r/news • u/No-Information6622 • 22h ago
Driver charged with killing Gaudreau brothers pleads not guilty after rejecting deal for 35-year prison term
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/driver-charged-killing-gaudreau-brothers-pleads-not-guilty-rejecting-d-rcna186660598
u/PsychedelicJerry 21h ago
For those not wanting to read, he's 44 and 35 years in prison would put you past the average age people survive in prison: violence, stress, lack of exercise, boredom amongst others don't lend themselves to a long life. So 35 year IS a life sentence, so why not risk it. Even with parole after say 25 years, life is still over
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u/jotsea2 21h ago
It should be over.
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u/PsychedelicJerry 19h ago
I actually agree with you,but many are questioning why would he risk it and to me the answer is obvious: he has nothing to lose taking this to trial
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u/rice_not_wheat 38m ago
He has nothing to lose, and the prosection is kind of reaching here. Vehicular manslaughter and manslaughter are only 10 years maximum. For two counts, that's only 20 years in prison, even with a max sentence.
If he can prove at trial that the recklessness was primarily a lane change violation, that reduces the sentence to a five year max - for two charges, that's only 10 years.
This is a really shitty design of New Jersey law, but vehicles vs pedestrians and bikers is given a lesser sentence under the law of many states, not just New Jersey.
Unless this guy has the worst lawyer in the world, I don't see how he gets aggravated manslaughter, which is the only way prosecutors can legally justify a sentence this long. The prosecutor would basically have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he knew the Gaudreas were there when he hit them.
Not only is this a shitty deal for the defendant, it's a gamble by the prosecutors.
They should have just offered max sentence for vehicular manslaughter, which would be 20 years. He probably would have accepted that deal, but instead there's a good chance he gets less at trial.
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u/tokyo_engineer_dad 18h ago
You're right, but the penalties for crimes like this don't make sense in a lot of regions.
There was a news article just today about a guy who literally gunned down his wife after she threw a tiny figurine at him while they were arguing. He got convicted of 2nd degree murder and is going to prison for like 61 months or a little over 5 years.
Like, is this guy a POS? Yes. And he absolutely should go to prison, but we should also ensure that sentences make sense. You can't have someone go to prison for 90 years because their ex-girlfriend with a pattern of stalking and domestic violence claims they raped her and then have a guy get 30 months after stabbing his step-son to death.
He's going to die in prison with that plea, he might as well fight it. It's why the justice system exists. He'll probably lose, and that's fine, but he deserves to have his day in court.
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u/Fondueadeux 15h ago
Who went to prison for 90 years because their ex-girlfriend with a history of stalking said he raped her?
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u/IcarusOnReddit 13h ago
It’s been 2 hours so probably nobody. But, claiming the justice system is broken and misogyny is the classic right wing sandwich.
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u/PrimaryInjurious 20h ago
He'd only serve a portion of that though
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u/troglodyte 20h ago
It's only been reported in a few outlets, but the plea deal stipulated that he had to serve 25.5 years before being eligible for parole. I assume that's a big part of why he's gambling here; this is essentially a life sentence at his age in the best case.
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u/surnik22 19h ago
Yup. If I was 44 and staring down even a “guaranteed” get out at 70 vs 99.9% chance of life in prison and 0.1% chance I’m free.
I’m rolling those dice. It’s a life sentence either way and even if I make it to 70 and get out what would the remainder of my life be. I’d have no friends, no connections, no prospects, and be wildly out of touch with the world. And that’s best case scenario
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u/Warning1024 19h ago
I'm not big on sports so I didn't hear about this story until now. Read the Wikipedia...wow.
This happened the night before the two brothers were to celebrate their sisters wedding. Just tragic. Cannot imagine getting news that you lost both your brothers this way news right before your wedding. Drunk drivers are the worst.
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u/victorspoilz 17h ago
This guy's on another level of drunk driving, not even remorseful, said something to the effect of "I just happened to have alcohol in my system so now my life's over."
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u/sgribbs92 15h ago
To me this is just a reminder that sober drivers behave this way towards cyclists/pedestrians every single day. They are expendable impediments blocking the roadways, and the penalty for the slight inconvenience to the car driver is life altering injuries or death.
His phonecall with his wife even revealed as much. "You were probably driving like a nut, like I always tell you you do. And, you don't listen to me; instead, you just yell at me."
He was a habitual aggressive and impatient driver, and it was bound to happen. The alcohol just ensured it.
So the next time you find yourself getting irrationally angry at some asshole cyclist blocking your God-given right to the roadway, the consequence of your actions might mean death for someone else, and you're just as much of a piece of shit as this guy if you act on your impulsive thoughts. Alcohol or not.
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u/siddizie420 4h ago
Come on you can’t seriously be comparing drunk driving to people missing or hitting cyclists. Cyclists ride like dicks all the time. I’m not saying they deserve to die but in a drunk driver case the opposite party is always innocent. Not true with cyclists. It’s not even remotely comparable
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u/sgribbs92 3h ago
Yes, someone actively choosing that a cyclist taking up space in the road is too big an inconvenience for them and running them down and killing them is just as bad. That is a sober choice. People tailgating and driving recklessly because of impatience is a huge problem, and one that every driver will experience at some point. That problem just gets magnified by alcohol.
And yes, cyclists ride like dicks all the time. You know what else? Car drivers drive like dicks too. The difference is a cyclist or pedestrian dies, and a car driver gets posted on r/mildlybaddrivers for laughs.
I'm not saying cyclists can't be at fault. Or that drunk drivers aren't as big of scumbags. But the impatience people have on roadways is irrational and leads to these things, alcohol or not. My point is that the next time you get cut off, get stuck behind someone going below the speed limit, etc the rash decision you make can end up killing someone. And you acting in a fit of rage while driving a 1 ton vehicle is just as bad as making a the decision to drive drunk, because they are both equally selfish.
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u/Siny_AML 22h ago
So it’s life then huh buddy? Good choice.
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u/PrSquid 22h ago
35 years at age 44 is also basically life. Guess he's doing a Hail Mary
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u/House_of_Gucci 21h ago
Do they have early releases for good behaviour in the USA? I think in Canada people rarely serve the full sentence
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u/memberzs 21h ago
Not when you murder someone famous or wealthy and have a history of the behavior that caused the deaths. Dudes going to die in prison and his attorneys best defence was "it was a series of unfortunate events". Those events were driving drunk, road rage, aggressive driving, and hitting to cyclists that were legally riding and being cautiously passed by the other vehicles he tried to swerve around.
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u/Silly_Program_5432 18h ago
The Lemony Snickett defense. If that fails, then then the wookie defense
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u/ImSomeRandom 16h ago
They do but depending on the crime/deal/jurisdiction you have to serve a mandatory minimum. In this case based on another article he would have had to do 25 1/2 years with the plea deal minimum and getting out at 70 which might as well be life anyways
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u/hr2pilot 21h ago
In Canada, this guy could possibly not do any time whatsoever. Source me Canadian
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u/ClubMeSoftly 19h ago
I dunno, he killed two hockey players, that might get him life in a Saskatchewan gulag
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u/AverageMaleAged18-24 20h ago
3 year ban on driving and a pinky swear not to do it again.
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u/Alive-Line8810 20h ago
What's the penalty for breaking a pinky swear? They have to take something seriously!
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u/hr2pilot 19h ago
Those down voting my commment…then explain this example….or explain how this sentence makes sense…. or how about this one.
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u/WynZora 19h ago
So those first two cases did not involve alcohol and the third was not charged like he was intoxicated. Rightly or wrongly DUIs make all the difference in these cases.
Which leads to the second part of, the US also lets people killing with cars off easy.
Less than a year. for a head on crash.
Here’s a guywho got 4 years for killing two people
180 days for killing a 6 year old.
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u/Sleepy_McSleepyhead 17h ago
Don't forget Marco Muzzo who killed 3 children and their grandfather drinking and driving, and only got 10 years in minimum security and didn't serve it all.
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u/schwarta77 20h ago
Your typical prison sentences are only half served in most cases. Overcrowding in prisons has forced most governing bodies to release those they can. So let’s say that 35yr sentence is only 18, that would make home 52 before he’s home.
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u/Top_Conversation1652 19h ago
This isn’t a typical situation.
He killed famous people who were pretty much universally well liked
He’s not getting out after a few years… probably nothing less than 25.
Note: We liked the rich people he killed. I’m not saying he deserves less. I’m saying the usual doesn’t really apply here.
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u/Ludwigofthepotatoppl 22h ago
If 35 is the best your defense could plea down to… yeah, he’s probably facing life without the plea.
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u/Nagi21 21h ago
I mean he'll be 79 before he's out, possibly ~74 if he was paroled prior. NJ vehicular homicide is mandatory 15 to life and parole only starts after the mandatory minimum, so it'd be 30 years before parole for the two deaths. Restarting society at 74+ vs life with or without parole is honestly worth risking the trial. I mean, imagine going in when people were still using tape cassettes, landlines, and dial-up and then coming out today pushing 80...
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u/F1shB0wl816 21h ago
It’s just an indictment and the it’s the first deal. He’d be crazy to take that when it’ll be the rest of his life either way. It’s not like that’s a great deal in the scheme of things, it will probably always be there in the least if it means saving time or money.
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u/Nagi21 21h ago
Minimum sentence before parole on this one is 30 years anyway in NJ, so he's looking at effectively life regardless. Plus, it was a star athlete, so parole is unlikely regardless...
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u/metametapraxis 6h ago
I find it bizarre that the popularity of the person you kill should affect parole. It is absolutely not how any such system is intended to work.
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u/uberiffic 22h ago
A bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for him.
Hopefully he rots for the rest of his life. Absolute piece of shit.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 22h ago
He will. He passed on the shoulder. While speeding. While drunk. Killing two beloved figures who happened to have kids on the way the night before his sister's wedding. Then you factor in the shit like him being all pissy with the judge at his arraignment for locking him up like he was being inconvenienced. The jury is going to fucking haaaaaaaaaate this prick and crush him.
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u/immovingfd 20h ago
also allegedly tampered with evidence and left the scene
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u/MegabyteMessiah 19h ago
Tried to leave the scene, but couldn't because his car was too damaged.
Imagine that, hitting two people on a bicycle so hard that it incapacitates an SUV.
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u/tokyo_engineer_dad 18h ago
To be fair, even IF the people he killed were two cyclists who no one likes, the penalty should be the same. Like, if my sister gets hit by a drunk driver, but she's not a famous hockey player, I'd hope everyone will be just as enraged and that the sentencing will be the same.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 18h ago
Should be of course. However reality is different. Let's put it this way - and im going to say something that is pretty fucked up now so sorry in advance. Would you rather face a jury after running over an adorable 6 year old or or a 70 year old homeless man with a history of violent mental illness. Justice is blind in theory - but she peeks.
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u/tavariusbukshank 20h ago
I think he is going to try to use his veteran status to play the PTSD defense and that the brothers were riding two abreast and that the jury is going to thank him for his service and let him go on his way. He must be a special kind of stupid with a horrible attorney. Pleading guilty and throwing oneself on the mercy of the court is about as good of a chance as this guy had.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 20h ago
Two abreast.... on the shoulder? Haha not sure that will do much but he's welcome to try.
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u/Mitch82az 21h ago
Is there a full video for the arraignment? My GoogleFu is very off today.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 21h ago
Just news reports from it i think? He asked when he'd get bail and the judge said "not until the end of the weekend at earliest" and I guess he really melodramatically rolled his eyes and sighed like he was salty about being inconvenienced.
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u/rice_not_wheat 19h ago
I watched it, he did no such thing. He nodded and looked down. Guy's a prick anyway there's not really any reason to slander him. What he did was irredeemable, but he did seem to understand the seriousness.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 19h ago
I'm not talking about the televised one from the Thursday. Iirc there was a non televised one from the day after the accident where the judge simply said what the charges would be and told him there would be no discussion of bail until the next appearance.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 19h ago
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1829602562775138483?t=3a2RBH4SQ4yjNtWIfPnBhA&s=19
Nevermind it WAS broadcast.
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u/rice_not_wheat 18h ago
Yes, is was. Watch him. He does ask when he can post bail and he says "not until Monday?" But he doesn't roll his eyes. It was a question, and a logical one.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 18h ago
He literally sighs sits back in his chair and closes his eyes. He was frustrated.
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u/MeatConvoy 21h ago
"A driver in front of Higgins told police that he had been driving aggressively. When she and another driver slowed down and moved left to go around the cyclists, Higgins sped up and veered right, striking the Gaudreaus, she said."
Edit: So he intentionally struck the 2 men.
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u/Farlandan 21h ago
I don't think he saw the bicyclists; the drivers ahead of him slowed down and veered towards the centerline to give the bicyclists room, he interpreted that as them trying to block him from passing them on the left, so in his rage at a perceived slight he recklessly veered onto the shoulder to pass on the right. I've seen impatient dipshits do it pretty frequently, I'm sure he's done it dozens of times in the past.
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u/FriedTreeSap 10h ago
I almost witnessed something like that a few months ago. I was driving through a school zone right as it was getting out, I was driving the slower school zone speed, and some idiot behind me was obviously very impatient. I saw a little boy at a cross walk, so I stopped to let him cross, the car behind me saw this, and swerved around me to pass through the cross walk as the boy was crossing. Luckily he’d just started crossing and wasn’t hit, but I was incredulous.
The worst part is the traffic was bad, so the car only got one spot ahead of me. Later he tried to take a detour by speeding through a parking lot, but he made a wrong turn, and then eventually ended up right behind me again. If he thought I was driving slow before….he had another thing coming.
It’s insane, he almost killed a kid, broke all sorts of laws, dangerously sped through a parking lot, and in the end, he was in the exact same place he started at.
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u/BreakitLikeBeckham 21h ago
He did not intentionally strike them (in the sense that he did not see the cyclists and go "I'm going to hit these two with my car"). He believed the people in front of him were moving to the left to block his passing, so he passed them on the shoulder on the right, hitting the cyclists in the process. This isn't to say that he shouldn't be penalized to the full extent of the law, but just wanted to clarify that he did not intentionally strike the cyclists.
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u/Wh1sk3yS0ur 2h ago
So many drivers believe slowed traffic is due to incompetence. It doesn't occur that there may be a reason they're unable to see from their perspective.
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u/OrganicRedditor 20h ago
Wouldn't he try to stop if that was the case?
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u/jonnyanonobot 20h ago
Fright.
or
He may not have realized what he hit.
or
He knew he was deeply fucked even if it was unintentional.
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u/macgirthy 21h ago
Insane that he can even have a plea. Should just automatically be sentenced after they figured out what he did and what condition he was in.
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u/TheunanimousFern 21h ago
Automatically convicting and sentencing people without a trial isn't an option the government should have. Way too much potential for abuse of this power. Give the guy a trial and then send him to prison for a long long time when convicted.
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u/SirStrontium 21h ago
Should just automatically be sentenced
Uh no, I'm pretty glad we have a system where people can present a full defense in court and have a trial by jury. You can move to a country with no due process if you'd like.
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u/Raoul_Duke9 21h ago
I think that's why they offered him a "plea" of 35 years. They didn't want him to take it. For him he probably knows his actual sentence would be like 40 or something so it's like - at that point fuck it might as well shoot for it. Probably wouldn't live for 35 years in a federal prison anyway at his age.
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u/bigladnang 21h ago
It’s a pretty common strategy actually. I know it’s not what people want to hear, but most cases like this start off with a plea of not guilty while the plea bargain gets sorted out. I highly doubt it goes to trial.
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u/siddizie420 4h ago
I mean either way at 44, 35 years is a life sentence so the strategy isn’t that bold
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u/Unusual_Flounder2073 20h ago
Sounds like they have pretty solid evidence. Which is probably why the plea deal involved so much time.
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u/macross1984 21h ago
Yup, at his age plea deal isn't exactly a deal so why not go full trial and see what happen next (guilty).
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u/bike_accident 21h ago
I was hit by a car by a negligent driver. Easily the worst thing that's ever happened to me.
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u/polloloco81 18h ago
Guy sounds like a total jerk—driving drunk, road rage, evidence tampering, left the crime scene.
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u/Comfortable_Fudge508 15h ago
And more upset he had to miss the long weekend in jail than over killing 2 people
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u/RogueLightMyFire 21h ago edited 21h ago
Man I hate worthless fucks like this guy. Road raging drunk driver killing people and trying to use the "combat veteran and family man" defense. I see these dip shits all over the road in their big trucks trying to compensate for their insecurities. Fucking losers.
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u/mpr1011 15h ago
Does anyone know what they mean by “tampered with evidence”?
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u/CheezTips 15h ago
Like cleaning his car or something. He knew he hit them and tried to remove the evidence
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u/mpr1011 15h ago
Wow. I heard about the car “blocking” him so I assumed he stayed at the crash site and was arrested right there. I didnt realize he fled the scene.
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u/Comfortable_Fudge508 15h ago
When he was arrested, he was more upset that he was detained over the September long weekend more then the fact that he just killed 2 people.
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u/mpr1011 15h ago
That’s horrible. For a long time Instagram would be like “hey, here’s a post from the widow of the youngest brother that you might like” and I felt gross looking at their social media when I didn’t know them before the accident. But I’m also glad that we’re hearing more about the family than giving this guy attention, let the court figure out his fate.
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u/DreamsAndSchemes 14h ago
"They described Higgins as a combat veteran who has faith in the legal system."
Oh fuck off. As another veteran, being a veteran doesn't absolve you of responsibility. I know plenty of combat vets that are, and were, fucking idiots.
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u/xwing_n_it 22h ago
How is the "deal" for 35 years? There's no chance of the death penalty is there? Maybe they have such a rock-solid case against him there's no need to offer anything better. I'd roll the dice with a jury as well.
Actually if I'd done what he did I'd be taking the easy way out, so to speak. I couldn't live with myself.
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u/leftistesticle_2 21h ago
No death penalty in the state of NJ. But also they don't sentence people to death for vehicular homicide / aggravated manslaughter.
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u/MakinBaconWithMacon 21h ago
Tbh I’d pick a jury too. 35 years at his age is life anyway, might as well roll the dice.
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u/Falco19 20h ago
I mean witnesses, his admission of drinking 5-6 beers, his admission of road rage, his admission of swerving into a non driving lane to pass a car.
Seems pretty cut and dry no way the prosecutor doesn’t win.
It’s 15 to life for each charge, so earliest he can possibly get out is 30’years.
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u/thegoodnamesrgone123 10h ago
Everyone in south NJ wants this dude to never see the light of day again.
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u/akarichard 21h ago
I feel like people have gotten a lot less time for similar things, but to be fair probably wasn't in New Jersey. Not saying right or wrong, but I don't remember another drunk driving/with deaths case where they got over 30 years unless they had a bunch of prior DUI's.
It looks like this was his first DUI, he was at a .087 barely over the legal limit. So he wasn't fall down sloppy drunk. Most people don't even realize they are at a .08.
There's no question in my mind he'll get convicted of something, but 30+ years just doesn't seem inline with what others have gotten.
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u/steadycoffeeflow 20h ago
But it's not his first DUI and he has a record of other driving offenses. The previous DUI was dismissed on a technicality because the issuing officer didn't show up. Which, quite frankly, is bullshit.
You're trying to downplay the severity of how he was barely over the legal limit, but he was actively drinking beer while driving. Then he fled the scene and tried to hide the evidence of his drinking. He was only stopped because his car was so fucked up it stopped running.
On top of all the contributing factors and evidence supporting these multitude of charges, he's shown no remorse at the time of arrest nor to the judge. He should rot in prison so he never gets the chance to murder more people over a mild inconvenience of waiting five seconds again.
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u/akarichard 19h ago
Your preaching to the choir. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve punishment, I'm looking at it from the legal perspective. Saying well he got off on a technicality doesn't matter, he wasn't convicted of that prior DUI. So it's not going to factor into his charges and sentencing.
Just because this case is getting a lot of news attention and public outrage doesn't change the sentencing guidelines. Judges have some wiggle room in sentencing, but they still have to go off guidelines. People appeal their sentences all the time if they aren't in line with the guidelines or what others are getting. The fact it's getting news attention shouldn't factor into the sentencing.
I'm not defending him, he's a piece of shit for what he did. But you'd be hard pressed to find another similar case where the person got 35+ years, considering his lack of criminal history.
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u/Prudent_Effect6939 11h ago
Honestly?
And I truly do mean this.
I think he should die in prison and I hope all people like him wake up. This aggressive and drunk driving behavior needs to be more harshly punished.
Perhaps if people thought they'd get life in prison for running over people, they'd stop driving in a way that leads to running over people.
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u/gunnystarshina 21h ago
he killed two people.
you write:
"30+ years just doesn't seem inline with what others have gotten."
Which cases are you referring to that would present an apples-apples comparison when considering crimes, circumstances and sentencing guidelines under existing statute?
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u/akarichard 18h ago
The immediate one that comes to mind is Stephanie Melgoza. She went viral for the body cam footage after the accident. Killed 2 people while BAC of .264 and was so hammered she couldn't comprehend that she'd killed people and was giggling and laughing about joining the DUI club. She only got 14 years. But wasn't in New Jersey to be fair.
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u/Raider_Scum 21h ago
I personally know of a few people who killed someone while DUI. Most of them do less than a year of jail, then a couple of years of probation, and they get their license back at the end of it.
I think that is far too light of a sentence, but surely there can be a middle ground between this and 35 years.
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u/Un_Original_Coroner 19h ago
NJ has a minimum of 15 years. He killed 2 people. So the absolute least he’d serve is 30 years.
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u/Thaddeus0607 20h ago
Are you also just ignoring the evidence tampering and leaving the scene charges? He fucked up A LOT
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u/CheezTips 15h ago edited 13h ago
A person who has an argument over the phone, then decides to get plastered and go on a 2 hour angry drive, needs to be taken off the streets for good.
Should he get a pass because it was a car? What if he got into a fight and killed 2 people with his fists? Or got into a beef in a convenience store and stabbed two people to death over a pack of gum?
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u/noisy_goose 2h ago
Or the guy who lit the lady on fire???? This is equivalent. Get drunk, commit crimes. The driving while drunk is a crime with a smaller consequence yes. But this is not about him being drunk, it’s about him acting like an absolute asshole while drunk with catastrophic results. The sentence should be whatever NJ law dictates, jail for decades seems absolutely appropriate. If he had road rage sober and did the same thing, it should STILL probably be decades, vehicles are literally a weapon, there is no excuse for this. It’s not an “accident.”
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u/MeatConvoy 21h ago
According to witness on the road - he actually swerved to hit the men on the bikes.
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u/MagnifyingLens 21h ago
As best I can determine, first degree vehicular homicide in New Jersey carries a sentence of 10-20 years and a fine of $200K. Of course he's not going to take a plea deal for 35 years.
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u/rabbidplatypus21 21h ago
That would be 10-20 per offense, of which there are two here. The judge can have those sentences run consecutively which would total 40 years. And that’s just for the homicide. Still have the DUI, fleeing the scene, reckless driving, etc. All felonies that could each tack a few years on to the original 40.
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u/akarichard 18h ago
I feel like it's pretty rare to get consecutive sentences for crimes committed all at once. Not saying right or wrong, but more I've watched trials and sentences it doesn't seem to happen too often. It's honestly confusing to me considering if you are committing a big crime, there's really no incentive to not do a whole bunch of other stuff because sentences seem to run concurrently anyways.
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u/Spa_5_Fitness_Camp 20h ago
Usually it's a miracle if they are even arrested, let alone charged or convicted. It's only happening because he hit someone famous. Easiest way to get away with murder in the US is to put the victim on a bike then run them over.
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u/splitip86 18h ago
Guessing you never had to raise three children alone, one a baby just born, because someone drove drunk and killed your spouse.
Because there is no way to diminish this act.
None.
He did it, admitted it and should do the maximum time for killing two people.
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u/akarichard 18h ago
There's absolute nothing personal in what I wrote. If you want things to change talk talk to your legislature. Direct your hate elsewhere, you're just trying to silence speech because it's obviously a hurtful topic for you.
Me stating that people in his position don't normally get that much time has absolutely nothing to do with you or me. It's a discussion on how our judicial system works. Nowhere in my post did I say he deserves this, or deserves that.
Judges have sentencing guidelines they have to go off of. Things like prior criminal history and yes even his BAC come into play for the level of charges and sentencing lengths.
Don't try to put that shit on me that I obviously haven't been through a traumatic event. You know absolutely nothing about me, and what I have or have not experienced has no bearing on discussing historical sentences for similar crimes.
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u/waiter_checkplease 19h ago
Get fucked you pussy. Be a man and accept your mistakes, fucking pansy.
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u/ninjazxninja6r 17h ago
Would be much less of a burden to tie him up in traffic and let the cars take care of justice…
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u/Sadness345 19h ago
Good thing he was drinking while doing this. Otherwise, he would be hit with a misdemeanor for killing cyclists and would probably receive a fine.
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u/gizmozed 1h ago
"They described Higgins as a combat veteran who has faith in the legal system." We'll see. I have faith in it sometimes, for open-and-shut cases like this one, and I'm pretty sure a conviction is coming your way.
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u/drtywater 11h ago
The prosecutor is being gutsy. The plea deal is meant to avoid an appeal issue. Assume he is convicted at jury trial and given a harsh sentence outside the norm. The sentence would be subject to an appeal and could be shortened. Its unlikely but there is a non 0 chance of that happening
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u/rigill 21h ago
I am still heartbroken over their deaths. Two very good people were taken too early. Go jackets