Mom convicted in son’s jaywalking death will (?) serve more time than her son's Killer!

Raquel Nelson was convicted of homicide by vehicle and reckless conduct by a jury and faces sentencing tomorrow. She can receive up to a three-year jail sentence, six times the stretch that Jerry Guy--who admitted to drinking before running over Nelson's son...

source

There are times when I just can't understand anything.

A man drinks and drives.

Kills a child.

The mother is (possibly) going to receive a longer sentence than the KILLER - separating her from her other kids leaving them without a mother - and why? Because she was jaywalking? Because she wanted to get her kids inside quicker - it was getting dark - she was nervous.

Sometimes I almost agree with the 'WTF" abbreviation here on ATS. Almost.

Peace

reply to post by silo13


Honestly can't believe this, I mean I could see charging her for reckless endangerment or a more minor crime and then letting her go without any jail time at all but several years seems a bit steep. No offense but she does hold a fraction of the responsibility here (though not near as much as the driver), jay walking is a stupid idea considering how some SOBER people drive.

I seen this and couldnt believe it, its sad these laws are too cookie cut. Thats the old world cookie cutting all situations. So the drunk driver will possibly be freed before she is smh it was a mistake by her and she lost her son, isnt that enough to have to deal with?

reply to post by Titen-Sxull

I can't imagine having my arms full of kids, groceries, kids trailing with me, it being dark, needing to get home.

I'd of done the same, no lie.

Does that make her responsible? In my mind, not even slightly.

Maybe if her child had been killed by someone NOT intoxicated - but - since he was driving drunk?

Nope. That's all on him. All on him.

peace

People need to be demanding to know why the driver was given, more than likely, a plea agreement. He has done this twice before, was drinking and taking pain killers. Even if there had been a crossing there he would probably have ran them over anyway, since he obviously didn't care about the law to begin with.
The women has suffered and will suffer a lifetime. The driver will kill again and then the DA should be held liable for letting him plead for a nothing sentence.

I was 12 when I lost a 15 yo brother in what is still a questionable 'accident' in Texas. I saw what that did to my mom. Something like this a parent never gets over the death of their child. Never. This woman watched her child get run down by a puke that should have been locked up for 50 yrs. To be treated worse than the real sorry excuse for life I cannot even begin to ponder how she must feel. For not her other 2 children, this would crush someone's spirit. Had I been the woman, that drunk would not have survived to the court date.

Sober or not, the driver is the responsible party for killing a person. The mother is just responsible for being stupid. If there was a crime for being stupid, they should lock-up 99% of the human population.

The problem with "ALL" systems of justice is, intoxicated people get off with a slap on the hands. Why is that? One guess I have is most judges are alcoholics so they sympathize with the drunks. I've seen it from both sides of the fence and a judge that doesn't have a drinking problem, gives out much harsher punishments to intoxicated drivers.

It's almost like, a judge with the same problem, wants to reach out and give that person a hug and say, brother / sister, I know what you are going through so here is a pass or a less damaging ruling so you can take care of your affairs. Never mind the people they have injured or killed because they were under the influence, claiming "take wasn't me, I would never hurt anyone".

The whole system around intoxication is BS. My take is 1st offense, your taking the bus for 15 years. Second offense, 15 years in prison, because you're no longer safe for the community. 3rd offense, life in prison, without parole. If you kill someone, sorry, immediate life in prison, minimum years until parole 25 years. 2nd offense in killing someone, death penalty, because you just became a serial killer. 3rd offense, well there is none because we took care of it with the 2nd offense.

Call me harsh and unfair, but drunk driving is a problem that increases every day, month, and year and no one is doing anything about it.

I've never understood "jaywalking" to begin with. Since when have we become so stupid that we can't even cross the street? WTF?

MOTF!

S&F4UOP, for bringing this insanity to our attention.

Honestly, I think punishing this woman with 3 years in prison - not jail, prison (with murderers, thieves, etc) - is just that: INSANE. And letting the guy, a drunk driver, who actually killed her boy go with a few months in jail? Come on! There is no justice here; but then again this is Cobb County Georgia.

At the end of the source report, there is a link to a petition to just let her go. I have signed it already, and every member of my family will do the same. I'm also emailing it to my substantial address book for their consideration.

Please my dear fellow ATS'ers, sign the petition and urge these idiots to let the lady go. I think losing her child is punishment enough.

So people say they cant believe this.
I cant believe people are saying that.
Things like this happen daily, the system dosnt work as you all know.
Why so surprised all of a sudden ?

reply to post by KnightFire


You're are completely wrong about drunk drivers not getting the punishment they deserve. There is only one group that lobbies for or against drunk drivers and that is MADD. There is no one arguing for intoxicated drivers rights. Right now if you get pulled over and accused of drinking you have no rights. You are guilty until proven innocent. If you refuse to take their test you are admitting to being guilty. If the people at MADD have their way you will be locked up for a year and never be able to drive again for washing your mouth out with mouthwash.

Originally posted by silo13

Raquel Nelson was convicted of homicide by vehicle and reckless conduct by a jury and faces sentencing tomorrow. She can receive up to a three-year jail sentence, six times the stretch that Jerry Guy--who admitted to drinking before running over Nelson's son...

source

Hahaha... Nice try. I know this is fake.... right? I mean, you've gotta be pulling my leg here right? guys?...

reply to post by OldCorp


Thanks for the link. I have just signed it and emailed it out for others to sign. This women should not have to endure the loss of her child while sitting in prison. Her child was killed at the hands of a drunk driver and she is paying a double sentence right now. The pain of losing her child and the sentence the drunk driver should have received.

reply to post by silo13


I agree she shouldn't face anything near that.. but I don't see why you think it should be any different if the driver hadn't been drinking?
Did the driver drive up on the curb? did he run a light? It sounds to me like it could just as easily been one of those WTF's where a guy that had a little to drink goes to jail forever because someone was in the middle of a dark street even though he was driving perfectly fine (despite the alcohol).

I could see there being outrage on both sides.

Wow, this is just appalling. This goes to show you how unfair and corrupt our judicial system is...when a drunkard driving a vehicle, delirious with intoxiation can hit a child and kill him, and the mother ends up doing the prison time...how dumb can people be. These are the kinds of people who think 2+2=5. Maybe the jury needs to go to school for the mentally handicapped. Even if she was jaywalking motorists are REQUIRED BY LAW to YIELD to pedestrians.

I guess this happened in the kind of state where the drivers test is nothing more than circling the courthouse and stopping at 4 stop signs around the block....Just when i think i cant find anyone more moronic than the lst dumb person i've heard about, something like this happens.

If you read the story closer it does make more sense. The son was killed because his mother took him across the middle of the street at night. The guy who hit them admitted to having drinks but wasn't necessarily drunk (did he get a dui?) it would be just as much of a shame for a man to go to jail for years after accidentally running over a kid that shouldn't have been in the middle of the street at night time. Especially hanging him because he had a drink when that really wouldn't have changed the outcome out all.

Unfortunately I cannot sign the petition as it will not allow people who live outside the U.S to bypass the ZipCode/State Do you know of anyway around this?


Fortunately for myself I live in county where "Jaywalking" is not a crime. I with my kids in tow have crossed the road on many occasion, taking for granted that no convicted drink driver has decided to get behind the wheel intoxicated unable to react.

reply to post by Tinman67

He has done this twice before, was drinking and taking pain killers. Even if there had been a crossing there he would probably have ran them over anyway, since he obviously didn't care about the law to begin with.

For exactly this reason I didn't look farther into his past. I had a sneaking sickening suspicion this is what I'd find.

Thank you for adding what I, in all honestly, could not find the heart to do.

It just makes me SICK!

peace

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000

Wow, this is just appalling. This goes to show you how unfair and corrupt our judicial system is...when a drunkard driving a vehicle, delirious with intoxiation can hit a child and kill him, and the mother ends up doing the prison time...how dumb can people be. These are the kinds of people who think 2+2=5. Maybe the jury needs to go to school for the mentally handicapped. Even if she was jaywalking motorists are REQUIRED BY LAW to YIELD to pedestrians.

I guess this happened in the kind of state where the drivers test is nothing more than circling the courthouse and stopping at 4 stop signs around the block....Just when i think i cant find anyone more moronic than the lst dumb person i've heard about, something like this happens.

I haven't read anywhere that he drive was delirious with intoxication. I did read that he had two previous hit and runs (those could be fender benders, I don't know) but lets stick to the facts please.

Basically no one was truly at fault here. If you read more on the case, the kid ran into the middle of the street away from the mom. Doesn't matter if the driver had a drink or not, nothing could be done. They both (the mother and driver) should get off light.

Don't blame the drunk driver if the stupid mom hadn't been herding her kids across the streets than he wouldn't have hit him. Geeze Its all the sober peoples fault these days don't you know that?

I mean really drunk driving is now lower than any thing else replaced but just as bad if not worse distracted driving. seems like your damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Still this is just retarded but she did break the law if she had not and crossed the street at the cross walk at the light than chances are her kid would still be alive.

unless of course the guy went out of his way to hit than kid than it really doesn't matter one way or the other.

I think they should get the same amount of time the both of them. with out ones screw up than the other couldn't have happened..