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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Texas teenager suffering 'affluenza' avoids jail for second time | Texas teenager suffering 'affluenza' avoids jail for second time |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A Texas teenager who avoided prison after | |
| a psychologist described him as suffering from "affluenza" has been | a psychologist described him as suffering from "affluenza" has been |
| ordered by a judge to attend an undisclosed rehabilitation facility. | ordered by a judge to attend an undisclosed rehabilitation facility. |
| Ethan Couch was given ten years' probation last | Ethan Couch was given ten years' probation last |
| December for killing four people and seriously injuring two while driving | December for killing four people and seriously injuring two while driving |
| drunk. On Wednesday, district judge Jean Boyd again did not issue any jail time | drunk. On Wednesday, district judge Jean Boyd again did not issue any jail time |
| and assigned him to the centre in a court hearing that was closed to the media. | and assigned him to the centre in a court hearing that was closed to the media. |
| The sentence handed out by Boyd last year outraged | The sentence handed out by Boyd last year outraged |
| the victims' families and the case attracted national attention after a | the victims' families and the case attracted national attention after a |
| psychologist called by the defence testified that the teenager had | psychologist called by the defence testified that the teenager had |
| "affluenza", indicating that his behavioural problems were influenced | "affluenza", indicating that his behavioural problems were influenced |
| by a troubled upbringing in a wealthy family where privilege prevented him from | by a troubled upbringing in a wealthy family where privilege prevented him from |
| grasping the consequences of his actions. | grasping the consequences of his actions. |
| Critics said the outcome was an egregious | Critics said the outcome was an egregious |
| example of a justice system that treats the rich and the poor differently. | example of a justice system that treats the rich and the poor differently. |
| A statement from the Tarrant County district attorney's office said | A statement from the Tarrant County district attorney's office said |
| that the judge "ordered the teen be placed in a lock-down residential | that the judge "ordered the teen be placed in a lock-down residential |
| treatment facility, where he will remain for an undisclosed period. She | treatment facility, where he will remain for an undisclosed period. She |
| ordered his parents to pay for the cost of his treatment." | ordered his parents to pay for the cost of his treatment." |
| As a | As a |
| condition of his probation, the teen is not allowed to drive and must | condition of his probation, the teen is not allowed to drive and must |
| refrain from any alcohol and drug use, among other things. If he | refrain from any alcohol and drug use, among other things. If he |
| violates any condition of his probation over the next ten years, he | violates any condition of his probation over the next ten years, he |
| could be sentenced to up to ten years behind bars." | could be sentenced to up to ten years behind bars." |
| Prosecutors had originally asked Boyd to | Prosecutors had originally asked Boyd to |
| sentence Couch to 20 years' detention, while his lawyers recommended his parents | sentence Couch to 20 years' detention, while his lawyers recommended his parents |
| pay for him to seek therapy at a $450,000-a-year rehabilitation facility in | pay for him to seek therapy at a $450,000-a-year rehabilitation facility in |
| California. | California. |
| Wednesday's hearing was scheduled after prosecutors once more tried | Wednesday's hearing was scheduled after prosecutors once more tried |
| to argue he should go to prison, this time as punishment for charges related to | to argue he should go to prison, this time as punishment for charges related to |
| the two injured people. | the two injured people. |
| Couch, from Keller, near Fort Worth, admitted | Couch, from Keller, near Fort Worth, admitted |
| four counts of intoxication manslaughter. He was speeding last June when he lost | four counts of intoxication manslaughter. He was speeding last June when he lost |
| control of his Ford F-350 pick-up truck, swerved off a suburban road and | control of his Ford F-350 pick-up truck, swerved off a suburban road and |
| ploughed at up to 70 mph into a group of people who were helping Breanna | ploughed at up to 70 mph into a group of people who were helping Breanna |
| Mitchell, whose car had broken down. | Mitchell, whose car had broken down. |
| Mitchell, a youth pastor named Brian | Mitchell, a youth pastor named Brian |
| Jennings, Hollie Boyles, and her daughter, Shelby, were killed. | Jennings, Hollie Boyles, and her daughter, Shelby, were killed. |
| Couch had seven | Couch had seven |
| passengers. Two were riding in the bed of the truck and were seriously injured. One is paralysed and unable to speak. The other suffered broken | passengers. Two were riding in the bed of the truck and were seriously injured. One is paralysed and unable to speak. The other suffered broken |
| bones and internal injuries. | bones and internal injuries. |
| Lawsuits seeking damages from Couch and his family | Lawsuits seeking damages from Couch and his family |
| have been filed by several of the victims' relatives. | have been filed by several of the victims' relatives. |
| Aged 16 at the time, Couch's blood alcohol | Aged 16 at the time, Couch's blood alcohol |
| level was three times the adult legal limit and there were traces of Valium and | level was three times the adult legal limit and there were traces of Valium and |
| other drugs in his system, according to prosecutors, who said the group had | other drugs in his system, according to prosecutors, who said the group had |
| stolen beer from a Walmart. | stolen beer from a Walmart. |
| "Money always seems to keep [him] out | "Money always seems to keep [him] out |
| of trouble. Ultimately today, I felt that money did prevail," Eric Boyles, | of trouble. Ultimately today, I felt that money did prevail," Eric Boyles, |
| husband to Hollie and father of Shelby, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after | husband to Hollie and father of Shelby, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after |
| the trial. | the trial. |
| The psychologist, G Dick Miller, told CNN | The psychologist, G Dick Miller, told CNN |
| he wished he "hadn't used that term. Everyone seems to have hooked on to | he wished he "hadn't used that term. Everyone seems to have hooked on to |
| it. We used to call these people spoiled brats." | it. We used to call these people spoiled brats." |
| "Affluenza" is not a condition recognised | "Affluenza" is not a condition recognised |
| by the American Psychiatric Association. The term was coined as far back as the | by the American Psychiatric Association. The term was coined as far back as the |
| 1950s and popularised in the late 1990s, when it referred to the stress caused | 1950s and popularised in the late 1990s, when it referred to the stress caused |
| by obsessive consumerism. | by obsessive consumerism. |
| Last month, Mike Gatto, a California | Last month, Mike Gatto, a California |
| assemblyman, proposed a bill banning the "affluenza defence" from | assemblyman, proposed a bill banning the "affluenza defence" from |
| being used in the state's courts. "I just think it really is one of those | being used in the state's courts. "I just think it really is one of those |
| times where unless we're proactive it could become something that's far more | times where unless we're proactive it could become something that's far more |
| common," he said. | common," he said. |