Page 5 - Aruba Today
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 12 January 2016
Judge reduces bond for mother of Texas ‘affluenza’ teen
JAMIE STENGLE Tonya Couch appears in court in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. The mother of Ethan of irresponsibility by his
Associated Press Couch, who used an “affluenza” defense after killing people in a drunken-driving wreck, ap- wealthy parents, a condi-
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) peared in court on a charge of hindering the apprehension of a felon. tion the expert called “af-
— The mother of a Texas fluenza.”
teenager who used an (Rodger Mallison/Star-Telegram via AP, Pool) Despite all of the previous
“affluenza” defense for a testimony about the teen’s
deadly wreck could soon tor and remain at home ex- Stephanie Patten, said af- the June 2013 wreck. wealthy upbringing, his
leave jail after a judge on terward that she wasn’t A juvenile court judge mother’s attorneys have
Monday sharply reduced cept for appointments with sure if Tonya Couch would gave the teen 10 years’ argued that she had few
her bond. immediately post bond. probation, outraging pros- assets to her own name
Tonya Couch’s bond is her doctor and lawyer. Ethan Couch was 16 and ecutors who had called for and couldn’t pay the cost
now $75,000 instead of $1 driving at three times the him to face detention time. of a $1 million bond.
million. She is charged with State District Judge Wayne legal limit for adult driv- The case drew widespread Another of Tonya Couch’s
hindering the apprehen- ers when he rammed a derision after an expert sons, Steven McWilliams,
sion of a felon after she Salvant said he understood pickup truck into a crowd called by Ethan Couch’s testified Monday that the
and her son, Ethan Couch, of people trying to help lawyers argued he had balance on a bank ac-
were caught in a Mexican prosecutors’ concerns stranded motorists on the been coddled into a sense count belonging to her
resort city. Ethan, 18, killed side of a North Texas road. read “-$99 billion.”
four people in a 2013 crash that Couch might flee Four people were killed in Tonya Couch is separated
and was facing allegations from Fred Couch, Ethan’s
that he violated his proba- again, but that the charge father, who owns a sub-
tion. urban Fort Worth business
Authorities say Tonya against her, while a third- that does large-scale met-
Couch took $30,000 and al roofing.
fled with Ethan to Mexico degree felony, wasn’t seri- According to an arrest
out of fear that her son warrant, Tonya Couch is
would face prison for vio- ous enough to merit a $1 accused of telling Fred
lating his probation. The Couch that he would nev-
two were caught in Puerto er see her or Ethan again
Vallarta, Mexico, on Dec. before fleeing.
28. Tonya Couch was Tarrant County criminal
brought back to Texas last investigator Darran Gab-
week, while Ethan Couch bert testified Monday that
remains in a Mexico City Tonya and Ethan Couch
detention facility, where had a “planning meeting”
he is contesting his extradi- with several other people
tion. before leaving for Mexico.
If Tonya Couch makes bail, q
she will be required to wear
an electronic ankle moni- million bond.
One of her attorneys,
4 teens in custody in NYC park group rape
TOM HAYS in a dark corner of a Brook- the teens would face.
VERENA DOBNIK lyn park and when officers, The attack began at about
Associated Press flagged down by the dis- 9 p.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — A fa- traught father, responded Thursday after an 18-year-
ther trying to report that his to the park only to find that old woman and her
daughter was being ac- the young assailants had 39-year-old father decided
costed by armed teenag- fled into the night. to drink beer together near
ers in a city playground said Four teenagers were in cus- a handball court at a play-
a merchant refused to let tody on Monday in con- ground residents say usu-
him use a telephone, de- nection with the incident. ally is quiet and empty at
laying the police response Two of the teens, ages 15 night.
to the scene until after the and 17, were arrested on The woman told investiga-
girl had been raped, au- Sunday and the two oth- tors that a group of teen-
thorities said Monday. ers, ages 14 and 15, were agers approached the
Police said that more than turned in by their parents. pair in the park and one of
15 minutes elapsed be- A fifth was being sought. them pulled out a hand-
tween when the alleged Police hadn’t yet an- gun and ordered the fa-
attack began last Thursday nounced what charges ther to leave. q
