Mad Mel Gets 3 Months Probation. Just?

[Mir]

No contest and three months probation? Pretty light I think. A normal person gets much, much worse. Hollywood justice. Gotta love it.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/225446/1/.html

[SteppingRazor]

1. that's three YEARS probation...

which is a lot worse than I got with my DUI

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. If it's his first one, I would imagine it's pretty typical.

[sgxnk]

3. actually, a typical sentence

i have arrested well over 100 DUI's in my career. so, i am speaking from experience, although not specific to california. for a DUI where the BAC was only around .08 or so AND no past criminal history, this sentnence is entirely in line with what the average person gets.

here's what research as to california dui sentencing shows


http://www.dui.com/drivers_research_institute/downloads/ProgramFactSheet.pdf
here's the facts:

"A person convicted of a first DUI offense must complete a state-licensed three-month, 30-hour alcohol and drug education and counseling program. A person convicted of a first DUI offense with a blood alcohol content of 0.20 or higher must complete a state-licensed six-month, 45-hour alcohol and drug education and counseling program. These programs are designed to enable participants to consider attitudes and behavior, support positive lifestyle changes, and reduce or eliminate the use of alcohol and/or drugs"

also,
http://www.1800duilaws.com/states/california_dui_penalties.asp

considering he has no past criminal history, and that he pled, and that he had a low BAC, it seems not at all "pretty light" by california standards. it seems par for the course

[Cleita]

4. Most people pulled over for DUI in Los Angeles County are

advised to plead no contest. It's because it doesn't go on the record if you complete your probation like you should. You don't have to go through any messy court trials after arraignment. Judges also tend to go more easy on those who admit they made a mistake even if they don't plead guilty. Three years of picking trash on the freeway is a bit stiff, if that's what they make him do.

I think he will probably get something like working with the homeless and other types of service that don't involve as much ozone clogged air as the usual freeway trash pickup community service allotted to substance abusers.

[acmejack]

6. I'm confused, help me out here.

I know we're backwards in Texas, but what is the distinction between alcohol and a "substance"? And why does California feel that ozone clogged air from the usual freeway trash pickup community service should be allotted solely to substance abusers?

[Cleita]

7. I have no idea, but in California substance abuse includes

excessive alcohol consumption, even if it was the first time that person ever abused alcohol, or whatever he was abusing when he was caught and pulled over. I was going to type fresh air as a euphemism for working outdoors, but I thought. No! One of those intrepid DUers was going to whine, "but there is no fresh air on the freeway" so I put in the ozone remark. Looks like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

[TSIAS]

5. Seems overly harsh

3 years probation seems a bit much.

I have to think that Mel might have taken a tougher sentence in return for keeping the police tapes quiet.

[MercutioATC]

8. Stiff sentence for a first offense.

Mad Max got screwed.

He certainly didn't get "celebrity" treatment.