That’s the sentence for the four boys whose careless actions took the life of Danny Dahlquist. It was a plea bargain in which they agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in exchange for the reduced sentence. They also have to pay monetary fines and court costs.
What do you think? Was justice served?
The jail time was a surprise — speculation was that they’d get off with only probation. I think jail time is appropriate; in fact, even six months seems a little short for taking someone’s life. On the other hand, there will be those who think that six months is too long for these “good boys” since it was, they say, just a “prank” that went horribly wrong.
I don’t see it as just a “prank,” on par with short-sheeting someone’s bed or TPing a house. This was a lethal combination of underage drinking and incendiary devices. Everything that happened that night was illegal. It was illegal for someone to deliver alcohol to someone underage. It was illegal for the underage students to be drinking. It was illegal to possess roman candles. It was illegal to use those roman candles to criminally damage someone’s property. What’s the difference between this and a drunk driver accidentally killing someone with his car? You can get 3-14 years in prison for aggravated DUI that results in the death of one or more persons. In light of that, six months seems pretty lenient.
And I know I’ll get flak for this, but ask yourself honestly, if this had been four African American youths down on Krause Avenue that did this exact same thing, what do you think public sentiment would have been? “Oh, these are good kids; go easy on them”? “Six months is too long; they should have only gotten probation”? I think we all know the answer to that.
CJ, I think you’re absolutely right, and I think one of the PROBLEMS in this case — and this kind of case — is that nobody does want to be the one to ruin the life of a “good” kid, a college student, who’s made a mistake. And yeah, it was a mistake. It was an error in judgment. But because every INDIVIDUAL case of stupidity gone badly awry involving college students is met with a reluctance to “ruin their lives,” there’s no sense of consequences for these actions. And nobody ever wants to be the “unfair” one who does the first serious prosecution for collegiate stupidity, because it does seem unfair when nobody’s ever been punished for it before. But that perpetuates the consequence-free behavior and decision-making.
On a more meta level, I think what prosecutors and administrators need to do is say at student orientation that year, “Starting TODAY we’re prosecuting to the full extent of the law, even for “pranks.” Your best friend’s buddy’s roommate might have gotten a warning last year, but this year you get arrested.”
My brother, who’s a freshman at Loyola, told me fake IDs have almost disappeared from campus, because in the past (when I was in college) it was a misdemeanor to possess (felony to alter), and they were handed around openly and easy to acquire. Cops hardly ever prosecuted, even when the ID was altered, just confiscated the IDs. Well, in the wake of 9/11, a fake ID is literally a federal crime that gets you a nice chat with homeland security and almost-certain local prosecution. Now that the law is being enforced locally, and there’s a possible federal angle involved, students are warned thoroughly of the consequences at orientation, and the stakes are just too high for most students to be interested in fake IDs. (Especially when beer can still be got via an older friend or a lax clerk.)
When consequences are actually applied across the board to college students, bad decision-making does drop. If underage drinking and fireworks possession had been consistently prosecuted before this, would this tragedy have occurred? Or would the costs involved have been too high to take the risk?
How about 4 African-American Bradley Basketball players? Different answer than 4 kids on Krause Ave.? Absolutely.
It’s not racial. Get that out of your head. Different for athletes vs. “ordinary students”. Yes, I think so. I can recall examples of star high school athletes that got “special treatment”. The problem is, most people seem to think the only alternative is “zero tolerance,” an insane mindless policy borne of cowardice. CJ posed the right question, “was justice served”. That depends on three things, it seems to me, 1. Are the offenders likely to commit this crime again? Answer, No, I don’t think so. 2. Is the sentence going to discourage others from committing this crime? Probably not. However, would forcing these 4 to rot in jail for 25 years be more effective in discouraging others from committing this crime? I doubt it. 3. Does the sentence do anything to mitigate the effects of the crime? NO, I don’t think so. Would more jail time do that. No, certainly not. Is there anything else that would accomplish 2 and 3? Unfortunately judges often get in trouble for handing down creative or “alternative” sentences. How about these 4 could spend their next two years working, without pay (except basic room and board) in a burn rehabilitation hospital and in a fire safety program? They can’t mitigate their victims condition but they could help other burn victims and maybe prevent some other fire deaths. Sounds pretty radical I suppose, but does anyone really believe that a longer jail sentence will accomplish any societal objective? In fact, it allow more dangerous criminals out on the street because 4 spots are taken up by these folks. The criminal they release might sell drugs to your kid.
In the end, I don’t think it is the jail time that will punish these kids the most. Sure, those 6 months on the inside will be tough, but these kids are serving life sentences in many, many ways.
They have all been convicted of a felony. They are “convicted felons.” When that phrase is uttered (without knowing the story behind it), what does that person look like to you? Would you give him a job? Would you want your daughter to date him? Would you want him around your kids? Would you want a “convicted felon” to be your doctor, lawyer, banker, hair dresser, insurance salesperson, house builder, etc.? These kids will have that label hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives.
Think of all of the job applications you have completed. There is always the question, “Have you been convicted of a felony?” These kids have to put “yes.” And then they have to say, “involuntary manslaughter.” Even Walmart might hesitate to hire someone who had been convicted of manslaughter.
Even aside from their internal struggle dealing with the fact they killed their good friend during a drunken prank, they will have to deal with the outside world for the rest of their lives. Sure, we (Peorians) may all be sympathetic and understanding but we know the back story and we know the community. What happens if one of them wants to leave Peoria and start his life after Bradley? He is fighting an uphill battle forever – one he will probably never win.
There are hundreds of stories just like this story and hundreds of inmates sitting in prison for very similar actions and crimes. My hope is that we can start to see the humanity in those boys too, for a lot of them were “just boys” who “made a serious mistake.” And many of them were convicted of far less serious crimes than involuntary manslaughter.
Ms. PH
I totally agree.
Having a felony conviction is a lifelong punishment.
I think I would rather do 3 years in jail than having that hanging over me for a lifetime.
Mouse: In the hundreds of posts/comments of yours I’ve read in the last couple of years, there has never been one I agree with as much as this one. Heck, I probably disagree with you more often than not. This time, however, you’re right on the money.
I think the limited jail time is good considering all the circumstances. I agree with Mouse, I think a creative measure might have been in order here as well. Perhaps after their jail time, they should have been required to go on the high school/college speaking circuit and tell their story for a few years. Nothing reaches young people as well as other young people. These are young men that had everything going for them and due to a lapse of judgment they altered their lives and the lives of many others forever.
The one thing that bothers me about all of this is that the public has been very busy trying to place blame, serve justice and dole out punishment.
They seem to be overlooking one very important fact.
Loosing a child is extremely difficult and I feel for the family. I do not mean to sound cold, but before the fire that night there were more than four boys partying. There were more than four under-aged boys drinking [in excess] that night. There were more than four boys planning some type of mischief that night…there were at least five. One boy [a 19 year old] got so drunk he passed out. His friends continued the ‘party’ until one of the boys lost his life.
Danny lost HIS life, but is Danny truly a victim? If he hadn’t been at that house, drinking, etc. things may have ended up differently. I hate to say this, but Danny is every bit as responsible for what happened as the other four boys, only he paid for it with his life.
If my son has been drinking and gets into a car with other boys who have been drinking, I will hold MY son responsible for what ever might happen next. Dare I say that Danny placed HIMSELF in an extremely dangerous situation. We know how that story ended.
Six months and a record for life is enough.
Until I’ve walked a mile…. I try and remember I’ve not killed my room mate, team mate or best friend with my actions. Who can imagine how many times (once sober) one would relive those moments in their head?
I’m not saying the sentence was right or wrong—though I was there in the court room, heard their statements and watched their body language. Three of the four seemed to feel the gravity of the ordeal. The forth, I couldn’t tell.
No matter. — No jail time or probation will ever take away the memories — nor should it. Its seems to me for young men, not particularly versed in the ways of the “other side of the street” spending 6-months in Peoria County Jail will not be an easy out. And the pictures in their minds’ eye will be a prison all of its own until the day they die.
Then again I’m still baffled by why they seemed to tell so many versions of the truth and why they didn’t just say in the beginning “God help me I caused an awful accident, and irrevocable pain.” But then again I haven’t (and pray I don’t ever) walked a mile in those shoes. Sincererly, Tanya
I have two problems with this sentence. 1-I’ve heard, seen, a read a lot of people throw out that they feel bad. Seriously? I would hope so. If criminals are going to start getting sentenced based on they feel after the crime then get ready for the Oscars. I do think remorse does have a role but it seems it was a huge roll in this case. 2- It was a prank gone bad. No crap. So that should lessen the sentence. How many of you have kids? Then next time one of your kids hits your other kid are you going to punish them based on how bad they feel and lessen the punishment when they say it was a prank gone bad?
I don’t think they should have gotten tons of time but more than 6 months. Ms PH post and blog has changed my thought a little bit but they will still be able to marry, have a family if they want, and live a long life. All things Danny can’t do.
This is an all around tragedy. The fact that they will carry a felony record is very sad and will not bring back their friend. I would hope that their records could be exponged in exchange for an extended sentence. Perhaps another six months in exchange for removing the felony. Their young lives will never be the same. We have all made errors in our youth and not realized the seriousness of our actions. This prank caused a loss of life and that is their true punishment.
Sorry Ann, expungement is now out of the question, only a governors pardon would erase the conviction. I would have liked to see one year house arrest for each with a curfew for each, and one year working at a rescue mission, with no exceptions.