Parents Verdict Does Not Fit The Tragedy
Was the judge too soft in the case of a mother and father who allowed underage alcohol in their home that resulted in the death of two teens? I think the answer is, YES! If this were a drinking establishment the owners would have faced serious jail time for over serving patrons.
Two teenager's lost their lives. Location, location, location was the reason for this ridiculous sentence by the courts. Yes, folks money does dictate the outcome of justice.
A Deerfield couple who ignored teens drinking at a party in their house showed "horrifically bad judgment" that contributed to the deaths of two partygoers in a drunken driving crash, a Lake County judge said.
"These defendants by their conduct invited tragedy to that party," Judge Christopher Stride said Wednesday as he sentenced Jeffrey and Sara Hutsell on misdemeanor charges stemming from the 2006 gathering.
(Andre J. Jackson/STNG)
But Stride imposed a harsher sentence on Jeffrey Hutsell, ordering him to serve 14 days in the Lake County Jail, though the 54-year-old entrepreneur will be released for work during the day. He also was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service work and was sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Hutsell's wife, Sara, 53, avoided a jail term when she was ordered to perform 250 hours of community service work and placed on probation for 18 months.
While he described the Hutsells as "good, decent, honorable and hardworking," Stride criticized both for their lack of supervision and interest in what was taking place in their home Oct. 13, 2006. About 30 teens -- including some recent Deerfield High graduates -- had gathered at a basement party hosted by the Hutsells' 18-year-old son.
Several witnesses testified that some teens were openly drinking beer and rum during the party.
Jeffrey Hutsell received the jail sentence because he acknowledged visiting the basement three times during the evening, but testified he didn't see teens drinking. Stride questioned his testimony, recounting how teens testified during the Hutsells' trial that beer cans and a rum bottle were plainly visible and an odor of alcohol hung in the air.
"You seemed to act with indifference toward the illegal activity taking place in your house and in your view," Stride told Jeffrey Hutsell.
Their attorneys also declined to comment, though earlier they urged Stride not to send either Hutsell to jail, saying the couple are remorseful and have suffered enough.
Since the crash, state legislators have changed the law to make it a felony for adults to allow underage drinking if it leads to a death or serious injury.
"These defendants by their conduct invited tragedy to that party.
Source: BY DAN ROZEK Staff Reporter/drozek@suntimes.com
