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Mom convicted of jay walking homocide, may get larger sentence than admitted drunk driver

post #1 of 15
Thread Starter 

 http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/mom-convicted-son-jaywalking-death-never-end-151356884.html

 

Please sign the petition linked below!

 

Quote:
A Marietta, Ga., mom who was convicted of jaywalking after her 4-year-old son was run over and killed in a hit-and-run said on the Today Show that the worst part of going to jail would be the separation from her two remaining kids.

 

Raquel Nelson was convicted of homicide by vehicle and reckless conduct by a jury and faces sentencing tomorrow. She can receive up to a three-year jail sentence, six times the stretch that Jerry Guy--who admitted to drinking before running over Nelson's son, A.J.--served.

 

"I think to come after me so much harder than they did him is a slap in the face because this will never end for me," she said. "It's three years away from the two that I have left."

 

Nelson also said that the jury had "never been in my shoes," because each of them answered that they had never taken public transportation before. Nelson, who doesn't have a car, was three-tenths of a mile away from the nearest crosswalk when her bus dropped her off at the stop across the street from her apartment with her three children. She decided to cross with her kids rather than remain outside any later at night, she said. (You can read more about her case here.)

 

"We are just hoping as a family that [the judge] is compassionate and lets my niece remain with her other children," Nelson's aunt Loretta Williams said. Nearly 75,000 have signed an online petition in support of Nelson.

 

post #2 of 15

MESSED UP.

 

Signed.

post #3 of 15

that's fucked.


signed

post #4 of 15

The drunk driver only got 6 months? Madness.

 

Signed.

post #5 of 15
Thread Starter 

Looks like Nelson is getting a new trial: http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/cobb-mom-opts-for-1042791.html

 

Here's hoping it goes better than the last!


Edited by Diva - 7/28/11 at 9:47am
post #6 of 15

Atlanta (and the surrounding 'burbs like Marietta) is one of, if not the worst, cities for pedestrians.  And I don't say that as an opinion--I believe it got named that in a recent survey.  When I was in California for a trip once, I asked what was up with the people that put out their hands as a "stop" when they went through the crosswalk, and was told that they have the right of way, and you have to stop when they do that.  I laughed and said, "You do that in Atlanta, the driver will speed up and try to hit you."

post #7 of 15
Thread Starter 

As a former organizer, it is crazy to me that community groups haven't rallied to use this as a case for promoting safer trafiic laws, better crosswalks, improved public transportation, etc. This could be a jumping off point for how horribly wrong things are currently. But no, let's punish the lady trying to cross a street to get her kids home to bed.

post #8 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martianman View Post

Atlanta (and the surrounding 'burbs like Marietta) is one of, if not the worst, cities for pedestrians.  And I don't say that as an opinion--I believe it got named that in a recent survey.  When I was in California for a trip once, I asked what was up with the people that put out their hands as a "stop" when they went through the crosswalk, and was told that they have the right of way, and you have to stop when they do that.  I laughed and said, "You do that in Atlanta, the driver will speed up and try to hit you."


I've heard the same thing about Hawaii.

 



Quote:
Originally Posted by Diva View Post

As a former organizer, it is crazy to me that community groups haven't rallied to use this as a case for promoting safer trafiic laws, better crosswalks, improved public transportation, etc. This could be a jumping off point for how horribly wrong things are currently. But no, let's punish the lady trying to cross a street to get her kids home to bed.


As if any of these people have NEVER jaywalked in their lives.  It's more like they're punishing her for doing it badly or something.

 

post #9 of 15

Jaywalking, one of the most unfathomable aspects of America. Crossing the road...is a crime.

post #10 of 15

It's all that goddamn chicken's fault when he decided to cross the road JUST to get to the other side.  Asshole.

post #11 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Art Decade View Post

The drunk driver only got 6 months? Madness.

 

Signed.



What's even more maddening:

 

"Jerry Guy admitted he had been drinking and taking prescribed painkillers the night of the accident, and had been convicted in two earlier hit-and-runs. He served six months in jail for the crime."

 

 

 

 

post #12 of 15

Near where my wife works (down by Valencia College SW of Pine Hills area of Orlando), I see people running across Kirkman (6+ lane highway) all the time to and from the bus stop.  Across 436/Aloma in Casselberry (another 6 lane road) with kids in tow as well and at night!. No where near a corner/crosswalk. Dangerous as hell.

 

But the fact she's being punished heavier than the drunk driver? Ridiculous.

post #13 of 15

So, Guy was not beyond the legal limit in alcohol consumption. He hit a jaywalking pedestrian, which is not a crime here in Alabama -- I'm not sure about Georgia, but I imagine it's rather similar. He's serving six months for not remaining at the scene: a reasonable sentence.

 

Nelson broke the law by jaywalking, which is no big deal. However, in the act of jaywalking, she endangered the lives of three dependent minors resulting in the death of one. She would rather endanger the lives of her children than walk three-tenths of a mile.

 

I don't think the sentence is nearly long enough.

 

Edit: thought I'd let everyone know that I regularly run across a four-lane highway, hop a concrete median, and run across another four-lane highway. Then I cross back. I know exactly how dangerous jaywalking is, and anyone willing to bring their children into that situation should, at the very least, have their custody revoked.

post #14 of 15

A fitting user name.

post #15 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martianman View Post

Atlanta (and the surrounding 'burbs like Marietta) is one of, if not the worst, cities for pedestrians.  And I don't say that as an opinion--I believe it got named that in a recent survey.  When I was in California for a trip once, I asked what was up with the people that put out their hands as a "stop" when they went through the crosswalk, and was told that they have the right of way, and you have to stop when they do that.  I laughed and said, "You do that in Atlanta, the driver will speed up and try to hit you."

 

I lived in both Atlanta & Marietta for years.  You speak the truth.
 

 

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CHUD.com Community › Forums › CULTURE, HUMOR, & FREE FORM › Misc. Culture › Mom convicted of jay walking homocide, may get larger sentence than admitted drunk driver