N.J. v. Powell: Man tried for friend's DWI crash

Court TV ^ | Updated Sept. 18, 2002 | Court TV

[southern rock]

N.J. v. Powell: Man tried for friend's DWI crash

(Court TV) — He was nowhere near the scene of a tragic drunken driving accident that left two men dead and one woman seriously injured, but Kenneth Powell faced charges of manslaughter, vehicular homicide and aggravated assault in the deadly crash.

Prosecutors claimed Powell was guilty of those charges because he let his drunk friend, Michael Pangle, drive. Powell had picked up Pangle from police barracks after his friend was arrested on a DWI charge.

But the defense says police were just as much at fault, if not more, than Powell. After all, they handed Pangle's car keys back to Pangle — knowing he was still drunk — before he left the station.

The case was believed to be the first its kind and legal experts speculated it could set a precedent if the jury found the defendant criminally liable.

An edited version of the trial, which originally took place July 17 to August 9, is being aired on Court TV this week.

[southern rock]

This is the same mentality that has had burglars suing property owners for injuries they sustain climbing through windows, and winning!

We are making law in this country simply for the purpose of making grieving victim's relatives feel better. That is truly horrific and shocking.

[par4]

Living in NJ, I have been somewhat following this travesty as it progressed. There has been a lot of talk about the police not being able, under the law in effect at the time, to hold Pangle, and that this has been changed since.

However, the one question that I have had from the beginning is: Since Pangle was only arrested for DWI, Not Convicted (and assumed innocent until proven guilty), then how can another party be responsible at all? Does this open up the possibility that bail bondsmen can be responsible if their clients go out and commit additional similar crimes prior to conviction?

[Wolfie]

Foxtrot Oscar.