Have you heard the saying “Don’t Mess with Texas?” It should also apply to drunk driving accidents that result in wrongful deaths cases. A Texas jury sentenced former Dallas Cowboys player Josh Brent to 180 days in jail and 10 years probation on Friday for causing a one-car crash that killed his teammate after a night of heavy drinking in 2012. Does that seem like a short sentence? That is not even a full year in jail. Some people serve years in jail for drinking and driving and then killing someone. They could have sentenced him to 20 years in jail.
At the sentencing of Brent, the judge said, “Your actions bring shame to the city of Dallas…Mr. Brent, you are not the first Dallas Cowboy to kill somebody with a vehicle, but I sure hope you are the last.”
Reports indicate that after a night of drinking in December 2012, Brent drove his Mercedes above the speed limits and slammed into a curb on a state highway. The car flipped over. It caught on fire. This accident leads to the passenger death of Brown who was 25. The driver’s alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
Why did the jury avoid harsh sentence? The prosecutor on the case said “I believe this jury found something salvageable in him, but this court’s going to hold him accountable. Interestingly, the victim’s mother pleaded for leniency for Brent.
It is clear that this drunk driver played some role in his passenger’s death. This former Dallas Cowboy football player will not have to live with the knowledge of that fact. The Dallas Cowboys put Brent on leave after the accident. He then retired from the team in July.
– Article By Richard Weaver
