Is this enough time in jail for a 10th DUI?

[Archae]

Considering this guy had a child in the car with him, I say he should get life.

MILWAUKEE, WI. -- A judge said a Waukesha County man is a "time bomb waiting to go off."

After 10 drunken driving convictions, Charles Zupan is going to prison for a long time.

"I have, in fact, hit rock bottom," Zupan said in court Wednesday afternoon.

Zupan, 55, told the judge he now realizes he needs alcohol treatment for life and vows to remain sober. But Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge James Kieffer said he can't trust those words.

"The public needs to be protected from individuals such as you," Kieffer said.

Kieffer gave Zupan 12 years in prison. This was his 10th OWI conviction since the state starting keeping lifetime records. He had two prior to that. Zupan's blood-alcohol content was sky-high in his last offense.

http://www.wisn.com/news/26315315/detail.html

[hlthe2b]

1. Given that with over crowding, he'll be out in a few years...

No


(someone is certain to ask whether or not he can play football... I will refrain. ;) )

[Liquorice]

4. The article says he must serve at least nine years before he's eligible for release. I don't

know if that's long enough. I can't believe this guy hasn't killed anyone yet.

[hlthe2b]

5. He certainly has pushed the odds...

Unfortunately, in these economic times, those mandatory sentences don't mean too much. That's why I suspect he may be out earlier-- to everyone's detriment.

[Quantess]

2. "I have, in fact, hit rock bottom," That's what he said the 9th time!

I wish there was some other solution than prison time, though. He needs treatment that is effective.

[Archae]

3. For that bad of an alcoholic, there is none.

I know, give him a chance, maybe he'll give up booze for good in prison, etc.

A guy who is regularly that plowed at 1:30 in the afternoon, on a Thursday, is pretty much a write-off.

His liver will kill him in jail.

[Quantess]

7. "His liver will kill him in jail"

Sure, because we know many inmates are savvy enough to get alcohol and drugs into their jail cells.

[Archae]

8. Or make their own.

Usually out of fermenting fruit.

[Quantess]

11. Gross! But, inmates at the turn of the century used to get high on nutmeg, which is a lot worse.

Overdosing on nutmeg at first causes hallucinations, but past the fine-line, turns into painful cramps, convulsions, then death.

So at least inmates can just get drunk these days. Its a good thing.

[Suich]

6. "12, almost 13 times the legal limit"?????????

Is that even possible? .96 according to my math.

I hate hearing about people with multiple DUI's who are still on the road.

[LuvNewcastle]

9. I read a story a long time ago

about a man who had been convicted of multiple DUIs; I think he had gotten more than this man. The judge sentenced him to live within walking distance of a bar and forbade him to drive a car ever again. I think something like that would be appropriate for this man. Rather than keeping alcoholics or drug addicts in prison, it might be best to allow them to continue to use while making sure that they don't endanger others.

[CC]

10. Depends on the laws of the state but

doubt he would get life in any state. I know of a guy that killed a teen and was sentenced to 5 years total, served 2. He seems to have learned his lesson and hasn't drank since. I also know of a 20 year old that killed a man that was on his couch watching TV. She was sentenced to 2 years, lots of people thought that was too long for a young girl that just made a mistake. She was out in 9 months. Who knows if she learned anything, guess time will tell. (She was DUI, speeding, texting and ran a stop sign landing in the guys living room but her excuse was it was the texting, not the rest that cased it.)

Most states have very strong alcohol lobbies that water down the laws and sentences and on top of that those in the system see so many with high BAC readings that haven't killed or wrecked they get numb to it. At the least loss of drivers license and ability to own and register a car might help some though diehards will find a way. It would at least layer more charges on them if they got caught.

[Foo Fighter]

12. I don't know.

If Zupan has ever played in the NFL, anything over a few months and a slap on the hand is excessive.

The same is probably true if he's a pro player in other sports as well.

OTOH, if he's your average Joe, he should be locked up and the keys thrown away. That's just the way the system works

[old mark]

13. A local mau killed someone else while driving drunk. He had over 40

prior DUI's. He was a business owner and friends with the judge who kept slapping him on the wrist. He got some prison time for tha fatality, but I think the judge should have gotten some punishment as well.
He was driving without a license.

mark