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| Drunk driving Texas teen Ethan Couch gets probation | Drunk driving Texas teen Ethan Couch gets probation |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A wealthy north Texas teenager who killed four pedestrians while driving intoxicated has been sentenced to probation, prompting anger from critics. | A wealthy north Texas teenager who killed four pedestrians while driving intoxicated has been sentenced to probation, prompting anger from critics. |
| Ethan Couch, 16, had three times the legal drinking limit in his blood following the accident on 15 June. | Ethan Couch, 16, had three times the legal drinking limit in his blood following the accident on 15 June. |
| His lawyers argued his family's wealth and lack of parental oversight justified rehabilitation. | His lawyers argued his family's wealth and lack of parental oversight justified rehabilitation. |
| Couch had faced up to 20 years in prison for the crime. | Couch had faced up to 20 years in prison for the crime. |
| 'Affluenza' | 'Affluenza' |
| Authorities say Couch was seen stealing two cases of beer from a local store before he and seven passengers drove away in his pick-up truck. | Authorities say Couch was seen stealing two cases of beer from a local store before he and seven passengers drove away in his pick-up truck. |
| The truck later struck and killed a stranded motorist and three good Samaritans who had stopped to help, including a mother and daughter. | The truck later struck and killed a stranded motorist and three good Samaritans who had stopped to help, including a mother and daughter. |
| Two of the passenger's in Couch's pick-up truck were also seriously injured. | Two of the passenger's in Couch's pick-up truck were also seriously injured. |
| During his Fort Worth trial, Couch's defence team argued he suffered from "affluenza", a popularised term for children from wealthy families who have a sense of entitlement and make excuses for poor behaviour, according to media reports. | During his Fort Worth trial, Couch's defence team argued he suffered from "affluenza", a popularised term for children from wealthy families who have a sense of entitlement and make excuses for poor behaviour, according to media reports. |
| One psychologist testified that Couch was raised in a household where his parents were preoccupied and overly indulgent, arguing and later divorcing. | One psychologist testified that Couch was raised in a household where his parents were preoccupied and overly indulgent, arguing and later divorcing. |
| On Tuesday, juvenile court judge Jean Boyd later determined Couch would be better served by enrolling in a private $450,000-a year (£275,200) rehabilitation centre that his parents would pay for than to be sent into the Texas juvenile justice system. | |
| 'Double standard' | 'Double standard' |
| The decision raised ire from critics, who said it was too lenient a sentence and not commensurate with sentences handed down to poorer individuals for comparable crimes. | The decision raised ire from critics, who said it was too lenient a sentence and not commensurate with sentences handed down to poorer individuals for comparable crimes. |
| Florida psychologist Dr Gary Buffone called the sentence a slap on the wrist for "a very serious offense. | Florida psychologist Dr Gary Buffone called the sentence a slap on the wrist for "a very serious offense. |
| "The defence is laughable," he told the Associated Press news agency. "Not only haven't the parents set any consequences, but it's being reinforced by the judge's actions." | "The defence is laughable," he told the Associated Press news agency. "Not only haven't the parents set any consequences, but it's being reinforced by the judge's actions." |
| The writer of an op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor on Thursday said the case illustrated a "double standard" where poor kids "often go to jail for 20 years". | The writer of an op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor on Thursday said the case illustrated a "double standard" where poor kids "often go to jail for 20 years". |
| Mike Hashimoto, an editorial writer for Dallas News, wrote on Wednesday that "despite all the death in his wake, Ethan Couch didn't learn a thing he didn't already know. | Mike Hashimoto, an editorial writer for Dallas News, wrote on Wednesday that "despite all the death in his wake, Ethan Couch didn't learn a thing he didn't already know. |
| "It's far better to come from that wealthy place where actions seldom have those nasty old consequences," he wrote. "That's for other folks." | "It's far better to come from that wealthy place where actions seldom have those nasty old consequences," he wrote. "That's for other folks." |