YouTube DUI confession doesn’t save defendant from prison time
A couple of months ago, we shared the DUI-related story that gained national attention. A young man from out of state got his face and serious wrongdoing in the news after he really put himself out there. He used YouTube to post a video of him confessing to a serious crime.
The man claimed that he was responsible for a drunk driving accident that killed a victim. His confession helped support a criminal case against him, a case that has ended up in conviction but severe sentencing, too. His punishment includes not just prison time but also an extreme limit on his driving privileges.
USA Today reports that the defendant, who pleaded guilty to the charges before him, was convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide and DUI. Some critics of the defendant and his YouTube video worried that the social media sharing was a stunt and attempt to gain sympathy and more lenient sentencing.
The judge in the case, however, didn’t go easy on the defendant. He may not have been sentenced to the maximum number of years in prison, but he was sentenced to serve six-and-a-half years. Beyond that, the convicted DUI homicide offender will never again be able to have a driver’s license. A permanent driver’s license revocation is a significant limit on a person’s life, one worth avoiding if possible.
The YouTube confession made this DUI accident a unique case. Generally, it is in the best interests of a defendant not to share any information about potential wrongdoing without talking to a criminal defense lawyer first. Someone who is facing the threat of a DUI charge and/or homicide charge like the man in this high-profile case should reach out the a defense attorney immediately.
Source: USA Today, “Man who gave viral DUI video confession sentenced,” Natalie DiBlasio, Oct. 23, 2013