Drunk scumbag motorcycle ******* gets what he deserves

[James Burleigh]

My buddy Kurt, whom I recently rode to Joshua Tree with, is a good friend of the man in the story who lost his leg and his little girl when this son of a ***** ran them over in a cross walk.

Jurors convict motorcyclist in death of young girl

Thursday, May 6, 2010

A Marin County man prosecutors say had eight drunken driving convictions is facing 24 years to life in prison after being convicted in the death of a 9-year-old girl he hit with his motorcycle.

Jurors on Thursday found Edward Schaefer guilty of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges in the death of Melody Osheroff last May.

The girl and her father, 41-year-old Aaron Osheroff, were hit by Schaefer as they walked through a Novato crosswalk.

Investigators determined that Schaefer was driving about 65 miles per hour when he drove into the crosswalk.

Melody died after being taken off life support. Her father survived, but doctors had to amputate one leg at the knee.

A sentencing date for the 44-year-old Schaefer is expected to be set next week.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Very sad for you and your friend, Kurt -- and for Mr. Osheroff and for the loss of his daughter.

OTOH, a good social-worker would argue that Mr. Schaefer can be rehabilitated and become a positive, contributing, member of society.

 

[Big-D]

This is not only a tragic story, but also a story that creates anger along with frustration. Situations such as this are all too common where it takes a death before a drunk is properly punished. Actually, after rewriting my response several times what his punishment needs to be, I'll just say something very slow and painful would be in order.

 

[Wee Willy]

Melody died after being taken off life support. Her father survived, but doctors had to amputate one leg at the knee...

It's profoundly wrenching to read about these sorts of misfortunes. I find a small sense of relief for the rest of us that this clown will be making little rocks out of big ones for a long time to come. But I find nothing I can offer to this family that can begin to assuage this terrible loss. I hope that they may find some peace about all this somewhere down the road.

May God bless them and give them comfort.

W2

OTOH, a good social-worker would argue that Mr. Schaefer can be rehabilitated and become a positive, contributing, member of society.

As if that makes ANY difference whatsoever...

 

[Deacon51]

Jail is to good for people like this.

I have a cousin in Alabama who is 30 something. On his first DUI they pulled his license for a year. On the second they pulled it for another year and gave him 80 hours of community service. On his 3rd, he got 3 years of jail time. Some in my family think that was a little excessive. Me, I think he knew what was going to happen if he got caught again, and I'm just happy they got his drunk *** off the road BEFORE he hurt of killed anyone. I pray that gets the help he needs or at least learns to just walk home.

 

[Wee Willy]

Jail is to good for people like this...

Hi Deacon,

Nothing personal in any of this. I suspect jail (if it's a serious stint in a serious jail with other serious characters) will go a long way toward condemning your cousin to a tough life. He may be able to overcome it IF he has a solid and respectful upbringing, solid support from family & friends, has true strength of character and is in most ways a decent person. Otherwise, he may go the route of so many who fall from society's graces early and become resentful, hurt, angry and even depressed to some extent. He has very likely now lost many opportunities that would otherwise be available. Many doors may now be closed to him. He will soon begin to realize that a felony conviction can carry a lifetime penalty. This is a tough situation for most people to weather well.

I suspect you use "good" here to indicate something like a "wake up call." Let's hope so. We will all be better off when your cousin begins to approach his responsibilities to himself, his loved ones and the rest of us with more maturity.

Thank you for sharing that BTW.

W2

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Jail is to good for people like this...

Hi Deacon,

Nothing personal in any of this. I suspect jail (if it's a serious stint in a serious jail with other serious characters) will go a long way toward condemning your cousin to a tough life. He may be able to overcome it IF he has a solid and respectful upbringing, solid support from family & friends, has true strength of character and is in most ways a decent person. Otherwise, he may go the route of so many who fall from society's graces early and become resentful, hurt, angry and even depressed to some extent. He has very likely now lost many opportunities that would otherwise be available. Many doors may now be closed to him. He will soon begin to realize that a felony conviction can carry a lifetime penalty. This is a tough situation for most people to weather well.

I suspect you use "good" here to indicate something like a "wake up call." Let's hope so. We will all be better off is your cousin begins to approach his responsibilities to himself and the rest of us with more maturity.

Thank you for sharing that BTW.

W2

Willy-

Before I say anything further, let me ask you to clarify your statement here. Are you stating that you feel his cousin deserves NOT to go to jail or to carry with him the burden of responsibility/consequences of his actions? And that you feel he needs more "chances" to be "educated/rehabilitated"? Am I right in interpreting your statement as a felony is too harsh of a conviction and that because of it, it'll make his life "too hard" to deal with and he may turn down a path that is in a negative light?

 

[Wee Willy]

Willy-
Before I say anything further, let me ask you to clarify your statement here. Are you stating that you feel his cousin deserves NOT to go to jail or to carry with him the burden of responsibility/consequences of his actions? ...

Hi SF dude (we'll call you that for the moment as your other nomme is too much to type )

Not at all...not at all. In my philosophy, if you do the crime, you do the time...preferably without complaint. And society's constantly shifting mores will determine what that "time" shall be. Ours is a retributive justice system and that is the best construct FOR SOCIETY given all the possibilities. Many will read that previous post (like you may have) to say we should let this fellow off easy for potentially dangerous actions. Go read my other post above that to get a better picture of where I stand.

Now, that said, all that I posted above is absolutely spot on. A felony conviction will change your life irrevocably. The true measure of a person's value to themselves, their friends and family and to the rest of us is in their character. Some people can find within themselves and their local support a means to rise above these misfortunes. Many cannot and may become lifelong problems. The rest of us in society should simply be aware of this fact. It is unfortunate, but real.

BTW, this is a very big reason why our (California's) 3 strikes has worked as well as it has. A great majority of serious crime is caused by a minority of the criminal population. Some use a 90/10 ratio but my gut says this is too skewed. When most of these career criminals are locked away and not released, serious crime plummets as we have seen time and again.

Hope this helps.

W2

 

[FJRBluesman]

Very sad for all. Not sure why a guy with 7 prior DUI's is able to still drive. I wonder if there is more to the story etc.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth...

 

[Allnight]

(edit: I originally wrote this before Willy responded in post#8, but by the time I finsihed writing, I see that Willy had responded, and FJRBluesman chimed in as well.)

I can't speak for Willy at all in this, however, I agreed with what Willy said, and also feel that no, the felony conviction is not 'too harsh' for the jerk.

I do, though, realize that what Willy is pointing out, is that this will nearly completely change the guy's life. And not in a good way. Even if he "gets the message" and ceases the more egregious of his behaviors, he will never again be the same. I've never been to prison, but I don't believe it teaches anybody how to survive anything better once the leave prison. I took this as the gist of Willy's post.

Did he get what he deserved? If he hasn't physically injured anyone then probably. Is this a very serious punishment? Yes, it is.

As for the subject of the OP, I'm not sure that 24 years is enough. 8th conviction and he finally maimed someone and killed a CHILD? An eye for an eye seems like it might apply.

 

[Happy Rider]

Very sad. I'm can't begin to imagine loosing my little girl in this manner. This low life should have been locked up for life on the second offense, or better yet put to death on the second DUI conviction. I say kill them before they kill us. It blows me away that these dirt bags, with multiple DUI convictions, are considered non-violent offenders and are being released from prison in California under the early release program. All to save money. So Sad! My heart goes out to the family of the little girl. I can only hope the dirt bag does the right thing and takes his own life. Their is no way to undue what he has done.

 

[user 213]

Very sad for all. Not sure why a guy with 7 prior DUI's is able to still drive.

Yes, it is sad. The answer is because nothing stopped him from driving. When will the ******* people understand. We each must be accountable for our actions. Drink and drive? You should be branded for life and be required to have a driver's license that states that you are a DUI convict. Laws should be passed making it a mandatory jail sentence to sell or loan a vehicle to anyone convicted of DUI more than once.

Sorry Willy, nothing works with these people. They get out of jail, walk across the street and buy a $300 beater car and drive, (illegally), to the bar. And the enablers are just as bad. I've personally witnessed a guy with a breathalyzer ignition simply leave his diesel truck running all day while he drinks in the bar, drives all over, etc. I call the local cop, "Aww, Bubba's ok, he always does that". even overheard someone offering to blow his truck for him so he could shut it off. Unbelievable!

 

[Wee Willy]

Sorry Willy, nothing works with these people...

Go reread...I think you and I are on the same sheet of music...maybe even playing in the same measure.

Cheers,

W2

 

[user 213]

Sorry Willy, nothing works with these people...

Go reread...I think you and I are on the same sheet of music...maybe even playing in the same measure.

Cheers,

W2

Missed your follow up post Bill. Yes, we agree.

 

[wfooshee]

The other thing about prison, is when word gets out that his stupidity killed a child, he may have trouble making his time unless he's separated.

As for why was he allowed to continue driving after all that? Who says he was? There is a large number of unlicensed folk driving around, because they "have to" to get where they need to be.

In my own neighborhood a girl totalled her car, destroyed one of those community mailbox stands (where everybody's mailbox sits together at the street) and damaged 2 other cars, when she came home drunk from a party celbrating the reinstatement of her license after a DUI suspension.

Trying to stay away from the political tone, but since we as riders are especially vulnerable to impaired drivers, we should all find some place to support effective compulsory programs aimed at treatment and rehab for habitual DUIs rather than simple jail time and suspensions.

 

[airboss]

7 DUI convictions and still drinking and driving, hope he's got a cute *** and draws Bubba as a cellmate.

 

[user 213]

Trying to stay away from the political tone, but since we as riders are especially vulnerable to impaired drivers, we should all find some place to support effective compulsory programs aimed at treatment and rehab for habitual DUIs rather than simple jail time and suspensions.

While I admire your suggestion of support to programs, I frankly disagree that any are truly effective. Habitual offenders have demonstrated that they are unable and unwilling to make correct decisions to avoid repeat offenses. Suspension means nothing, since they have already decided to ignore the laws. Breaking more means nothing, nor do the consequences if caught, until they are and suffer them.

 

[Crash Cash]

Trying to stay away from the political tone, but since we as riders are especially vulnerable to impaired drivers, we should all find some place to support effective compulsory programs aimed at treatment and rehab for habitual DUIs rather than simple jail time and suspensions.

While I admire your suggestion of support to programs, I frankly disagree that any are truly effective. Habitual offenders have demonstrated that they are unable and unwilling to make correct decisions to avoid repeat offenses. Suspension means nothing, since they have already decided to ignore the laws. Breaking more means nothing, nor do the consequences if caught, until they are and suffer them.

Exactly. Some people are just plain too stupid or selfish to learn. Prison usually isn't that much harder than their life on the street, so unless it's for life, it's just something they endure until they get out. It doesn't teach them anything. They don't learn they can avoid it if they stop being a 'tard. The attitude to prison is "whotevah"

Florida needs to drag 'ol Sparky out of retirement.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Willy-
Before I say anything further, let me ask you to clarify your statement here. Are you stating that you feel his cousin deserves NOT to go to jail or to carry with him the burden of responsibility/consequences of his actions? ...

Hi SF dude (we'll call you that for the moment as your other nomme is too much to type )

Not at all...not at all. In my philosophy, if you do the crime, you do the time...preferably without complaint. And society's constantly shifting mores will determine what that "time" shall be. Ours is a retributive justice system and that is the best construct FOR SOCIETY given all the possibilities. Many will read that previous post (like you may have) to say we should let this fellow off easy for potentially dangerous actions. Go read my other post above that to get a better picture of where I stand.

Now, that said, all that I posted above is absolutely spot on. A felony conviction will change your life irrevocably. The true measure of a person's value to themselves, their friends and family and to the rest of us is in their character. Some people can find within themselves and their local support a means to rise above these misfortunes. Many cannot and may become lifelong problems. The rest of us in society should simply be aware of this fact. It is unfortunate, but real.

BTW, this is a very big reason why our (California's) 3 strikes has worked as well as it has. A great majority of serious crime is caused by a minority of the criminal population. Some use a 90/10 ratio but my gut says this is too skewed. When most of these career criminals are locked away and not released, serious crime plummets as we have seen time and again.

Hope this helps.

W2

The re-read and further details did help. I'm sure there were others who were a little on the fence as to your original intent.