Hi!
According the the New York Times, a Houston, Texas man was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of his 9th DUI offense (driving while intoxicated)
Read the complete story here: New York Times Article
They report: "Such a harsh sentence is uncommon for drunken-driving convictions, which often lead to temporary license suspensions and prison stays that allow repeat offenders to return to the road."
According to the article, Donald Middleton, 56, "had eight prior convictions for driving while intoxicated and still had a valid driver’s license.
But the judge in his 9th case, Kathleen Hamilton of the 359th District Court in Texas, had "had enough" and "sentenced him to life in prison. He won’t be eligible for parole for 30 years."
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| Donald Middleton - Photo: Montgomery County Police Reporter |
The article goes on to say: "He
was arrested in May 2015 after he turned into the wrong lane and
collided head-on with a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old who was on the
way home from work at a grocery store. Mr. Middleton ran into a nearby
convenience store and repeatedly asked a clerk to hide him, prosecutors
said.
He
had a blood-alcohol level of 0.184, more than twice the legal limit,
0.08, according to Justin Fowles, a Montgomery County assistant district
attorney. Mr. Middleton pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated
last May and has been in jail since.
The
teenager, Joshua Hayden, was not injured, but his father, Rowdy Hayden,
said in a telephone interview that he appreciated the judge’s harsh
sentence."
I've attached an Associate Press video about the story below.
So what do you think?
Was the sentence justified? Was it fair? Was it long overdue?
