Cowboys Josh Brent charged with manslaughter

[Montana Fan]

This is one strong woman.

Jackson wants Brent to meet the family at the airport, ride with her to the service, and sit with the family while Brown is remembered.

I know Josh Brent, and he's been part of our family since Jerry went to the University of Illinois -- all I can do is to pray for him and his family. I know [Brent] is hurting just as much as we are, because [he] and Jerry were like brothers."

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/jerry-brown-mother-wants-josh-brent-ride-her-160248144--nfl.html

 

[24JoshuaPoint]

I'm guessing that like most servers, someone might have said "Hey, you okay to drive" and once the "Yeah, I'm Okay" response is received - then it's "okay - take it slow..." The server(s) should have a pretty good idea about what and how much was consumed and regardless of the size of the man, could have taken the keys, called a car service or refused to serve.

Tough part is if you(server/restaurant) are the last stop on their journey or in this case the second of two, how do you even know if they've been consuming alcohol yet other than assumption or recognizing it? If they seemed fine on their way in the door they could have already 1 to who knows how many before they got to you and still would seem non intoxicated. It doesn't take much to just get you over the limit.

 

[BoredViewer]

Not a particularly flattering account of events at the scene of the crash:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/eyewitness-describes-scene-crash-claimed-life-cowboys-linebacker-170937707--nfl.html

 

[ragnarok725]

Not a particularly flattering account of events at the scene of the crash:

http://sports.yahoo....37707--nfl.html

This is just a shortened transcript of the video posted earlier.

"As I was on the access road, I approached the aftermath of what was obviously a horrible, tragic incident. When I first pulled up to the scene, there was a little bit of a flame coming from the flipped vehicle, like in the engine area. Just a very small flame and I wasn't too overly concerned for that. I jumped out of my vehicle and ran up to make sure that everyone was okay. As I got closer to the scene, there was a gentleman, which I later found out was Josh Brent, that was standing off to the right side of the wreckage, kind of pacing back and forth, you know, walking around.

"I asked him if he was okay, I said 'Is everyone okay?', 'Are you alright?', and he responded to me, he said that he was fine.

"The person that was in the other vehicle stepped out of her car and she said 'I've already called 9-1-1, they're on the way'. And I was like, I'm so relieved that, you know, single-car collision, no injuries, fine...But it took no time at all for this fire to really get engaged. It became very hot, very bright, very big and then I started to hear screams coming from inside the vehicle and it was a man's voice saying 'Help me', you know, 'Help, somebody help me'. And I turned and looked at the gentleman in the black pants (Brent), and I said 'Is there a passenger? Is there somebody in the car?'. And he said 'Yeah'. And I told him 'Well, get him out of the car'.

"Josh looked at me and he said 'He won't get out of the car'. And I said 'Well, you can't just leave him in there and let him die. You've got to help him. Go get him'. And I commanded him several times and Josh looked at me, and he again said 'He won't get out of the car'. And I told him 'You can't stand here and watch him die. You've got to get him out'.

"He (Brown) was laying in the middle of the lane, very still. He had his arms were outstretched, almost in the shape of a 'T'. And he was moving his arms just a little bit, he was moving his head just a little bit. So I was like 'Okay, he's not dead, he's alive'. You know, I felt some sense of relief. The fire was getting bigger, glass was starting to shatter. I don't know where Josh went at this point, because he just disappeared into the darkness behind the vehicle.

"I didn't know Jerry in life. I never heard of him, I didn't know who he was," McWilliams added. "But I want people to understand that Josh Brent is not a hero.

I keep hearing reports of how he was there to pull his friend from the fire, but he had to be coerced and pushed and begged and pleaded to get his friend out of the fire. And when he pulled him out, he just left him in the street. He didn't tell him 'Hang in there, help is on the way'. Nothing. He just left him there and I want the magnitude of that to be understood."

 

[Caspir]

C) there is a free fucking car service run by their player's association for all their partying needs.

Not that it makes it acceptable to ignore the service, but it costs $90 p/hour. I'd like to think I'd use it if my employer made the option available, but some people balk at spending on precautionary items.

 

[Reverend]

I found out today that not only will the car service provided by the NFLPA drive any player home anytime from anywhere, the service also sends a second driver to follow you home in YOUR CAR so that when you get up in the morning your car is sitting in the driveway.

Source is a knowledgable person within the league. I believe him. That just blows me away.

Given that the league and PA make this service available, I think any DUI/DWI for any player or coach should be an automatic one year suspension. Second offense, lifetime ban. Then you'd see changes. IMO the league should propose penalties like this publicly and see how willing the PA is to defend its members freedom to drive drunk.

I don't suppose you can verify the rate and how far ahead of time it has to be called in so we can put this away?

 

[Dehere]

Probably not although if I find out I'll post it here. The guy in question isn't somebody I see regularly, just happened to be seated with him at a dinner.

 

[McBride11]

These companies exist even for us non-professional athletes who enjoy a few beverages..

I've used https://www.thepearcares.com/services.shtml

Day of reservation, can change pickup location / dropoff destination after reservation made even while out drinking, ran like $50. I'm sure whoever the NFLPA gets is probably a little better.

 

[SumnerH]

These companies exist even for us non-professional athletes who enjoy a few beverages..

I've used https://www.thepearcares.com/services.shtml

Day of reservation, can change pickup location / dropoff destination after reservation made even while out drinking, ran like $50. I'm sure whoever the NFLPA gets is probably a little better.

The one around here (DC and suburbs) is $30+$3/mile to drive you and your car home. Most nights you can call them like a cab service when you're ready to go home and they'll be there in about 1/2 hour; holidays they require reservations (and they charge an extra New Years' fee).

 

[Otto]

The second driver (to drive the player's car home) was a component of the old program. The current program doesn't include the second driver.

Caspir is correct, the cost is $90/hour. Response times for unscheduled rides are supposed to be under one hour; pick-up can also be scheduled in advance.

 

[Boston Brawler]

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/8811205/dallas-cowboys-jerry-brown-was-sober-was-killed-automobile-crash

Brown was under the legal limit.

 

[Greg29fan]

America's (Dumbest) Team

http://t.co/TaUpL8Hh

 

[Old Fart Tree]

That's... impossible to happen unless you're a genuine full-blown alcoholic. That's Robinson v. California shit; this guy has a Problem with a capital P. And that's just more than a little bit sad.

 

[Bosoxen]

That's... impossible to happen unless you're a genuine full-blown alcoholic. That's Robinson v. California shit; this guy has a Problem with a capital P. And that's just more than a little bit sad.

 
Maybe it's a bit misleading that it's in the Josh Brent thread, but the article is about Jay Ratliff.  Though you would technically be correct if it had been Brent that was popped.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

Oh - I got confused. Never mind.

 

[axx]

Brent was convicted of DUI manslaughter. Could get 20 years.
 
http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/10334414/josh-brent-former-dallas-cowboys-player-convicted-intoxication-manslaughter

 

[Steve Dillard]

But because its Texas he gets 180 days (10 years probation).   Unbelievable.   Somewhere Aaron Hernandez is pissed that he didn't just pick up Owen Lloyd for a hard night of drinking.

 

[riboflav]

But because its Texas he gets 180 days (10 years probation).   Unbelievable.   Somewhere Aaron Hernandez is pissed that he didn't just pick up Owen Lloyd for a hard night of drinking.

 
Blue state. Damn liberals.

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

But because its Texas he gets 180 days (10 years probation).   Unbelievable.   Somewhere Aaron Hernandez is pissed that he didn't just pick up Owen Lloyd for a hard night of drinking.

While I would agree that this punishment was way too lenient, manslaughter, even if via DUI, and 1st degree murder are 2 entirely different things.

 

[axx]

So who do you think signs him when he gets out, assuming he's still in shape? I'm assuming Goodell won't give him an additional suspension since he already sat out this season fighting the charges.

 

[Average Reds]

While I would agree that this punishment was way too lenient, manslaughter, even if via DUI, and 1st degree murder are 2 entirely different things.

 
I think there might have been a bit of hyperbole to demonstrate how (unjustifiably) lenient he thought the sentence was. 
 
Even when comparing cases of DUI manslaughter, Brent's sentence is astonishing in the sense that there were no possible mitigating factors.  He consumed an estimated 17 drinks.  He drove at speeds estimated at 110 mph.  Also, there's the fact that it was his second DUI (He had been arrested a few years earlier in Illinois) and he showed during his probationary period for that offense that he would disregard his punishment without a care in the world. (He got around the conditions of his probation by not reapplying for his license, which means that the court ordered ignition interlock device was not installed on his car.  He drove anyway.)  Hell, he violated the terms of his probation several time while awaiting trial for this offense.
 
If ever there was a person deserving of the maximum for DUI manslaughter, it was Josh Brent.  And he'll walk free in time for next year's season.
 

So who do you think signs him when he gets out, assuming he's still in shape? I'm assuming Goodell won't give him an additional suspension since he already sat out this season fighting the charges.

 
I would not assume that.  Sitting out a season fighting charges is one thing.  Post-adjudication punishment is another.  And in that vein, we should remember that Goodell slapped a one year suspension on Donte Stallworth after he pleaded to DUI manslaughter, and the specifics of his case were nothing like Brent's.  (And that is not a defense of Stallworth, who also got off too easily.  It's an acknowledgement that Brent's case is especially egregious.)
 
I would be shocked if Goodell allows him to play next year.
 
Whoever signs him should be shunned in any case.  This is a truly evil person.

 

[Rovin Romine]

 
I think there might have been a bit of hyperbole to demonstrate how (unjustifiably) lenient he thought the sentence was. 
 
Even when comparing cases of DUI manslaughter, Brent's sentence is astonishing in the sense that there were no possible mitigating factors.  He consumed an estimated 17 drinks.  He drove at speeds estimated at 110 mph.  Also, there's the fact that it was his second DUI (He had been arrested a few years earlier in Illinois) and he showed during his probationary period for that offense that he would disregard his punishment without a care in the world. (He got around the conditions of his probation by not reapplying for his license, which means that the court ordered ignition interlock device was not installed on his car.  He drove anyway.)  Hell, he violated the terms of his probation several time while awaiting trial for this offense.
 
If ever there was a person deserving of the maximum for DUI manslaughter, it was Josh Brent.  And he'll walk free in time for next year's season.
 

 
I haven't followed this case, but the sentence does sound very light given these facts. 

 

[Average Reds]

 
I haven't followed this case, but the sentence does sound very light given these facts. 

 
Here's an ESPN article that is relatively sympathetic to Brent but still contains the info about his BAC and prior DUI. 
 
http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/10345089/josh-brent-gets-180-days-jail-probation
 
And here's an opinion piece from the Star-Telegram published before the sentencing that gives more details about Brent's behavior after his first DUI and while awaiting trial.  I should note that I made a minor mistake about the interlocking device - he apparently did use that in Illinois, but got around this in Texas by driving without a license or insurance.  (Which brings up another question, because it would seem that the act of committing vehicular homicide while driving without a license or insurance should bring significant jail time in and of itself.  Toss in the DUI and the fact that this guy did not get the max is simply appalling.)
 
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/01/23/5510016/former-cowboys-brent-already-had.html?rh=1