>>>I agree. The important thing is that the family got the max from him without the protracted legal struggle and fees that could have been. I would guess part of the deal was a very very hefty settlement, no fuss, no contention. Putting this clown in prison forever isn't going to do them a damn bit of good, and the non-jail part of his sentence is pretty hefty. The jail part is just not going to mean anything but the settlement is going to make the best of a horrible situation.
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>>I also think it's important that a) he pled guilty and took full responsibility; and b) he came to court surrounded by family.
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>>Tamar
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>That part impresses me not at all. It is what any good lawyer would advise him to do. Personally, I wouldn't mind if every drunk driver were banned from ever driving a car again forever and otherwise don't much care what happens to them. i have no patience whatsoever for drunks, even when they are not driving.

I agree wholeheartedly. I've been spouting off since I was 6 months old about pulling a drunk's license forever after his/her first conviction. The only part of it that I thought fell on his side of the ledger is that he stayed at the scene and told the first cop to arrive that he did it. I'm sure that was before even talking to his lawyer.

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>That said, once this happened the only thing that could go on the plus side of the ledger is for the Reyes family to be taken care of without the kind of prolonged legal hassle that is quite possible in this situation. I am sure that was the key part of this agreement and I applaud that.