In as a tight end, out as a wide receiver

[Guest]

My favorite internet comment that I read about the 6 1/2 year sentence given to that drunken driver/hit & run killer who made the youtube confession, Matthew Cordle, was that he would go into prison as a tight end, and out as a wide receiver...

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/23/article-2473651-18EED9D900000578-428_634x461.jpg

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2013/09/19/cordle19-art-gjvohes4-1cordle19-1-jpg.jpg

[bigvalboy]

My favorite internet comment that I read about the 6 1/2 year sentence given to that drunken driver/hit & run killer who made the youtube confession, Matthew Cordle, was that he would go into prison as a tight end, and out as a wide receiver...

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/23/article-2473651-18EED9D900000578-428_634x461.jpg

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2013/09/19/cordle19-art-gjvohes4-1cordle19-1-jpg.jpg

 

Fascinating case. The question many are asking is, did his online confession help in securing a lesser sentence. The judge says no, but many are thinking that it helped to some degree. He and his father both seemed remorseful, but in the end he took a life, and I think that in his mind that is painfully clear, judging by his statement. Forgiveness is often a long and difficult road.

[Guest]

My suspicion is that the online confession was more likely to hurt than help, because it removed any leverage his lawyer might have had for plea-bargaining, etc. Also, the notoriety from the youtube stunt probably forced the hand of the judge to be sure he made an example. That being said, expressing remorse and acknowledging his impact in court probably helped some, and at least avoid the maximum sentence of 8 years. I was a bit shocked that another part of his sentence was a lifetime ban from driving. If that sentence really means he'll never be able to drive for the rest of his life, that seems somewhat harsh. I would rather he had been sentenced to more jail time and not have the lifetime ban. What he did was atrocious, but punishing him for the rest of his life, assuming there's no chance he can learn from his mistake ever, seems somewhat unreasonable. But I'm not a lawyer. Maybe some readers with more legal knowledge can tell us if Matthew will have the opportunity at some point to overcome the lifetime ban.

[bigvalboy]

My suspicion is that the online confession was more likely to hurt than help, because it removed any leverage his lawyer might have had for plea-bargaining, etc. Also, the notoriety from the youtube stunt probably forced the hand of the judge to be sure he made an example. That being said, expressing remorse and acknowledging his impact in court probably helped some, and at least avoid the maximum sentence of 8 years. I was a bit shocked that another part of his sentence was a lifetime ban from driving. If that sentence really means he'll never be able to drive for the rest of his life, that seems somewhat harsh. I would rather he had been sentenced to more jail time and not have the lifetime ban. What he did was atrocious, but punishing him for the rest of his life, assuming there's no chance he can learn from his mistake ever, seems somewhat unreasonable. But I'm not a lawyer. Maybe some readers with more legal knowledge can tell us if Matthew will have the opportunity at some point to overcome the lifetime ban.

 

When I heard that, I had the same reaction. They just slid past that, and like you, I was trying to get my head around "Lifetime ban on driving." Agree, perhaps a lawyer on the MF will have an answer. Personally, 6 years is fair, unless he gets time off for good behavior which would reduce it to perhaps 4 years, in which case I don't think that would be enough time served.

[instudiocity]

Forget the tight end turned wide receiver and get me that lawyer!!!

[bigvalboy]

Forget the tight end turned wide receiver and get me that lawyer!!!

 

 

Aahhh precisely.

[Phil_musc]

I haven't seen his Youtube confession, but gentlemen, please remember that driving is a privilege. It is not a right. Six and a half years for taking a life by drunk driving doesn't seem terribly harsh to me. What about the victim's family and friends? Drunk drivers kill and maim a shocking amount of people every year in this country. There are also a surprising amount of people who are arrested repeatedly for drunk driving. Where is the benefit to society in keeping these people on the road and driving? Sure, this is maybe inconvenient for our young offender, but doesn't society at large have an interest in seeing this kind of behavior curtailed?

[bostonman]

Forget the tight end turned wide receiver and get me that lawyer!!!

 

Aahhh precisely.

 

Agreed! ;-)

 

 

Just a question, though - cliche and stereotypical as the "tight end/wide receiver" joke is, are we really ok with joking about prison rape? (I'm not intending to make a big deal out of that - I just find it interesting that we'd really go there.)