What could possibly have motivated Texas State District Judge Jean Boyd, by all accounts a fair jurist honored for her integrity and courage by her peers, to make such an egregious, yes, criminal decision when she sentenced murderer Ethan Couch to 10 years probation and two years away from his parents at a residential rehab facility.
According to CNN.com, “Judge Jean Boyd told the court she would not release Couch to his parents, but would work to find the teen a long-term treatment facility.”
The transcripts from the trial are not yet available, but it’s believed that the sentence was in part based on the defense psychologist, G. Dick Miller, the psychologist who said Ethan Couch’s parents were partly to blame for the accident because they set no limits. [Jack McCoy would have charged them as well as the boy with Depraved Indifference].
Said CNN.com, “He reportedly testified that the teen’s family felt wealth bought privilege, and that Couch’s life could be turned around with one to two years of treatment and no contact with his parents.”
That sounds a lot like the boy is not being leveled the consequences necessary for the crime he committed. First, it began with a robbery, then underage drinking, I wonder if he had a valid license, drunk-driving, speeding, a host of driving infractions and murder. Below is Judge Boyd’s long list of awards and honors. They don’t measure up to her decision. Justice is supposed to be blind. We know she took off the blinders here. Why?
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Judge Boyd was the first woman to receive the Silver Gavel Award in 2011 “given to jurists who have served for at least 10 years and exemplify ability, integrity and courage.” According to the Texas Center for the Judiciary website, “The Silver Gavel Award has been awarded annually since 1996 to a judge who has served on the bench for ten years or longer and has made a substantial contribution to the judiciary by “exemplifying the ability, integrity and courage desirable in a judge; who respects the law and expects other to do the same; and who is as knowledgeable as possible in every area of the law.”
Her honors and leadership positions are numerous – Chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas (2011); Chair of the Juvenile Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (1993-1994); Board member of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (2005); President of the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court (2008-2009); inducted into the Honorary Serjeant’s Inn of the Dallas- Fort Worth Inns of Court (2011); President of the Fort Worth–Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association (1985); President of the Tarrant County Women Lawyer’s Association (1982-1983); Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County (1988) ; the Professionalism Award from the TCBA (2001); Judge of the Year by Texas CASA (1999); Judge Scott Moore Award from Child Advocates of Tarrant County; recipient of the Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (2003); founding boards of CASA of Tarrant County and the Alliance for Children; and a member of the board of Gill Children’s Services.
