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This bothers me. The issue is that a teenager (Madeline Kudlata) flipped her car while being reckless and her friend (Sydney Tabakin) died as a result. The driver is sentenced to one year in jail and on probation for 5 years. The year that she is in jail, she'll be allowed out to go to class while she starts her first year of college.
I'm normally for less harsh sentences but this just doesn't make sense. I understand that the driver lost one of her best friends and has to live with the survivors guilt for the rest of her life. I understand that her first year of college will be drastically different when compared to her fellow students. Where I have issue is that she's not doing prison time and instead is doing jail time.
Where I have issue is that she's only getting a year for her irresponsibility which in turn cost her friends life. Where I have issue is that this story normally ends differently. If the driver had been from a different area I believe the outcome would have been much harsher.
Going to college next year? Too bad. It has to wait. I don't believe the law should work around someone's long term plans when they're being punished. College can wait a year while she serves her sentence. She did the crime and now she must do the time even if it is such a limited amount. She is starting college. Her friend is not because of her.
Assistant District Attorney Mark Williams told Martens that the case could have been charged as homicide by drug-impaired driving, a 25-year felony, but that his office negotiated the lesser charge, and plea, in the interest of justice and the facts.
One year in jail instead of a 25 year life altering sentence is the punishment for taking her friends life. I'm sorry but i don't believe that one year is enough to compensate for another life. Especially when it's a life that she knew very well. This wasn't a complete stranger. This was much more personal than the typical accidental death.
It's the fact that she killed her best friend that actually comforts me in this whole scenario. I can't imagine what it's like to take a life. I can't imagine the level of guilt knowing that someone is gone because of my actions. I can only imagine that the loss of your best friend is some form of cosmic justice.
1 comment:
went to college with neil tabakin. while the death of his daughter is so devastating i am surprised at his lack of compassion for the driver, his daughters very best friend. neil smoked plenty of pot, drank and drove and did many reckless things while in college. as many of us did, stupidly. by the grace of god he never got into an accident. by no means am i suggesting he forgive and forget. but if his daughter was as beautiful and loving as he seems to suggest..perhaps what she would ultimately want is for her father to forgive this young woman. im sure madeline would take it all back. maybe even give her own life. at some point sydneys memory is best served with forgiveness or an ounce of compassion.
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