Should drunk drivers automatically be charged with attempted murder?

[OddBeMe]

Or automatically neglected manslaughter. Though I think there’s intent, not just neglect. They know they’re drunk.

Yes

No

Other

[Aerissa_Jade]

Someone driving drunk may not have the intent to harm or hurt others, but then again, someone waving a gun around in public firing it randomly doesn't either.

They both KNOW they could very well hurt or kill others and take that chance anyways.

It should be attempted manslaughter at the very least, but attempted automobile homicide could apply to, depending on your state and what they call things.

Around here DUI isn't just from alcohol though, it is anything that can affect your system, this could be high on weed, or painkillers, or cold medicine, people have been arrested for driving under the influence of other things besides just drinking.

Anything that can impair you, is considered a DUI, the influence of some sort of drug, no matter what it is.

A woman recently was sentenced to two years, because she was driving on pain medication that was prescribed by her doctor for a medical condition that impaired her and she couldn't stay in her lane.

She is damn lucky she didn't cause an accident, she came very close to though before she got pulled over.

I do think they are too lenient on drunk drivers though, especially repeat offenders. When I took my law class, I saw the book thrown at first time offenders who lost their job and went to jail, while the repeat offender who was on their 20th or so walked into court, was allowed to keep their license cause they needed it for their self employed business, and their sentence was extended by two more years of weekend only jail time, and fine given.

I'm a fan of DUI laws having mandatory sentencing, rather than allowing discretion like this, but I don't think first time offenders should go to jail forever, 52 weekends in lock up, should do it. Let them keep their job and help them to understand how serious it is, and that it isn't just drinking, other things apply.

Then on a second offense, can start requiring minimum jail time.

[FreyaRed]

No. Murder is intentional and I don't think most drunk drivers had the intention to kill someone. They should be charged automatically with manslaughter if they killed someone while driving drunk.

[DryGermanGuy]

The United States had the „tough on crime, throw away the keys“ approach for decades. All it did was fill the prisons with millions of people and ruin their lives. For whatever reason, stiff sentences do not deter most people. It would be smarter to prevent drunken driving by having more police patrols, better public transport, higher taxes on alcohol, etc…

[OddBeMe]

True, and I am a fan of treatment over punishment. So I guess I’m actually asking initial charges, not sentencing or consequences. Drug and alcohol treatments (or addiction) should be manadatory along with psychological therapy. Europe has a low percentage of reoffedners, the U. S. has like 100% lol…

[DryGermanGuy]

I'm not a penologist, but the way I understand it, a more drastic active charge locks prosecution and judges into longer required sentences from which they can't deviate. It might be different in the United States, but I doubt it. And you are correct, the recidivism rate in the United States is twice that of Germany.

[OddBeMe]

Yeah we capitalize on for profit prisons. And those companies do lobby lawmakers to put riders on bills that make mandatory shit like you’re talking.

But I guess it’s the name. If the charge was “murder” people would be stricter about drunk driving I bet…

[DryGermanGuy]

Interestingly enough, the highest German court just confirmed convictions for murder and attempted murder against two participants of an illegal street race. They crashed into another car and killed an unrelated person. These harsh verdicts are new in Germany and their effect will remain to be seen. But so far they got a certain attention in the street races scene, which is good.

[exitseven]

No, we have people who have looted and burned buildings and destroyed public statues and assaulted people with no consequences. Now we charge a poor working still who stopped off at the bar on his way home from work and had two beers with attempted murder?

Lets put the guy that did this in jail.

[OddBeMe]

Those rioters got arrested and charged with whatever danger they inflicted. Drunk drivers are chartered specifically with “DUI” or something.

[exitseven]

Nobody that was rioting got arrested. The people that killed that poor retired cop that was minding a neighbor's store never got caught, Nobody bothered to try. Kamala even donated money to bail; the ones that did get arrested out of jail.

[exitseven]

Thanks for the MHO😎

[Stoner710]

no because a lot of drunk drivers never kill someone i've driven drunk i go below the speed limit so i don't hurt someone and i gotta get on the freeway speed limit 60 i drive at 50 because i don't want to kill someone. but i live in very rural Washington if i was in seattle someone else is driving

[OddBeMe]

Well level of drunkenness and tolerance would of course be a variable.

[TheorionMage]

"CRIMINAL Negligence" possibly resulting in mayhem or death

[dustybiker]

It’s usually involuntary manslaughter minus case by case finer details say anger or suicide, no?

[OddBeMe]

Negligence at least, actual decision to put lives in danger at best.

[msc545]

Charging people with murder or attempted murder is excessive and possibly illegal unless they actually did these things. Driving drunk is not the same as attempting murder since attempted murder requires intent.

[Ms_Facesitter]

No because there is no such intent. They just want to get to where ever they're going.

[OddBeMe]

If I walk around downtown with a loaded air 15 safety off and drunk, would I be charged the same if I “accidentally” kill someone?

[OddBeMe]

AR15

[Ms_Facesitter]

Don't think so.

[OddBeMe]

Isn’t that the same?

[NathanDavis]

you're not attempting right now, are you... lol

[Sevenpointfive]

might as well be. it ruins the persons life forever. you can't get a decent job after that

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Automatic neglected manslaughter if someone dies.

Attempted murder indicates someone was trying to purposely and maliciously had intent to cause major harm and death unto someone.

[BJP21]

In California there is a zero tolerance policy, you kill someone, it's involuntary manslaughter.

[jjj101010]

Why can’t u just treat it as drink driving rather than rebadge it as something else, I think more accurately u should be arguing that it should carry the same sentence.

[AngryCarl]

No, because the law requires intent.