Nixon said he will ask legislative leaders this week to change the state's laws on DWI by spring, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday.
He and others called for reforms in response to a story Sunday in the Post-Dispatch that revealed a culture of deal-cutting in St. Louis-area courts handling DWI cases.
The newspaper reported that some repeat offenders are among those avoiding conviction for DWI or related charges.
Nixon said the system "is allowing offenders to get driving privileges back and not to be held accountable for their actions."
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Nixon calls for tougher drunk driving laws
Gov. Jay Nixon is asking for something to be done about a plague that has affected Missouri ever since the automobile came into existence- deals that allow drunk drivers to remain on the road:
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4 comments:
You have got to admire a politician who takes a risky stand against drunk driving.
I wonder, does he also support hiring more court clerks, judges, and prosecutors to deal with the flood of trials that ending “deal cutting” would cause? Also, are we going to turn loose violent criminals to make room for drunk drivers or are we going to build more prisons?
Why not just cutout plea bargains in all cases? Lets make everybody go to trial or make prosecutors drop weak cases. Why is it more outrageous to cut a deal with a first time DWI then with a child molester or murderer?
I have seen politicians cut the BAC levels to convict for a DWI and I seen them pass tougher fines and sentences, then when those actions fail to reduce the problem they climb up on a soapbox and suggest trying the same things again and hope for a different result. If a politician was serious about cutting down on drunk driving then they would attack “Big Alcohol” the way they attacked “Big Tobacco.” The fact that they do not means they want to take money from the alcohol industry with one hand and money from MADD with the other. It’s a nice racket
How much tougher can they BE?
The lawyers will make lots of money and the courts but the bar owners will go out of business.
I wonder what the problem is. WHY is Nixon taking this stand at this point?
Putting somebody in jail for drinking 2-3 beers is outrageous. If they're going to do that, let's just prohibit it completely.
Hmm, maybe he can crack down on his interim Economic Development Director, who's had two incidents of driving with alcohol involved. Not sure she was prosecuted for DUI on both of those.
Missouri State Representative, Steve Brown, has been a member of the lucky sper@ club his entire life. His father, Mel Brown, former Chairman of Deutsche Financial and ITT, got him the job with Jay Nixon because Steve couldn't get a law job on his own. Did you notice Jay Nixon appointed Melvin to the Whitacre Foundation? Did you notice that Nixon didn't comment on Steve's indictment or plea? You heard it here first: Steve will not do a day of jail time as Melvin is already contacting the people in the legal system to insure he doesn't go to jail and on November 10th, 2009, Steve Brown will leave court with an ankle bracelet or home confinement. You heard it here first. Lastly, I went to Ladue High School with Steve and I recall him getting a DUI but his father, Melvin, may have gotten it quashed.
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