COLUMN: 'Affluenza' a symptom of sick society

I’ve been following with great interest and even greater disgust the case of the Texas teenager whose defense for killing four people in a drunk-driving accident was “affluenza” — he was too rich to know right from wrong.

A psychologist testified that Ethan Couch, just 16 when he plowed into a stranded driver and three good Samaritans who were helping out, suffers from the now-famous syndrome because he “was the product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for the boy,” a CNN report stated.

Let’s not forget that two people riding in the back of Couch’s pickup were severely injured in the crash, too. One of them is permanently paralyzed.

And apparently the justice system bought this ludicrous defense. The delinquent got a mere slap on the wrist. He was sentenced to probation and rehab, although prosecutors begged the judge to sentence Couch to 20 years in jail.

The case took a weird turn in recent days when the boy and his mother ran off to Mexico together, apparently because he may have violated the terms of his probation by attending a party at which beer was served. Now the mother has been brought back to the U.S. Her pathetic excuse for a son remains in Mexico.

To top it all off, the boy may only get a maximum of 120 days in jail for violating his probation. Ironically, the mother could end up getting jail time for hindering her son’s arrest. That at least would be one small measure of justice.

I have to believe the vast majority of us are shaking our heads and wondering just how messed up our society has become if wealth can be used as protection from the law. Rich people have every opportunity to make sure their children succeed and are taught right from wrong. At the very least they can hire people to teach their kids life skills if they’re too lacking to do the job of parenting themselves.

This whole episode is a reflection of a society that too often won’t hold people accountable for our actions. Often it begins innocuously. It’s “helicopter” parents who claim it’s the teacher’s fault for their child’s bad grades. Or the parent who refuses to punish bad behavior.

On a bigger scale, it’s the person who drives away from a hit-and-run accident he’s caused, even when people are injured. It’s the adult who sues a fast-food chain when she spills hot coffee on her legs while driving. It’s that universal cry of “It’s not my fault” that rings in our ears at every turn these days.

Legal analyst Faith Jenkins recently wrote about the “affluenza” case, pointing out how one of her law professors once told her class, “I’d rather be rich and guilty than poor and innocent.” Sad, but true. The case of Ethan Couch isn’t the first time money has bought a favorable outcome for a client, and it won’t be the last.

Let’s just hope that “affluenza” isn’t contagious. This kind of thinking, for the sake of our entire judicial system, needs to be eradicated.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.