Posted on 08/13/2005 2:33:39 PM PDT by Uncle Joe Cannon
Man convicted in teen's death arrested for drunken driving again
IOWA CITY, Iowa A man who spent more than two years in prison for drunken driving after killing a teenage boy on a bicycle has been arrested again after a minor accident. Police say Lawrence Henning, of North Liberty, was given a field breath test after the accident on Thursday in North Liberty. Officers say Henning smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and had difficulty balancing.
The blood-alcohol test at the scene showed a zero-point-one-six percent reading, twice Iowa's legal limit of zero-point-oh-eight.
Henning, who is now 48, was convicted in the 1993 death of 13-year-old Christopher Harding, whom he struck while Harding rode his bike late at night on an unlit Iowa City highway.
Henning was sentenced to twelve years in prison, but was awarded a new trial by the Iowa Supreme Court.
The court said media publicity revealed that Henning had three prior O-W-I convictions, which likely prejudiced the jury.
Instead of facing another trial, Henning pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He was given credit for time served.
He should not only do jail time, but the state of Iowa should revoke his driver's liscence permanently.
The story never said he HAD a license.
The state should revoke the Judgeship of the guy that let him out of his first conviction.
With his record, permanent loss of privilege to operate a vehicle and 10 years hard time. 5 OWI offenses is at least three too many.
If he hurts another person while driving drunk, execute him.
What a wasted life. Disgusting.
Working as a group we're coming up with effective policy. .
The guy is like a sexual deviant-- neither rehabilitation nor monitoring is practical. The only other bug to be worked out is the fact that an execution is more expensive than life without parole what with all the mandatory appeals and everything. Then again, the expense might be worth it for the sake of justice.
What I always fail to understand is why prior conviction aren't allowed to be revealed in a trial. A drunk runs over a kid on a bike, those prior DUIs should be revealed. It shows a pattern. Our legal system is really screwed up in some ways.
I would execute him now. For the protection of society.
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