Do I believe eight years is too long for a first-time offender? Yes. But being fully aware of how probation and parole work, I also understand that they will almost certainly be out in two years or less. The point is made, and a just sentence will be served. That sounds about right.
In my estimation it is the large number of teens involved that makes this an especially egregious offense. The prosecutor's recommendation might have made sense if the case had involved only a half dozen or so teens. But 60 teens? The parents might just as well have fired 60 rounds from a rifle randomly down the length of a busy interstate highway. To plead for leniency because no bullet found a target is foolish. Statistically, it was a miracle no one was killed.
I hope you're right.
Statistically, it was a miracle no one was killed.
Share with us the details of your statistical analysis.
In my estimation it is the large number of teens involved that makes this an especially egregious offense. The prosecutor's recommendation might have made sense if the case had involved only a half dozen or so teens. But 60 teens? The parents might just as well have fired 60 rounds from a rifle randomly down the length of a busy interstate highway. To plead for leniency because no bullet found a target is foolish. Statistically, it was a miracle no one was killed.
Guess what -- no parole in Virginia -- you serve the full sentence. And, BTW -- how do you automatically assume, from the fact of kids drinking, that therefore they later drove, and that they drove drunk? Perhaps nobody was allowed to drive home -- maybe it was a mass sleep-over.