It was a case that enraged the nation: A teenager named Ethan Couch combined alcohol, arrogance, reckless behavior, and manslaughter in what became known as the “affluenza” case. On June 15, 2013, the 16-year-old and a group of friends stole beer from a store and had a party at his parents’ house before going for a drive. As Couch was careening down the road at 70 mph in a 40- mph zone, he barreled into the town of Burleson, Texas. Speeding along the rural two-lane street, Couch plowed through an SUV that had stopped with car trouble on the side of the road, then slammed into another car that was stopped near the SUV. In the process, he killed four people and seriously injured two others. Upon his arrest shortly after the terrible crash, Couch’s blood alcohol level was reported as 0.24 — three times the legal limit for drunk driving in Texas. Two years later, Couch stood trial for the devastation he had caused. He pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter, but his attorneys put forth what came to be known as the “affluenza” defense. A psychologist testified for the defense that Couch was When Privilege Kills A Look Back at the Case of ‘Affluenza’ Teen Ethan Couch
a product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for him, so he didn’t fully understand what it meant to have consequences for his actions. Prosecutors had sought 20 years in prison, but Couch received no prison time. Judge Jean Hudson Boyd gave Couch 10 years of probation, along with an order to undergo long-term therapy. The decision by the juvenile court judge outraged the victims’ families, drunk driving activists, and most of the country. Over the past decade, Couch has cycled through bouts of disappearing and continuing alcohol abuse. In 2016, he fled with his mother to Mexico to avoid being arrested for a parole violation but was arrested soon after. The judge in that case sentenced Couch to two years in prison. After his release in 2018, he was again arrested in 2020 for allegedly violating his parole, but the charges were later dismissed. His probation is due to end in 2024.
Wheels, Cheers, and Championship Trophies INSIDE THE ACTION-PACKED 2023 SOFAS AND SUDS COUCH RACES
This year, our DeWitt Law team was thrilled to be a proud sponsor of the annual Sofas and Suds Couch Races. The event took place on the streets of Downtown Sanford on Sunday, Nov. 19, and kept us on the edge of our seats with teams from various regions participating in a bracket-style, single-elimination race to win the couch-racing championship title. Participating teams modified ordinary living room couches into high-speed racing machines, adding wheels and other modifications to make them as fast as possible as their teammates pushed the piece of furniture down the racing strip. The atmosphere at the event was electric, with participants not only racing their enhanced couches but also enjoying some friendly beer drinking along the way (sometimes even while racing, too!). The
race, which lasted from 2–6 p.m., brought together 16 incredible teams, each competing for two prestigious titles: the team that won the race and the one that was voted the crowd favorite. The team from CrossFit Exalted demonstrated incredible skill with both their couch and racing strategy, winning the championship trophy and earning bragging rights for their small business in Sanford. The crowd went wild as they finished the race, marking the end of a fun and exciting afternoon filled with teamwork, friendly competition, and a great sense of community! We were delighted to support an event that celebrated the creativity of small businesses and brought people in our community together. The 2023 Sofas and Suds Couch Races was an event to remember, and we can’t wait for next year’s race!
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