<p>I don’t think the King Co prosecutor is going to be real hip with a plea bargain in this case.
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<p>Read more: [Prosecutor</a> says DUI sentencing laws are too soft - seattlepi.com](<a href=“http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Prosecutor-argues-that-DUI-sentencing-laws-too-2140030.php#ixzz2MbgKPev4]Prosecutor”>http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Prosecutor-argues-that-DUI-sentencing-laws-too-2140030.php#ixzz2MbgKPev4)</p>
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<p>That’s just one of those things we’re all thinking but no one wants to say. Nor would we ever want that to become the norm - that someone can come here, kill somebody, pay some money, and leave the country.</p>
<p>Since he had just bought a new Mercedes, how did he drive it off the lot with no driver’s license or insurance?</p>
<p>I think it was a 2008, not new. He bought it on craigslist.</p>
<p>He made bail easily most likely because he comes from wealthy family. Many folks here in this area have no trouble making bail. If he flies the coop, then he forfeits the bail and will have a warrant out for his arrest for the rest of his life in this country. He’ll have to forfeit his passport and sneak his way back home. But what else can be done legally? The bail that has been met seems to be much higher than any kind of bond we set for students who come to the US to study, They have to all show that they have the funds to support themselves in this country. Some barely can. Some sneak in. In my state if you sneak in while in high school for a few years, you can get state rates on the tuition, whereas if you come in legally, you pay OOS rates as most non residents of the state do.</p>
<p>There is a tragedy here, no doubt about it. I am very sorry for the family that lost a loved one. There is likely outrage that the young man made bail, a very high bail, but that is something that was up to the judge. The main fear here seems to be that this student is going to leave the country to avoid prosecution. As far as payments go, what he has paid in this country has been extraordinary. How many OOers go to that community college,and pay the premium? Also there is the sales tax and whatever other fees that came from the car purchase, the bond, the payment of the attorney. So payment is not the deal here. The punishment for him should be in line with what the jurisdiction generally does to those who have been convicted or come to some working deal, not a whole lot more because he is international and rich. Also, what prior cirminal record does he have? </p>
<p>I don’t understand the outrage. It’s not like he ran off and got on the first plane back home and left everyone with nada. Yes, there is that risk that he may do so, and the bond has been set accordingly and his passport is being kept. I doubt he will be getting away scott free even if he flees and his country refuses to send him back. No one is going to be happy with him.</p>
<p>“Satterberg was supporting a House bill, No. 1646, that would have made vehicular homicide by DUI equivalent to manslaughter – a charge less than murder given to people negligent for the death of another.”</p>
<p>In Washington State, manslaughter in the 2nd degree is punishable by 21-27 months, less than for vehicular homicide, and that is before the plea bargains.</p>
<p>" I’ve gotten far afield from the auto crash, but I am just searching my brain wondering if there is some way the accused’s appearance in court can be assured."</p>
<p>That is what bail is for, and the judge is satisfied that it is assured. What more would you want?</p>
<p>When I look at this case, I see a kid whose parents never encouraged him to learn logical consequences, to help him develop mature decision making.</p>
<p>It isn’t too late, because the brain keeps maturing into the early 20’s, but supplying him with enough money to " party hearty", and intervening when logical consequences are applied, pretty much guarantees that this behavior will continue.</p>
<p>Not all (wealthy included) parents are so short sighted, thank goodness, but its a shame that this family is not interested in learning what this tragedy is trying to teach them.</p>
<p>Even if the charge is dropped to a class B felony, he can be deported.</p>
<p>I can’t help but be reminded of a drunk driving accident a few years ago that involved a diplomat. After intense public outcry, he was allowed to stay here and stand trial:</p>
<p><a href=“GEORGIA PREPARED TO WAIVE IMMUNITY OF A TOP DIPLOMAT - The New York Times”>GEORGIA PREPARED TO WAIVE IMMUNITY OF A TOP DIPLOMAT - The New York Times;
<p>Eventually, he was sentenced to 7 - 21 years but was sent back to the Republic of Georgia after three years to finish out his sentence there. The family sued him but he claimed immunity. I’m not sure how that turned out. He was also driving around 70 mph.</p>
<p>Can you really get liability insurance to pay off the victims of your criminal actions? Rob a bank, spend the money, no problem the bank claims against your insurance?</p>
<p>Do other countries require liability insurance from Americans who study abroad? Does anyone believe that US perps don’t fly the coop on other countries when they get into trouble? I grew up overseas, and believe me, we are not so clean ourselves. In this case, he’s probably paid more in bond than anyhing any school is likely to set, so that isn’t the problem. The thing is, the residents of the area particularly want his head on a stick. Do some research on how previous such situations were handled. As I said before he is unlikely the first. Hopefully the person who sold the car to him, crossed all his t’s and dotted all of his i’s in the sale transaction.</p>
<p>I think if the stats are examined, international students are not a big source of problems here with this sort of thing. The episodes are far lower for them as a group. Is this a developing problem in the area this happened? </p>
<p>What happened is something that happens too often, is a great tragedy, and this time it happens to be a foreigner, drop out (maybe) college student from a family with money.</p>
<p>I’m be willing to bet that the accused being a Chinese princeling is a huge irritant to observers. If it was some avg American HS dropout – it would be a single paragraph in section B.</p>
<p>It reminds me of the recent opinion piece about Americans’ mis-placement of rage on topics-of-the-hour. I’m sad for those involved – but the calls for “bonding” foreign students is a dumb solution for an even more rare occurence.</p>
<p>“I’m be willing to bet that the accused being a Chinese princeling is a huge irritant to observers. If it was some avg American HS dropout – it would be a single paragraph in section B.”</p>
<p>I agree. What happened was a terrible, terrible thing, and I do regret that my comments here seem to trivialize that fact that someone died due to some dumbass drunk with money off on a spree getting careless. If I that were a loved one of mine, I’d want the perp’s head on a stick too. But that is why we have these decisions made by impartial processes not by the lynch mob, who often do have their hearts in the right place, but the blood is not reaching their brains. </p>
<p>My friend’s son was involved in an accident where someone was significantly injured. He drove a distance away before pulling over, was probably drunk or on something and refused to take any of the tests which has resulted in the loss of license, but has helped his case. The family of the injured are out for bear, but guess what. One of their scions had been involved in a terrible hit and run where the guy actually ran off. And they are defending him tooth and nail. I guess your own excrement smells just fine, but someone else’s…phew.</p>
<p>I don’t see “irritation” or ethnic bias. I see that, like the prosecutor, folks are skeptical that a foreign national whom surprisingly satisfied a $2 million bail, will cooperate with the justice system when it’s not unheard of that citizens of his country have relatively easily fled the U.S. to avoid court proceedings.</p>
<p>Similar of cases with wealthy perpetrators whom are American citizens likewise upset honest observers. I can remember the case of a Washington and Lee University student, a red-blooded All-American boy as they used to say, sped his luxury auto through the local streets and killed a pedestrian, a fellow student no less. He avoided punishment by fleeing the area, promptly repairing his car’s damage hundreds of miles away back home, and sat quietly while investigators searched for an unidentified suspect. He finally came forward months later and essentially demanded reduced charges (and probation, if I recall correctly), which he won. You bet people were irritated about that, including fellow students whom insisted that he be expelled for violating the Honor Code.</p>
<p>Yeah, like Former Senator Edward Kennedy and his kin who have committed a number of auto related crimes, including death. Wanna guess how much time they spent behind bars?</p>
<p>If my kid were in a foreign country, and got into trouble and the perception to me was that he was not going to be treated fairly, starting with a bail so high hat it is waaaay out of line from what is usually asked, I might not think it’s a good idea that he stick around for trial. </p>
<p>If there were some outreach to him and his family, the chances that they stick around and maybe do some repentative things will go up. When you take up the pitchforks and scream for the guy’s head, how do you think his family is going to react?</p>
<p>And as you have pointed out, that he is not from this country is not so much the issue as he has the means to beat the rap, if possible. It’s been done a lot by our own country men and women, including some of “America’s finest”.</p>
<p>Why the heck was the bail set at a surprising amount that was not expected to be met? You wanted to lock up this person for something that usually lets people walk until trial because of the fact he was international, right? So how can you say his ethnicity did not enter in how he was treated. I’m telling you, if he were treated nice-nice and assured of a fair trial and everyone had some ideas of how to help he get through this in a nice way, he just might have stuck around. Think about it. Your kid gets into trouble in some country and is given bail waaay up there, beyond what nearly anyone gets for the same crime. And the papers and town folk screaming for blood beyond what usually happens in such transgressions. You think you are going to feel like the kid is going to get fair treatment or thrown to the lions?</p>
<p>What usually happens in this area when this sort of thing happens?</p>
<p>I thought bail was to insure that someone came back for trial.
Think about it for a minute.</p>
<p>A 19yrold with outside resources to pay 1/2 of an average family’s yearly income for a car, wouldn’t have incentive to hang around to recieve jail time when he is in the habit of his mom spreading money around to get him off the hook, if the amount was easily raised.</p>
<p>However given the speed at which $2 million was paid in cash, not through a bail bondsman, it might have been too low to insure his appearance anyway.</p>
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<p>“I don’t see “irritation” or ethnic bias”</p>
<p>I do. Would a white kid who was a US citizen be asked to put up $2mm bail for a similar offense?</p>
<p>Seriously, if you sent your kid abroad and he was responsible for such a tragedy and you find out that bail is waaaay up there and when you research what the usual consequences for this sort of thing are and your attorney tells you, yes, that is the case but because he is a rich American, they want a pound of flesh and a gallon of blood, in addition, how would you react?</p>
<p>It isnt the offense, it is to insure the defendants appearance in court.</p>
<p>Again, the speed at which bail money was paid indicates this wasnt insurmountable.</p>
<p>What amount do you think would be enough to insure defendants appearance?</p>
<p>A non citizen has less incentive to remain available for trial, especially without extradition agreement in place.
:rolleyes:</p>
<p>Incidentally, Americans involved in criminal (and some civil) investigations overseas are ROUTINELY prohibited from leaving the country in question. And if they are permitted to leave while still a subject of the investigation, I’m sure the local authorities realize that an American court can readily order that a foreign warrant for arrest be enforced. Just ask the Irish Republican Army member whom was held in prison in New York City and eventually repatriated to the U.K. for alleged crimes committed there.</p>
<p>If a foreigner is arrested in China, they rarely would even be granted bail, so why the double standard?</p>
<p>[Emergency</a> Assistance | Embassy of the United States Beijing, China](<a href=“http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/mobile/acs_eme.html]Emergency”>http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/mobile/acs_eme.html)</p>