The case of the “affluenza” family just keeps taking strange turns. Now that the family that fled Texas for Mexico has been caught and Tonya Couch is under house arrest, her son Ethan Couch, who killed four people and injured more, is in a Mexican prison, they seem to be looking for their endgame. Ethan Couch has claimed that his mother forced him to Mexico, and out of the blue, he claims that he will no longer fight deportation. If this is not the Couch legal team’s next plan, it’s unclear what is.
According to the Inquisitr , several groups are closing in on Couch , namely MADD and the district attorney’s office. MADD has put together a petition that is making serious headway, which says that Ethan Couch needs to be moved into adult court and be punished for his crime and his inability to follow probation orders.
Lawyer: “Affluenza” teen Ethan Couch may have been forced to go to Mexico https://t.co/SwYN0Xcapo pic.twitter.com/TMyloED7PM
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2016
SeattlePI is reporting that there is now a plan in place to return Ethan Couch to Texas. Has Couch finally realized he has no chance of being backed by the Mexican government, or is he simply running out of money? Ethan Couch’s attorney Scott Brown says paperwork is being done to return Couch to the United States.
Ethan Couch has been challenging his deportation, but the paperwork was filed to “terminate the ongoing immigration proceedings,” attorneys Scott Brown and Reagan Wynn said in the statement.
And after Couch is returned, the plan is to move the case to adult court.
“It’s not a foregone conclusion that this will happen, but we certainly hope it does,” said Tarrant County district attorney spokeswoman Samantha Jordan.
‘Affluenza teen’ Ethan Couch will be returned to U.S. in a matter of weeks, attorney says https://t.co/GSSMDHGkqa pic.twitter.com/FjPWlOVOkQ
— People (@people) January 21, 2016
People Magazine says that Couch should be moved from a Guadalajara prison within two weeks. Couch’s Mexican counsel has allegedly filed papers to get this moving.
“It is our understanding that paperwork has been filed by Ethan’s counsel in Mexico that will terminate the ongoing Mexican immigration proceedings,” Scott Brown said in a statement obtained by People . “We believe that this will result in Ethan’s return to the United States within the next few weeks.”
Perhaps Scott Brown realizes that the next step will be weakened by fighting to stay in a Mexican prison.
“As was stated yesterday in open court, the hearing on the State’s Motion to Transfer to an appropriate District Court has been reset,” the statement read. “We further anticipate that, with Ethan personally present for the proceedings, the Court will lawfully transfer Ethan’s probation to an appropriate Tarrant County District Court.”
Couch was able to duck any responsibility after driving drunk and killing people, but it seems that Couch’s bad deeds have caught up with him after the Hail Mary plan of running off to Mexico failed.
DFW: Couch attorneys: teen likely back in Texas mid-Feb https://t.co/Wgi4qSWhnJ
— FOX 4 NEWS (@FOX4) January 21, 2016
CBS News says that plans are in place to bring Couch back to the United States. The district attorney believes that Couch will return soon to face punishment.
“Couch was given 10 years’ probation for the 2013 drunken-driving wreck that killed four people, and the terms of the probation prohibit him from drinking. The case was handled in juvenile court.”
The hearing to decide what to do with Ethan Couch next will be held on February 19th.
Do you think that Ethan Couch and his mother will ever have to be held responsible for their various crimes? Will Couch do any time?
[Image via Government Handout]