FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – A teenage fugitive who’s known for using an “affluenza” defense at his trial for causing a deadly drunken vehicle crash has won an injunction to stay in Mexico, but legal experts say any argument that his human rights have been infringed upon likely won’t hold up.
Advertisement
Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said this morning that his office has gotten the OK from authorities in L.A.to prepare for Tonya Couch’s trip.
She is being held in Los Angeles without bail until she is extradited to Texas, where her bond was set at $1 million.
Tonya Couch, who was wanted on a charge of hindering apprehension, was flown to Los Angeles from Mexico last week. She replied “Yes” and then the judge asked her if she signed the forms waiving extradition to Texas.
Ethan Couch, 18, and his mother, Tonya Couch, were taken into custody last week in the Pacific resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where authorities believe they fled in November as Texas prosecutors investigated whether he had violated the terms of his probation.
She is accused of helping her son flee the country and hide.
Ethan Couch had been on the run, reportedly with his mother, since mid-December after missing a probation meeting and the release of a video on Twitter reportedly showing him at a beer pong party. “She is in custody, and she can’t get out of custody until she gets here”. In 2013, the teen was sentenced to 10 years’ probation after his attorneys argued that his wealthy parents were responsible for his actions because of the way he had been raised. The condition is not recognized as a medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association, and its invocation during the legal proceedings drew ridicule.
Ethan Couch met with his Mexican lawyer for the first time in-person on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Benitez said Couch could go home to Texas almost immediately if he drops his deportation appeal, or he could drag it out for weeks or months.
