5.30.2012

a criminal vehicular homicide conviction ain't so bad... if you're amy senser

Did Amy Senser receive special treatment in the criminal vehicular manslaughter case that killed Anousone Phanthavong? Of course she did: Amy Senser case: Suspects in similar cases aren't so lucky, and serve jail time.

According to Pioneer Press, which looked at all 17 criminal vehicular manslaughter cases filed in Hennepin from January 2009 to September 15, 2011, Amy Senser was the only defendant who didn't spend at least a day in jail after arrest or while awaiting trial. This really can't be a surprise to anyone.

Senser, who failed to report herself as the driver that killed Phanthavong, was found guilty earlier this month. She remains free until her sentencing in July. Meanwhile, the average criminal vehicular homicide defendant spent a lot more time behind bars:
An analysis of the 17 criminal vehicular homicide cases filed in Hennepin County from January 2009 to Sept. 15, 2011, the date Senser was charged, shows she was the only defendant who didn't spend at least a day in jail after arrest or while awaiting trial.

For the others, jail time ranged from a day to 290 days. The average criminal vehicular homicide defendant spent 75 days in jail; six of them spent more than 120 days in jail.

Four of the 17 defendants were women, and their average stay was nearly five days. Each pleaded guilty and wound up behind bars for anywhere from a year to eight years.
Not a single day in jail! I suppose it helps to be wealthy and married to a former NFL hero. Let's hope sentencing does not yield further special treatment, for justice's sake. More here: Amy Senser received special treatment from justice system, report says.

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