FORT WORTH, Texas — An argument raised Tuesday by lawyers for a Texas teenager known for using an “affluenza” defense in a fatal drunken-driving wreck — that he may have been taken to Mexico against his will — is unlikely to help his case, outside juvenile defense attorneys said.
And even if a judge agrees that Ethan Couch was forced to flee to Mexico, he still could be locked up if the judge determines he violated probation by attending a party where people were drinking.
Attorneys for Couch said the 18-year-old is dropping his deportation fight in Mexico as they investigate whether he fled there or was brought against his wishes. He was arrested there with his mother, who is now charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon. She was returned to the U.S. quickly, but Couch won a delay based on a constitutional appeal that normally leads to a lengthy trial process.
The Associated Press
