Stop building new prisons in Oklahoma

[nathanm]

And this sort of crap is why we have to have so many prisons. It serves absolutely nobody to lock this guy up for 20 years. Freakin' meth manufacturers get less:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=14&articleid=20110730_14_A15_CUTLIN753886

[RecycleMichael]

We just like having prisoners. It makes our politicians look tough on crime.

Oklahoma incarcerates 665 per 100,000 population.
Kansas is 312. Arkansas is 502. Missouri is 506. The national average is 447.

We are number four. Only Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have a higher incarceration rate.

Oh, and we are number one are incarcerating women.  

I apologize for re-posting this, but felt compelled to say it again.

[Breadburner]

Good,......we keep more scum bags off the streets.....

[Conan71]

And this sort of crap is why we have to have so many prisons. It serves absolutely nobody to lock this guy up for 20 years. Freakin' meth manufacturers get less:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=14&articleid=20110730_14_A15_CUTLIN753886

Really?  Care to ask the victim's family about that?

He had a wanton disregard for other's safety when he got loaded and got behind the wheel of his Hummer.  It doesn't matter how he took someone else's life, the fact is three people are dead because of his utter lack of concern for anyone else's safety.  Sorry Nate but driving effed-up is no different than pointing a loaded gun at someone.  Are these people any less dead than a convenience store clerk who took a bullet to the forehead?

I could agree with you if he'd been locked up for 24 years for simple possession or smoking a doobie walking down a sidewalk.  Driving after smoking dope and eating xanax is a triple fatality wreck waiting to happen, especially on slick roads.

[dbacks fan]

CMIIW, but in most states if you are involved in an accident where there is an injury or a fatallity, and you are found to be under the influence, that it automatically becomes a felony charge instead of a misdomeaner. He was found with pot in his system (yes I know it can last 28 days) but he was found within an illegal substance in his blood that is known to impare judgement.

[Hoss]

Really?  Care to ask the victim's family about that?

He had a wanton disregard for other's safety when he got loaded and got behind the wheel of his Hummer.  It doesn't matter how he took someone else's life, the fact is three people are dead because of his utter lack of concern for anyone else's safety.  Sorry Nate but driving effed-up is no different than pointing a loaded gun at someone.  Are these people any less dead than a convenience store clerk who took a bullet to the forehead?

I could agree with you if he'd been locked up for 24 years for simple possession or smoking a doobie walking down a sidewalk.  Driving after smoking dope and eating xanax is a triple fatality wreck waiting to happen, especially on slick roads.

But the point is that the ambulance tech testified that he wasn't impaired, and THC will continue to test positive in the bloodstream for well over a week.

Not saying he wasn't at fault, but do we know for sure if he was impaired when the accident happened?

[Breadburner]

But the point is that the ambulance tech testified that he wasn't impaired, and THC will continue to test positive in the bloodstream for well over a week.

Not saying he wasn't at fault, but do we know for sure if he was impaired when the accident happened?

How the hell would the EMT know.......They don't administer sobriety check in the back of the bus.....

[dbacks fan]

And this sort of crap is why we have to have so many prisons. It serves absolutely nobody to lock this guy up for 20 years. Freakin' meth manufacturers get less:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=14&articleid=20110730_14_A15_CUTLIN753886

Guess this guy should not have gone to prison as well.

http://asuwebdevilarchive.asu.edu/issues/2002/10/16/campusnews/298088

http://www.magiccitymedia.com/?page_id=4&aid=31

[Hoss]

How the hell would the EMT know.......They don't administer sobriety check in the back of the bus.....

I would think that an EMT would be able to ascertain a lot better than say...you?

[Conan71]

I would think that an EMT would be able to ascertain a lot better than say...you?

No, not really.  I believe he was also in possession at the time and blood tests revealed he was on xanax, IIRC.  The blood test is the mitigating factor here, as well, he had stated that he was distracted by his dog right before the accident. 

Sorry, no mercy for narcissistic dipshits who don't have regard for fellow human's life and safety.  It's no different than firing a gun into a crowd of people, people wind up just as dead, Hoss whether that was the shooters intention or not.  And you know what?  I feel the same way about distracted driving.  I believe in as harsh of penalties if it's proven someone was texting when they cause an accident of this magnitude.

Driving is serious business, not a passive activity.

[Hoss]

No, not really.  I believe he was also in possession at the time and blood tests revealed he was on xanax, IIRC.  The blood test is the mitigating factor here, as well, he had stated that he was distracted by his dog right before the accident. 

Sorry, no mercy for narcissistic dipshits who don't have regard for fellow human's life and safety.  It's no different than firing a gun into a crowd of people, people wind up just as dead, Hoss whether that was the shooters intention or not.  And you know what?  I feel the same way about distracted driving.  I believe in as harsh of penalties if it's proven someone was texting when they cause an accident of this magnitude.

Driving is serious business, not a passive activity.

I'm not saying he was not at fault.  But to say he was impaired?  Might be a stretch given that the THC tests cannot determine when a person has smoked.  I emphasize yet again, that I'm not saying he should be absolved from blame, because you are right; distracted driving probably causes more accidents then say, being mildly impaired on the chronic.

My concern is that they were aligning the sentence to reflect his impairment.  Should he be punished?  Sure, to the fullest extent the law allows.  Should that punishment include driving while impaired?  That's debatable.

[Conan71]

I'm not saying he was not at fault.  But to say he was impaired?  Might be a stretch given that the THC tests cannot determine when a person has smoked.  I emphasize yet again, that I'm not saying he should be absolved from blame, because you are right; distracted driving probably causes more accidents then say, being mildly impaired on the chronic.

My concern is that they were aligning the sentence to reflect his impairment.  Should he be punished?  Sure, to the fullest extent the law allows.  Should that punishment include driving while impaired?  That's debatable.

He pled guilty (blind plea) to first degree manslaughter so he must have figured he was going to fare worse with a jury.

If the evidence was weak his attorney would have gone to trial. 

[nathanm]

If the evidence was weak his attorney would have gone to trial. 

The evidence would have been weak were it not for the state law that writes off science. Here in Oklahoma, a positive THC test is taken as evidence you're impaired. This sort of stuff is precisely why I think field sobriety tests are more important than a number. If a person is too impaired to drive, it should show up on the video.

[AquaMan]

Every decade or so some government scandal hits Oklahoma. The County Commissioners, Tag Agent nepotism, Insurance Commissioner, Nursing homes.

Its about time for some smart brave journalist to spell out the relationship between state officials and the penal system here. Who owns what interests in their construction, administration and privatization and what incentives there are to incarcerate so much of our population. If any smart brave journalists still exist.

[Conan71]

The evidence would have been weak were it not for the state law that writes off science. Here in Oklahoma, a positive THC test is taken as evidence you're impaired. This sort of stuff is precisely why I think field sobriety tests are more important than a number. If a person is too impaired to drive, it should show up on the video.

Motor skills aren't near as impaired under the influence of pot, so not as easy to tell on a FST.  Generally someone won't have trouble balancing on one foot, walking a straight line, reciting the alphabet, etc. unless they just finished off a whole joint of some really potent one hit wonder.  However, it can affect judgement, make a person easily distracted, and give a false sense of increased mental acuity.

Have you ever actually smoked it to understand the effects?