In Memoriam Johnny Gaudreau & Matthew Gaudreau killed by drunk driver while cycling (MOD WARNING. No Flaming, Trolling, or Politics.)

belair

Win it for Ben!
Apr 9, 2010
39,892
23,707
Canada
I mean, not killing people and going to jail for five years is plenty to stop me.

Without looking I'd be comfortable betting large amounts that Americans kill far more people drunk driving. 35 years doesn't do shit aside from make sure they try to do a hit and run
I dunno. I wouldn't be too worried about the penalty if that's the worst it could get. Think of the people who actually drive drunk without a second thought.

I'm not sure what you mean by the last part. If anything, that decision is going to be the reason he's likely to die in jail.
 

DJJones

Registered User
Nov 18, 2014
10,869
4,200
Calgary
I dunno. I wouldn't be too worried about the penalty if that's the worst it could get. Think of the people who actually drive drunk without a second thought.

I'm not sure what you mean by the last part. If anything, that decision is going to be the reason he's likely to die in jail.

That seems like wild logic to me. You can intentionally kill someone in Canada and get like 10 years. No one goes, oh great, free murder.

I meant if I knew I'm getting 35 years, I'm not even stopping to check on the guy I hit. I'm driving straight to Mexico. Your lifes already over if you stop to help
 

CarolinaBlueJacket

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
3,990
3,474
North Carolina
That seems like wild logic to me. You can intentionally kill someone in Canada and get like 10 years. No one goes, oh great, free murder.

I meant if I knew I'm getting 35 years, I'm not even stopping to check on the guy I hit. I'm driving straight to Mexico. Your lifes already over if you stop to help
I suggest life with no parole for you after reading that.
 
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McGarnagle

Yes.
Aug 5, 2017
30,705
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That seems like wild logic to me. You can intentionally kill someone in Canada and get like 10 years. No one goes, oh great, free murder.

I meant if I knew I'm getting 35 years, I'm not even stopping to check on the guy I hit. I'm driving straight to Mexico. Your lifes already over if you stop to help
hqdefault.jpg
 

Mike C

Registered User
Jan 24, 2022
11,519
8,319
Indian Trail, N.C.
It’s not like he’s claiming he literally didn’t do it. He’s entering a plea in court because his only other option is to effectively spend the rest of his life in prison.
To your point--99.9 percent of defendents enter not guilty pleas. Lawyers insist on it because it upholds the presumption of innocence which is every citizen's fundamental right. It gives time for more favorable negotiations on a plea bargain as well as forcing the state to prove their charges and gives the defense more time to mount a defense It also upholds another fundamental right which is a fair trial by a jury of one"s peers
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
87,209
146,546
Bojangles Parking Lot
Semantics.

It’s really not, though. Irresponsibly hitting a pair of cyclists is homicide. Getting in your car and deliberately running down a pair of cyclists is murder. They involve two totally different intentions and the law rightfully recognizes the difference, otherwise we’re all an unintentional tragedy away from facing murder charges.
 

bov

Registered User
Nov 13, 2010
7,489
3,665
The fact that he actually had the audacity to plead not guilty and drag the family through the pain and distress of a trial should definitely be taken into consideration when it comes time for his sentencing. This selfish piece of shit just confirmed that he has zero remorse for what he’s done and has learned absolutely nothing from it.
To say he has zero remorse is just utterly ridiculous. He'll pay a heavy price for his actions but come on.
 

PenguinSuitedUp

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Oct 2, 2019
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It’s really not, though. Irresponsibly hitting a pair of cyclists is homicide. Getting in your car and deliberately running down a pair of cyclists is murder. They involve two totally different intentions and the law rightfully recognizes the difference, otherwise we’re all an unintentional tragedy away from facing murder charges.
There was intent to violate traffic laws at the risk of other peoples’ safety. He killed two people. Murder, manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter. Call it whatever you want. He killed them. Everyone on here trying to debate how many less years they feel he deserves is missing the big picture. He killed people because he was being selfish. He deserves as much time as possible.
 
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Leafs87

Mr. Steal Your Job
Aug 10, 2010
15,355
5,514
Toronto
The state came in way too hot. 35 years?! Most drunk driving cases get significantly less. I’d be shocked if he gets more than 10-15 which would still be high. I assume if it wasn’t a famous athlete case he’d had gotten an 8 year plea.
 
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tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
87,209
146,546
Bojangles Parking Lot
There was intent to violate traffic laws at the risk of other peoples’ safety. He killed two people. Murder, manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter. Call it whatever you want. He killed them. Everyone on here trying to debate how many less years they feel he deserves is missing the big picture. He killed people because he was being selfish. He deserves as much time as possible.

Everyone gets that, nobody has missed the part where he killed people.

Nevertheless, there is still a legal and ethical distinction between this incident, and someone taking to the road with explicit intent to murder people. That’s not semantics and it’s the reason people are debating the topic.
 

CarolinaBlueJacket

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
3,990
3,474
North Carolina
My emotional side would like to take the guy out myself, however the Constitution is more important than my feelings. He deserves a proper defense.
The only thing that would make me happy would be to bring back Johnny and Matty, but of course that is not possible. So there will not be a satisfactory end to this even if the guy gets life without parole. I hope the guy goes to prison for years and he will, but no amount of years will ever make me happy about the situation. This leads me to the conclusion that as long as he gets a decent amount of time, it is acceptable. The guy has thrown his life away no matter how long of a prison sentence he gets.
 
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tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
87,209
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Bojangles Parking Lot
I assume if it wasn’t a famous athlete case he’d had gotten an 8 year plea.

Unfortunately that’s likely the reality. This is a high profile case where the victims were well loved people. The prosecutors know this case will be all over the media and the last they want to do is look weak, bearing in mind these are politically appointed roles which often lead to elected office.
 

Tkachuk Norris

Registered User
Jun 22, 2012
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Wish the prosecution would have given him 20 years plea so he had the chance to admit he was very wrong and do his time. Now it’s going to be a giant shit show like all trials. Sucks for the Gaudreau family.
 

Mike C

Registered User
Jan 24, 2022
11,519
8,319
Indian Trail, N.C.
Wish the prosecution would have given him 20 years plea so he had the chance to admit he was very wrong and do his time. Now it’s going to be a giant shit show like all trials. Sucks for the Gaudreau family.
In many cases like this, any plea is usually signed off by the victim's family. The fact that he was aggressive on the road, over the legal limit and killed more than one people on separate vehicles, albeit, bicycles, AND one of the widows left behind was pregnant will all weigh heavy.
 

M88K

irreverent
May 24, 2014
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Honestly I am in the huge minority here. I don’t feel a 25 year sentence fits the crime here. Guy had two beers too many (from the BAC) and drove recklessly and aggressively. I feel like if he would have hit two non famous people he would have gotten an offer of about 10-15 years. That seems appropriate given the circumstances. If he would have been smashed (above .15 bac) or had a prior conviction (he only has an arrest) I could see 25 years. It’s too much.

What purpose does the extra 10 years serve? Sentences are too long in this country generally imo (to make money off of taxpayers; no rehabilitation really occurs) and it’s been pretty well established that much longer sentences don’t deter crime.
Protect the rest of civilization from a person who has a history of reckless/drunk driving that has already killed 2 people
 

Leafs87

Mr. Steal Your Job
Aug 10, 2010
15,355
5,514
Toronto
In many cases like this, any plea is usually signed off by the victim's family. The fact that he was aggressive on the road, over the legal limit and killed more than one people on separate vehicles, albeit, bicycles, AND one of the widows left behind was pregnant will all weigh heavy.

In a trial? Potentially. In front of a judge, it’ll hold less than you think. Typically survivors testimony is held till the end and the jury is urged to stick to the facts of the case. the sentencing process does not take this into account at all. All the jury is there to do is decided whether he did or did not commit all offences they’re trying to charge him with. They don’t decide the sentence length. 35 years would one of the longest sentences I’ve ever heard of for vehicular manslaughter.
 

Mike C

Registered User
Jan 24, 2022
11,519
8,319
Indian Trail, N.C.
In a trial? Potentially. In front of a judge, it’ll hold less than you think. Typically survivors testimony is held till the end and the jury is urged to stick to the facts of the case. the sentencing process does not take this into account at all. All the jury is there to do is decided whether he did or did not commit all offences they’re trying to charge him with. They don’t decide the sentence length. 35 years would one of the longest sentences I’ve ever heard of for vehicular manslaughter.
In a plea, all that stuff is apt to come into it.

Curious if the fact that there are 2 victims on 2 separate bikes makes the penalty more harsh
 

Lazlo Hollyfeld

The jersey ad still sucks
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Mar 4, 2004
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The state came in way too hot. 35 years?! Most drunk driving cases get significantly less. I’d be shocked if he gets more than 10-15 which would still be high. I assume if it wasn’t a famous athlete case he’d had gotten an 8 year plea.
Most drunk driving cases don’t involve running over two people and killing them.
 
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