Texas 'affluenza' teen moved to less restrictive jail

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Texas 'affluenza' teen moved to less restrictive jail

By Jon Herskovitz
May 17, 2016

By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Texas teenager who tried to use an "affluenza" defense for killing four people while driving drunk was moved on Tuesday out of a maximum security jail where he was held mostly in isolation and into a less restrictive facility, a county sheriff said.

Ethan Couch was moved as a result of a judge this month upholding a sentence of nearly two years in jail for him, Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said, adding that the move was done because it did not make sense to have him held so long in maximum security isolation.

"We all know that having someone in that environment long term is not a healthy environment for anyone," said the sheriff whose region includes Fort Worth.

Anderson said that for the teen's own protection, Couch has spent most of his time in maximum security because it limits his interaction with other inmates who may try to hurt him.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-affluenza-teen-moved-less-restrictive-jail-223120721.html?nhp=1

[redixdoragon]

1. The gall of these people.

""We all know that having someone in that environment long term is not a healthy environment for anyone," said the sheriff whose region includes Fort Worth. "

But if they're black or hispanic or poor, hell leave them in there long as you like!

[DLevine]

3. +1000

Interesting how concerned they are for the well-being of a rich white kid, not so much anybody else.

[Nihil]

4. Funny how that goes isn't it?

*Some* prisoners are treated with compassion, understanding and sympathy
regardless of how many people were killed whilst *others* are left to rot for
the sake of "rolling their own" with the "wrong" kind of leaf ...

[happyslug]

5. There is NOTHING in the article that indicates this is NOT standard practice for EVERYONE in that jail

Long term isolation IS UNHEALTHY for ANYONE, just because the Sheriff made that comment as to THIS PRISONER, does not mean is is NOT standard practice in that prison. The only reason we are reading about the Sheriff's Comment is a reporter asked him about the move and that was the Sheriff's response. I suspect it would have been the response no matter WHO was being moved, for it sounds like a STANDARD RESPONSE to such question for it is STANDARD Policy in that Prison.

Furthermore, he will still be in isolation and work out one hour a day but have limited contact with other inmates, that does NOT sound like he is being given a free ride. The Sheriff's concern is real, this prisoner is nationally known. Prisoners are known to beat up such well known prisoner, for it brings them "Fame" and gets their name in the newspapers. The Sheriff is NOT Concerned about someone harming this prisoner to punished him for what he did, that almost NEVER happens (Through it is the excuse mentioned in a lot of news reports for it sells papers). In reality, attacks on NOT made on people for having commuted a horrible crime, but people who are famous for committing such crimes or famous for some other reason. It is the FAME of the prisoner that leads to attacks in prison NOT the crime such prisoner did. The prisoners who ATTACKS the prisoner knows the attack will be reported in the media AND that will include the name of the Attacker as while as the prisoner attacked.

It is for this reason this prisoner has been in isolation, and will remain in isolation till the prison staff believes the other prisoners no longer see him as a way to get in the papers. Given the fame of this prisoner that may be the whole length of his sentence.

[bluestateguy]

2. The fix is in

They're going to let him go while they think nobody is paying attention.