Posted on 11/14/2002 10:46:13 AM PST by zingzang
By MARLENE NAANES mnaanes@theadvocate.com Advocate staff writer
Gary Bennett tearfully begged for forgiveness Wednesday before a judge sentenced him to the maximum sentence for a drunken-driving wreck that killed a 42-year-old man.
Bennett, 45, claimed he has changed since he was arrested last year in the death of Gary Christian. State District Judge Todd Hernandez told Bennett, who was arrested 37 times in 27 years, that he had enough chances and sentenced him to 20 years in prison for vehicular homicide.
"The criminal justice system has shown more than its share of patience and understanding," Hernandez told Bennett. "You've been in treatment before. For some reason you chose to take a different path."
Hernandez said he sentenced Bennett to the maximum because he had a long list of previous arrests and convictions and because of the seriousness of Bennett's actions in the crash.
Bennett's car crossed a double yellow line on Hooper Road in October 2001 and hit Christian, who was driving a motorcycle, head on. Christian, 1348 Sherwood Forest Blvd., died instantly.
Bennett was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, according to court records. He fled the scene, leaving Christian for dead. Bennett also left his girlfriend, who had a broken leg. Police caught him a few days later, buying drugs, court records say.
Hernandez let Bennett and a member of the victim's family speak in court before the sentencing.
Bennett said he was "enslaved in a life of sin of alcoholism and drug addiction."
"I'm very hurt, and I'm very sorry for what I did," Bennett said as the victim's family sobbed. "I never wanted to hurt anybody. I feel like I'm forever indebted to the family."
Bennett told the court he was not the same man he was last year when police arrested him.
"I can't say enough about how sorry I am," he said.
Christian's brother, Kevin Christian, told the court that Bennett took a "good man" from the family and that Bennett should have shown remorse before his sentencing. Christian had children, a fiancee, a grandchild and a grandchild yet to be born when he was killed.
"When you have time staring you in the face, we're all going to change when that happens," Christian said. "What about the day it happens?"
Hernandez echoed the brother's sentiments, saying that Bennett did not have the sense to check to see if Christian was still alive.
Hernandez also said Bennett was blaming what happened on alcoholism and not himself.
"You have life," Hernandez said. "One (man) has no life and others have a void in their life."
Hernandez said Bennett will not be eligible for parole for 10 years.
"By the time you are 55 years old, you will truly, truly realize the damage of your actions," Hernandez said.
Hardly. The killer has shown without question that he is incorrigible. He should be imprisoned for as long as the law allows, if for no other reason than to protect society from his lawlessness.
Even so, I think the penalty is far too easy.
Some Freepers have a tendency to display the same extremist, politically-correct opinions as screw-ball Liberals.
You should have seen the morons in here that tried to justify keeping Elian Gonzalez from his FATHER, in favor of his mother's relatives in Miami....quick to make him a political football, while essentially defacating on the role, importance and RIGHTS of a surviving parent.
They wrapped themselves in the American Flag, and essentially pissed on the FATHER'S parental rights, with the only reason that the kid happened to be born and raised in Castro's Cuba.
Shame on the courts for letting this guy create a resume of 36 arrests for the same offense.
Jesus....count to 36. What a sham! Who could blame the guy for NOT taking any of the previous 2 dozen times seriously.
I've been here since August, 1998. I've seen too many kooks in here that give Conservatives bad names. Anybody that takes the opinion that 20 years in jail for vehicular homicide on the 36th arrest is not thinking straight, IMO. The ones that should be jailed for 20 years are the judges and attorneys that let it get to that point.
I know for a fact he got out after serving only 7 years. The man he killed was my future stepdad
Interesting follow up.
Since posting that comment my wife’s cousin was killed by a drunk driver. Drunk spent all Saturday night drinking and on a Sunday at dawn he crossed the centerline going well over the speedlimit on a quiet stretch of highway and striking the cousin’s car as he drove to work at the local hospital as a nurse. He was unharmed while the cousin was killed instantly.
Was sentenced to 6 months.
Heck, Boehner would get the Death Penalty, then.
Good comment on the bone head.
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