For most people, conviction for vehicular manslaughter due to drunk driving warrants a lengthy sentence, but not in the case of Ethan Couch, a wealthy young man from the state of Texas.<\/p>\n
The Keller, Tex., 16-year-old has a rare condition that a judge believes is best remedied with anything but dealing with the consequences for causing a DWI wreck that killed four people,\u00a0the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Couch suffers from \u201caffluenza,\u201d according to his lawyers, a term which\u00a0means that his wealthy parents pretty much let him get away with everything. The defense\u00a0saved him from a 20-year sentence; State District Judge Jean Boyd bought it at his sentencing on Tuesday and gave Couch probation instead.<\/p>\n \u201cHe never learned that sometimes you don\u2019t get your way,\u201d Gary Miller, a psychologist assigned to Couch said in court. \u201cHe had the cars and he had the money. He had freedoms that no young man would be able to handle.\u201d<\/p>\n The defense said this led to a rash of irresponsible behavior on the night of June 15 and ended in tragedy. The spree began with Couch stealing beer from a Walmart with his buddies, jumping into a pickup truck and smashing into a woman whose car broke down on a Burleson, Texas road, killing the woman, two people who lived nearby and came to help, and a passerby.<\/p>\n