Felony DUI Sentences Have Been Lighter in Reno than in Las Vegas
The Reno Gazette-Journal is reporting that sentences for breaking Nevada felony DUI law have tended to be lighter in Reno than in Las Vegas. Whereas many offenders in Washoe County receive the two-year minimum prison sentence, the majority of offenders in Clark County were slapped with sentences of three to eight years before parole became possible. The paper also says that many of the Reno sentences were the result of plea bargains and were lower than the recommendations by the Nevada Division of Parole and Probation.
The director of Stop DUI, a Las Vegas-based organization, believes the two year minimum sentences for violating Nevada felony DUI law isn't strict enough. She says, “It speaks volumes about how this crime is perceived. When you cause a death or injury, it must be viewed as a violent crime. But when you hand out these minimum sentences, it sends the message that this is not a serious crime." Richard Gammick, the Washoe County District Attorney, said he intends to have a discussion about plea bargains at the next meeting of criminal prosecutors “to make sure we're not coming in too low.”
If a drunk driving accident results in death or an injury, the prosecutor may bring charges for violating Nevada felony DUI law. The prison sentence range is from two to twenty years. Washoe District Judge Brent Adams promises that he doesn’t consider other counties’ practices when imposing a sentence. “The most important factors to me are the statement of the victim at sentencing, whether the defendant is a chronic alcoholic and the risk to the community.”
For more on this story, go to http://www.rgj.com/article/20100330/NEWS/3280370/1321/news.
