Hulsey to Return to Court

"But Hulsey, who has been shown to have a drinking problem both before and after the incident, became pregnant by a man in her rehabilitation program at Casa Serena and in July asked the court for probation to deal with the birth of her child. If she faced a prison term, her family would have to care for the child, or she would have to put the baby up for adoption."

Is it possible she became pregnant in order to avoid prison?

Ya THINK???

That poor baby, having this loser for a mother.

Where will this infant be if she cares for it with the same reckless disregard for life?

While her negligence has caused the tragic death of another human being, her actions have also created the life of another. However irresponsible that is, the child still needs it's mother. Before branding her as a "loser", one must keep in mind that in late teens and early adults, the frontal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for the reasoning factors such as cause and effect, problem solving etc, are not yet fully developed. She must certainly be held accountable for all of her actions, legally, spiritually, and emotionally, but concurrently it is vital to see her through her own development process and guide her into becoming a responsible adult and parent. Much in the sense that many former addicts or gang members become peer advocates against drugs and violence, so she may be able to pull herself from this desperately horrible situation and provide her child with guidance, love, and understanding.

Under English law, people used pregnancy to avoid execution. It was called "pleading the belly." It didn't get you out of prison, but it might get you transported, or something better than death. Heather is resorting to the oldest trick in the book.
In our supposedly more humane era, it seems pregnancy can get you out of prison altogether. I like how it is because she is a violent offender that she will probably get out. How logical. How appropriate this will seem to her potential future victims, that they should give up their lives so she could raise her child.

"so she may be able to pull herself from this desperately horrible situation and provide her child with guidance, love, and understanding."

At this point, nothing indicates she has changed. Committing yet another selfish action to get out of paying for another one doesn't get her a free pass. Part of the reason this has happened is that we live in an enabling society with regards to irresponsible sexual behavior and drinking.

Yes, she IS a victim--the victim of a coddling culture that tells people that at one end "Don't drink and drive" but at another "Drink responsibly" (Whatever THAT means!) Then there is the hypocrisy of a culture that sheepishly and reluctantly talks about not getting pregnant in this manner yet pushes sex without love at every turn.

Can she turn her life around?...I don't know. But letting her off the hook because she performed a biological function is not the answer. She must pay her debt, and realize there are unpleasant consequences for her behavior, THEN get her kid back.

As for the argument that a child needs its mother: My best friend and his wife adopted an infant ten years ago who came from a similar background of a irresponsible mother and a father nobody seemed to know anything about. Ten years have passed and the biological parents have had no involvement in the kid's life and the kid is doing just fine.

Yes indeed, a kid needs it's mother, but a mother--like a father--is not necessarily the person who creates you but the person that raises you.

I would also point out per Coryells' post that the gang problem is something that is the result of conditioning and not an inherent tendency, so if he/she is saying that this is part of the process of being a youth, than I disagree. Also, go back about 50 years and ask yourself if the problem of drugs and gangs was the problem it is today. Sure, it's always been with us, but it sure seems as though it is impacting us more today than in decades past.

Why is it that two siblings grow up in the same environment and one is good and one is evil?...this is a question that has plagued us since time began. Having said that, a cursory look at our culture shows that we seem to having more of these incidents of lone anti-social behavior.

Another point: Santa Barbara is a city which has all of its various anti-drug programs yet has no problem issuing one booze license after another. Then of course there is the whole "wine tasting" culture. Sure, people are going to drink, and some will drive, but promoting alcohol consumption as being fashionable is wrong.

I don't know this woman's background, but when we live in a culture where people are not willing to connect the dots and realize that unless we stop promoting irresponsible behavior--in this case, drinking--then more lives will be ruined.

Whatever becomes of this woman is only half of the issue, the other half is recognizing how our culture enables this sort of behavior.

So Judge Ochoa reduced her 6 year, 4 month sentence to 5 years probation. Judge Lodge is turning in his grave right now!! That's a GREAT idea! So when you are drunk and kill someone, just get knocked up and you're set. 5 years probation, that just makes me want to vomit.

Sometimes in life just because you CAN have a baby doesn't mean that you SHOULD.. The responsibility of a parent is to provide a healthy, SAFE, loving environment for their child. Obviously through her actions, and subsequent actions of her family (in assisting her in trying to cover up her actions) she has demonstrated to have little regard for life, poor judgement and no sence of moral or civic responsibility.
There should not be allowed any type of "deal". There are prenatal services offered to women who are incarcerated, and what makes her any different or special? Just because she comes from an affluent family in Montecito, and she got knocked up does not mean that she should be exempt from paying her debt to society.

Bravo! to the Public Defender for a job well done. It is the responsibility of the defense attorney to provide his client with the best defense possible and to achieve the best sentence available if there is a conviction.

By the way, Casa Serena is a residential treatment program for women only!!

In my opinion, if Hulsey gets out of doing jail time, whoever gets her off the hook should be recalled.

Time to stop getting angry, time for a non-violent revolution.

It's crazy how the judicial system works in Santa Barbara. You can drink, drive & KILL someone, and get off the hook... but if you get caught with marijuana, you get jail time- hands down.
I thought for sure this was a slam-dunk case-- she was driving drunk, killed someone, covered it up & had NO remorse... but even with all this evidence, she gets "probation".. Wow.
This will definitely set a precedent to other drunk drivers-- kill someone & you will get off the hook too!! And to definitely make sure you don’t get prison time, get pregnant!!
Sure, a baby should be with its mother.. But I don't think it should be a "get out of jail" card. And besides, she'll probably drive drunk again with the baby in the car!! Who knows!!
I'm so appalled & angry at the unfairness of this trial. She's being rewarded for killing someone. Wow.
It makes me think--if you decide to drive drunk, remember to kill someone on your way home so you won't get any prison time!!

To add to mcm's comments: You go to jail for pot, but booze is encouraged as being stylish.

Once again, when the critical mass of the general public has reached fever pitch, there is the power of recall. Gray Davis's loss of his job as governor proves this.

I'm pissed because Nitz, Solano, SBworking mom, Buckwheat, mcm, Holly, Bill Clausen, and Coryell03, have said all the things, and more, that I would love to have said.

The Norwegian-Irish Prince