry for your loss. How awful. Drunk driving ruins lives. I hope that man never drinks a drop of alcohol again now that he is free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s right and fair. Sentences in the US are far too long. For someone lacking the intent to take a life, we should have short sentences. We should also have more 10-20 year sentences for intentional murders.

Drinking and driving is intentional murder. Drunk drivers who cause accidents where someone died should also be given the death penalty. Other than self defense all intentional murderers should be given death penalty with no right of appeal and sentence to be carried out within 72 hours of sentencing. Harsh? Yes, even draconian. Murderers deserve no mercy.

Police who murder for fun as in Trey Nichols. George Floyd, Breanna deserve no trial and should face a firing squad immediately.

No, you derp, it's unintentional. Look, if you get drunk, decide you're gonna run over your nemesis in Accounting, drive to her house, find her outside, and run her over, THAT'S intentional murder. But the fact that you were drunk is the least of it.

Also, most educated people don't believe in the death penalty.

DP here. Not gonna argue the death penalty should apply. But it’s the drinking and driving part that is intentional (unless someone is secretly plied with alcohol without knowing it). But if you intend to drink and drive, then you have committed a crime. Many crimes are then punished based on the severity of the outcome. So if you punch someone and they live your sentence is lighter than if you punch someone and they die. Doesn’t matter if the death from the DUI was intended so long as they intended to drink alcohol and drive. Once the crime is done, pay for the consequences.

But that's a very different intent than intent to murder.