Laughter over death leads to longer sentence

[Trek420]

TUCSON, Arizona - A judge sentenced a woman to nearly the maximum prison term for negligent homicide after hearing a recorded jail conversation in which she made light of the cyclist she killed.

Melissa Arrington, 27, was convicted two months ago of negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated drink-driving in connection with the December 2006 death of Paul L'Ecuyer.

She could have received as few as four years behind bars, but Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank sentenced her Tuesday to 10 1/2 years one year shy of the maximum.
Cruikshank said he found a telephone conversation between Arrington and an unknown male friend, a week after L'Ecuyer was killed, to be "breathtaking in its inhumanity."

During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had "taken out" a "tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot."

Arrington laughed. When the man said he knew it was a terrible thing to say, she responded, "No, it's not."

Assistant Public Defender Michael Rosenbluth told the judge his client has never been "cold, callous or flippant" about L'Ecuyer's death and has always felt remorseful.

Arrington said words couldn't express how she feels, and that once she's out of prison, she hopes to share her story with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

L'Ecuyer, 45, was riding his bike the night of Dec. 1, 2006, when Arrington swerved off the road, hit him and then continued for 800 feet before stopping, according to Deputy Pima County Attorney Jonathan Mosher.

Arrington's blood-alcohol content was .156 percent, nearly double Arizona's .08 legal limit. She had been driving on a suspended license for a prior drunk-driving conviction.

[mimitabby]

thanks for posting this, Trek. That is one sorry excuse for a human being.
glad they put her away for a few years.

[Tuckervill]

Hope she stays in the whole time, too, but you know...she's probably already on the short list to get out due to overcrowding.

Karen

[kat_h]

She should be forced to do a long tour on a beat up fixed gear, through a mountainous region with bad roads, no shoulders, and hostile drivers.

[Blueberry]

She should be forced to do a long tour on a beat up fixed gear, through a mountainous region with bad roads, no shoulders, and hostile drivers.

With a sign on her back that says "I killed a cyclist."

Seriously, stuff like this really PO's me

I'm glad she got close to the max sentence, but still...

[sundial]

State of AZ--do your taxpayers a favor and remove her from the living.

[RoadRaven]

She should be forced to do a long tour on a beat up fixed gear, through a mountainous region with bad roads, no shoulders, and hostile drivers.

With a sign on her back that says "I killed a cyclist."

I want you two in charge of sentencing.
A punishment that fits the crime is so much more appealing... more chance for a change in her thinking.
Hopefully she does most of her sentence (the cynic in me knows she will be out early) but locking her up will probably just mean she is ready to spew her resentment for cyclists onto someone else.

I wish it was time ON for bad behaviour and if you are good, you only serve the sentence you were given. I truly resent the time OFF for "good" behaviour (and I have a family member in and out of jail - I wish he would do his full time and not constantly yo-yo out... he is learning nothing - just having reinforced that if he behves himself in prison he can get out sooner than the judge said and do the only thing he thinks he is good at).