Читать книгу Money Mammoth - Ted Klontz - Страница 40

Ethan is 16 years old. One evening, he and his friends got a little bit wild. On an impulse, they stole some beer and had an impromptu party at his parents' house. But these decisions were not the worst ones he made that night. Later that evening, Ethan and his buddies decided to go for a drive. Tragically, Ethan's drunk driving led to the death of four pedestrians and left one of his passengers brain damaged and paralyzed. Ethan's blood alcohol level was tested at 0.24 several hours after the crash, which was about three times the legal limit in Texas.

Due to the horrific nature of the crime, the prosecutor pushed for 20 years in state prison. Ethan pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter and received 10 years of probation from the juvenile court. Many were outraged by the verdict. They thought that his family's wealth afforded a defense that allowed him to receive a reduced sentence. However, the sentence isn't what makes this story so remarkable.

The unusual part of the story came at Ethan's trial when his mother and attorney asserted what has now become known as the “affluenza defense.” A psychologist called in for expert testimony made the argument that Ethan's socioeconomic privilege was actually a mental disorder. The defense argued that Ethan was afflicted by his wealthy upbringing and environment, which resulted in criminal insanity. Due to his wealthy upbringing, the argument went, he was unable to distinguish between right and wrong. Ethan became known as the “affluenza teen.”¹

While nobody can say for certain whether this line of defense impacted the judge's verdict and sentencing, it raises several interesting points. Can growing up in a wealthy environment, spoiled with materialistic possessions and luxuries, warp your sense of reality to the point where you can't function as a normal member of society? Could wealth so warp your sense of reality that you could be classified as insane and not be held legally responsible for your actions? Is it the wealth that can lead to a disconnect from “reality” or is it more the result of bad parenting?

You can imagine how someone could be raised in an environment that puts him or her out of touch with the experience of the average person. For example, imagine you grew up in a world where you got everything you wanted, where you could do whatever you wanted without consequence, and where your parents would use their money and influence to fix whatever problems you created for yourself. Don't you think that after years of living in that environment, your sense of reality and personal responsibility would be skewed? While fair-minded people would agree that this experience would be detrimental to a well-adjusted upbringing, it certainly wouldn't excuse drunk driving.