CNN: Plea deal in Gibson case...

[Fridays Child]

...three years probation, 5 AA meetings a week, to start, 3 a week, after that. License suspended for 90 days. No jail time. Open container and DUI charges dismissed. He pled no contest to misdemeanor chage of driving with a .08 BAC, or higher.

[SteppingRazor]

1. Pretty damn hefty for a first-time DUI offense n/t

[babylonsister]

4. Yeah, but keeping the police video from the prying public: priceless. nt

[Fridays Child]

19. Whatever he paid for that...

...I hope it doesn't work.

[Jed Dilligan]

7. No--pretty damned light.

California has mandatory jail time and a fine around $2000 for a 1st DUI conviction, as well as automatic license suspension and 3 years probation. The charges are almost never dropped. The AA schedule is pretty hefty, but not that much compared to weekly classes that everyone else gets. He got off really, really easy, don't kid yourself. Now if he gets another DUI, it will be his 1st again.

[SteppingRazor]

9. the mandatory jail time is 48 hours -- time served, in other words

and the fine is $390-$1,000.

Probabtion is usually a year, and meetings are usually weekly.

So, yeah, I'd say this is more than usually -- certainly more than the mandatory minimum per CA state law.

[Jed Dilligan]

12. Your source?

I've known a lot of people who've gotten DUIs. They go to jail or work detail for two or three days. They pay around a thousand bucks. They are on informal probation for three years, and go to meetings once or twice a week for a total of about four hours.

If you're just looking at a law book, you may be unaware that courts are sleazy entities that introduce endless hidden costs on top of whatever the "fine" is supposed to be. The classes alone cost hundreds of dollars; AA meetings are free.

[SteppingRazor]

13. My source is the actual state DUI laws. I'm quoting from rote:

http://www.totaldui.com/pdf/dui_state_law_california.pdf


And, believe me, you don't need to tell me about the hidden costs of a DUI.

[Jed Dilligan]

14. Just as long as you agree with me

that courts are giant sleaze mills that exist to screw ordinary people in the tuchus and suck the cocks of rich criminals like Mel Gibson.

[SteppingRazor]

16. You mean the same courts that ruled Bush's wiretapping is illegal today?

Generally, I agree that poor people can't catch an even break in court, because they can't afford adequate representation.

Just pointing out that, when people can afford a good gunslinger, the right side CAN win.

[Jed Dilligan]

17. Kinda different from the local municipal court

power to the people... who can afford an appeal.

[Mike Daniels]

15. Yep, the standard for Virginia (1st offense w/ no accident or damage)

A few years ago was something in the area of a minimum fee of $1000, suspended jail sentence (30 days I think) , 1 year suspended or work restricted license and weekly classes (also $ out of your pocket) for a set period of time.

Charges were usually not dropped even if you met all the terms of the sentence.

Mel got a waving finger and a "behave from now on" from the judge.

[Jed Dilligan]

18. He also "took a dive" in old skid row parlance

"I'm an alcoholic and need help boo hoo!"

Same crap that got Rush Limbaugh off... That and the "professional respect" the judge in each case held for the defendant's lawyer.

[tridim]

8. It's not his first DUI

[SteppingRazor]

10. Ah! Well that changes things.

Ahem. Never mind :blush:

[Rex]

2. Hey, it's Mel!

I'm sure he will do extra self-torture over the next three years. Probably wear a course wool shirt under his clothes. 20 lashes with a wet noodle.

[MrModerate]

3. Gibson who? n/t

[Fridays Child]

5. Mel Gibson. n/t

[MrModerate]

11. I walked into that one . . . I was thinking politician n/t

[jackstraw45]

6. Actually, not true...

Know someone who served a week in jail for a FIRST TIME DUI offense in LA County (California) (she had no other record) plus license suspension/probation.

[KansDem]

20. Wonderful! This leaves him free to entertain us some more!!!

We always go light on our nation's entertainers! :)

Oh, and rich people too. They're both important for our standard of living and shouldn't be imprisoned :(

:sarcasm: