Is It Possible To Get Life In Prison For The 6th DUI?
Not that long ago a woman was sentenced to spend her entire life behind bars in state prison for her 6th DUI (Driving under the influence of alcohol) offense. The law enforcement officer noticed that her driving was erratic and decided to pull her over. She had an open bottle of beer inside the car and subsequently failed field sobriety tests along with the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) test. Her very first DUI offense took place back in the 90s and for this sixth one the court decided that she represents too big of a threat and needs to be detained for life.
With that said, the reaction of the society was very controversial. Of course, no one is saying that getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol is fine – it is not. However, some people say that the sentence is way too severe, especially seeing how the woman never hurt anyone.
Still, the law is very strict and pretty much unforgiving when it comes to DUI accidents. First of all, the penalties for even misdemeanor DUI are very harsh, even if it is your first time. Do not forget that you may lose your driving privileges, meaning that your driver’s license is going to be revoked or suspended by the DMV. You will also be obliged to pay expensive fines, attend special alcohol awareness classes (that you will pay for from your own pocket), perform hundreds of hours of community service and may even be sentenced to county jail. As for the subsequent DUI offenses, charges will become progressively more and more severe. You will have to pay even more expensive fines, you will have to spend more time in jail and you probation period will become lengthier and lengthier every time.
The 6th DUI offense is a reason enough for the court to understand that a person will never learn and will not be able to control his or her actions. That person is obviously way too dangerous for the society and even if actions of this individual have not yet hurt anyone, it does not mean that the offender is not going to cause a tragedy in the future. Hence, the law states that 6th DUI offense may be punished by a life sentence in state prison. Of course, some will find that this sentence is way too serious and that mandatory alcohol awareness classes would help. On the other side, some people may only learn the hard way and prison is the only viable option that may put some sense into them. If you or your loved ones were charged with repeated DUI offense and you believe that the sentence is too severe, it is imperative not to lose any time and to get in touch with a qualified as well as genuinely experienced Sacramento DUI lawyer as soon as possible.
Only a good attorney will be able to go through all available evidence, including previous cases and will do his best to minimize the legal damage. Hence, if you wish to avoid spending your entire life in prison, your only viable option would be to work with a lawyer – meaning complete cooperation as well as full disclosure.
Sacramento DUI Attorneys, www.sacramentoduilawyernow.org