Former Yankee Jim Leyritz got away with murder. He got one year probation and a $500 fine.
The jury acquitted him of manslaughter, apparently because the victim was also drunk and not wearing her seatbelt. Leyritz also settled with the victim's family before the trial.
This just seems grossly unfair to me. Leyritz complained that his celebrity hurt him in this case, but to me it seems the opposite. An ordinary person would not have been able to pay off his victim's family before the trial. (I believe it was a six-figure settlement - pocket change for Leyritz, but a lot of money for most people.) Whatever the other driver was doing, Leyritz was driving drunk and refused a Breathylizer. He says this was a wakeup call for him and he's changed his life. But...after his arrest, he drove drunk several times. He argued that he didn't know he wasn't supposed to drink, and then blamed Listerine and chicken wings for the positive readings. Not to mention was arrested for beating up his wife. If he's changed his life, it was apparently for the worse.
The judge has warned Leyritz that he must stay out of trouble for the full year of his probation; if he doesn't, he'll get the maximum. We'll see if he's able to do that. I would also guess (or at least hope) that his dreams of being a Yankees coach are over.
Labels: crime and punishment
