some very long true crime

In 2013, 16-year-old^°hard word Ethan^°hard word Couch killed four people and severely^°hard word injured^°hard word two others while driving drunk^°hard word in Texas^°hard word. Despite^°hard word the severity^°hard word of his actions, Couch avoided^°hard word prison time when his attorneys^°hard word successfully^°hard word argued^°hard word that he suffered from "affluenza^°hard word" - a made-up^°hard word condition suggesting his wealthy^°hard word upbringing^°hard word prevented^°hard word him from understanding consequences^°hard word. Instead of jail^°hard word, he received^°hard word 10 years probation^°hard word and was sent^°hard word to an expensive^°hard word rehabilitation^°hard word facility^°hard word.

Two years later, after a video^°hard word surfaced^°hard word showing Couch apparently violating^°hard word his probation^°hard word by drinking, he and his mother Tonya^°hard word fled^°hard word to Mexico^°hard word. They were eventually^°hard word caught^°hard word, and Couch served^°hard word nearly two years in jail^°hard word for the probation^°hard word violation^°hard word before being released^°hard word in 2018. He violated^°hard word probation^°hard word again in 2020 when he was found^°hard word with THC^°hard word, but received^°hard word only additional^°hard word community^°hard word service rather than jail^°hard word time.

Couch completed^°hard word his probation^°hard word in April 2024, having largely avoided^°hard word serious consequences^°hard word for his actions. Meanwhile, the victims'^°hard word families continue^°hard word to suffer, including^°hard word Sergio^°hard word Molina^°hard word who was left paralyzed^°hard word from the crash^°hard word and requires^°hard word constant^°hard word care. The case became^°hard word a national^°hard word symbol^°hard word of how wealth^°hard word and privilege^°hard word can influence^°hard word the justice system, with critics^°hard word pointing out that a less affluent^°hard word defendant^°hard word would likely have faced^°hard word decades in prison for the same crimes.