original post by author

Fri 03/30/07 03:40 AM
Should the federal government/state eliminate drunkenness as a defence
for serious crimes?

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absolutly alcohol only removes the inhibitions

and permitts you to do what you wanted to do sobor

Intoxication should only be used as a defense when you wake up one
morning and find yourself sharing the bed with a societal reject who is
a little less cool than Napolean Dynamite or Pee Wee
Herman.............

as far as state assistance, keep them with the cash HOWEVER do not let
the cash touch their hands. In other words do like I chose to do.
Instead of giving me the cash, I had the state send it straight to my
landlord and utilities...

I agree Daniel and get them in a program to help them.whatever happened
to Christian charity and helping your fellow man??
As far as drunken o stoned antics I feel that should be no excuse in a
criminal case whatsoever .

you bet!

Unless someone has slipped a drug into it, and such...
drunk is no excuse.
If you can't handle it, put the bottle down, for gawdsake.

"Yes and the federal government should eliminate all those SSI benefit
checks to alcoholics and drug addicts. JMHO!!! "

I agree with all posts with this sentiment. But while we are on the
subject, let's not forget that justice is really for sale in the US. He
who has the most money wins. I personally know of a case where a man
killed two other men, and permanently crippled a third, while driving
drunk. He never did a day in jail, even though he was found guilty of 2
counts of "vehicular homicide". Why? He had $1,500,000 worth of
insurance to pay off the victims. Between that and the fact that he was
a high ranking local in the courts, guess they thought he was "special".

too true about buying people off. ANd I happen to disagree about the
ssi checks. However they should go first to a persons family while
he/she is in detox (thus notbrining in income). and they shoudl be
withdrawn as soon as they are cleaned up and released from detox (not
jail but detox). If htere is no spouse or dependant whois affected by
loss of income due to detox, then it should go to the detox program,
tohelp cover the costs and whatnot. However, under no circumstances
should te alchoholic or addict ever be able to touch that money. And it
shuld be withdrawn as soon as they are cleared of detox. period.

I don't think you can use drunkenness as a defense here, although I can
see how it might go to premeditation.

As for the pensions for drunks, hell I think they should give us all a
pension, at least a little allowance or something. Not that I personally
need a stipend, but so many people I see struggle all the time, even
working people. No sense in trying to pay everyone's way, but dang, lots
of people are so poor that they have to beg borrow and steal. Maybe if
they had enough money to buy food or something then they could get drunk
more regularly.

I don't drink so I don't think I'll be seeing any of that money.

I have met some crazy people who could not get by without pensions.
Sometimes they drink. Drinking may be related to being crazy in some
cases, whether cause or result.

i just have to say the drugs dont make the people the people still know
what they are doing as for the driving did you know that you can receive
a fine similiar to dwi if they find you on the side of the road or in a
parking lot pulled over an sleeping as long as the keys are in your
posesion . sad that a drunk will try to make it home because of this
instead of pulling over an passing out saving possibly your life too.
not defending drinking an driving but the laws arent helping are they
just more an more accidents an fatalities. an people trying to outrun
them because the fines are so high that it takes forever to get done
with this not to mention the mandatory aa classes which even if you
havent had a beer in three months prior you will want one when you get
done with this class. take it from somebody who has had a dwi before not
proud of it but maybe instead of making tougher laws find out how we can
prevent accidents . like not ticketing the guy who decides that he or
she has had to much an pulls over to the side an calls someone or goes
to sleep off the road out of the traffic. just a thought i know there
are really bad people out there who need to be incarcerated but there
are also good ones who just got in the wrong place at the right time.

Far as I'm concerned, if you commit a crime while intoxicated- you
should be charged as if you PREMEDITATIVELY committed the crime in
question. You chose to get drunk or stoned. You took the time to do it.
You planned it. And thus, you planned the consequences.

However they should go first to a persons family while
he/she is in detox (thus notbrining in income).

Why? Most of these families will just go on state support anyway.

“then it should go to the detox program,
tohelp cover the costs and whatnot.”

Oh hell no!!!!! Those programs are a racket and not much more. The
success rate doesn’t even justify their existence. One of the most
famous when it comes to skewing statistics. E.g. They could be claiming
an 85% success rate (with the “of those interviewed” in very small
print). Those interviewed will probably only be the ones that they
could keep straight long enough to get through the interview. No
mention of how many they couldn’t add to their statistics. Last time I
went far enough to find the actual numbers, that 85% was of a mere 6%
that were actually interviewed. Cold turkey at their own expense (they
could afford the drugs/alcohol so why not the treatment) is the only
rehab method I would ever support.

“did you know that you can receive
a fine similiar to dwi if they find you on the side of the road or in a
parking lot pulled over an sleeping as long as the keys are in your
posesion .”
Not exactly true. Just throwing them on the dash board so you are not
in any way “controlling” the vehicle works. Not really that hard, but
you do still get a ticket for an illegal stop/parking if you do it in
the wrong place. Just pull out at a rest stop or something.

“sad that a drunk will try to make it home because of this”
More often because they are too arrogant to admit that they can’t handle
their liquor. The old ten feet tall, bullet proof and invisible
attitude.

“are also good ones who just got in the wrong place at the right time.”
You’re kidding right? No matter where you are you shouldn’t drink and
then plan to drive. I agree with the sentiments regarding
premeditation.

Yup! That defense didn't work worth a sh*t in my DUI hearing.

I don't believe being drunk is a reason to commit crimes. They chose to
consume large amounts of alcohol, and unless someone slipped something
into it, it's no excuse...

I don't drink ...really maybe twice a year, if that.

I feel for all the opines here.


But the flip side is are the young teens who make one deadly mistake and
go to prison for the rest of their lives...


That is a hardship parents have to deal with, when this occurs too!

I know have a cousin who went to jail for it when he was 17,
he is 48 now! no freedom in==sight .


For not thinking one night when he was 17. Just a baby in my
eyes....But maybe I see it that way watching my aunt and uncle suffer
so much.....

They were great parents.
Can't watch your kids 24/7

I drank when I was a kid too!


sorry if I went off topic...

just struck a heart string....

Hey Grizz...if you know you are going out drinking, the safe thing to do
is take along a friend that doesn't drink!! Then you don't have to pull
over at all...then no one gets hurt
Heres my view..IF you kill someone and you are driving drunk..your ass
should go to prison the first time!! I know this does not happen..my
cousin was killed by a drunk driver, his case was dismissed. He didn't
even get a fine! Why?? His father was a state trooper and he was just
coming back from church camp...so yes everyone possibly could drive
drunk!! I believe everyone should be treated equal. Was my cousin
treated right? UMMMM NOOOO

I only know i want you shaken not stirred bondgirl