On July 28, 2007 Angelica Lopez was charged with negligent homicide after she lost control of her 1998 Ford Explorer and killed motorcycle rider Ben Layne.  Ms. Lopez knew the brakes of her truck were not working and she continued to drive regardless.  She chose to drive and she killed a man.  According to the Salt Lake Tribune citing court documents, Lopez exited her car exclaiming, "My brakes wouldn't work. My brakes wouldn't work."

Lopez, 26, pleaded no contest last month and Third District Judge Michele Christiansen sentenced to 80 days in jail, followed by deportation. "She didn't go out that day expecting to kill someone," Salt Lake City Prosecutor Sim Gill said Monday. "But there was criminal negligence here."

I do not think this is a stiff enough penalty!  There is a ground swell across this nation that calls for people to be held fully accountable for their misdeeds.  In New York it is now routine for prosecutors to seek stiff penalties ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison for negligent homicide that occurs when driving drunk.  What is the difference here? Assuming Mr. Layne was still working and was married with children his family will be deprived of his income and companionship forever.  Eighty days just does not seem just or right.  Of course that raises the question about what is just and right.

I do not have the answer to that question and the answer should be determined through like penalties given in like cases across the nation.  In New York if Lopez would have received 15 years in prison and in California she would have got 30 days maybe somewhere int eh middle might be more fair.  Maybe we need to change the laws.

We represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

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