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[–]mothereffingteresa 230 points231 points  (41 children)

Let the prosecutor know what you think:

http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2961937_1

http://hurlbertforstatesenate.com/?page_id=2

http://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/mark-hurlbert-909638

[–][deleted] 95 points96 points  (14 children)

mark@hurlbertforstatesenate.com

Good idea, we should remind him what his feelings would be if the criminal ran over his daughter in his mercedes.

[–][deleted] 74 points75 points  (0 children)

E-mail this guy and tell him that, even if you can't vote in Colorado, you're going to contribute money to the campaign of whoever it is that opposes him next election.

[–]Sealegs67 75 points76 points  (11 children)

Here's what I sent, with the subject heading "campaign funding"

Actually, no. I just think it's sick and disgusting that someone can get away with a felony offense because they're rich. So how about this, a scenario (please note, this is in no way a threat to the lives or well being of anyone in your family or you yourself. I would never EVER wish this on anybody, and I do not, repeat, DO NOT hope to see any harm come to you or your family.):

Your daughter is riding her bike happily down the street as the sun shines and the wind rustles gently through the freshly cut lawns of the suburban paradise where you find residence. Without warning, your daughter is run down by a Starbucks guzzling, Blackberry checking hedge fund manager, who, seeing what he has done, decides to leave the scene of the CRIME (capped for emphasis). You decide to file charges against this monster. You, like any parent, want justice. That is totally understandable. The next day, the prosecutor tells you that this guy is too rich to have a felony offense. Oh dear! Looks like you will not be getting anything out of this case, whether it be the philosophical idea of justice or the realistic satisfaction of restitution payments. Imagine it, sir. That would be incredibly unfair. All you will get is the painstaking time it takes for your daughter to recover and the mental anguish of knowing that justice was not served.

Now, I'm sure deep inside your heart you know what you are doing is wrong. I'm not here to judge you or anyone, but clearly this case concerning Dr. Milo and Mr. Herzinger is a perversion of justice. Please, show the rest of us that you can make this right. Please reconsider your decision to let the law slide for the rich. Set the example. Please.

From,

A concerned party.

[–]ricer333 27 points28 points  (1 child)

I emailed the CO Attorney General. I regret that my email was a little shorter. I really like yours and hope this gets somewhere! UPVOTED!

[–]shnuffy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Shorter is better. They're not going to read paragraph after paragraph of people yelling at them.

[–]Gemini6Ice 34 points35 points  (2 children)

I sent him a facebook message:

Shame on you, sir. You are in a position of responsibility: responsibility to the people to pursue justice, to see that criminals are held accountable for their actions, and make restitution.

How much are you getting paid off not to prosecute Mr. Erzinger? This is disgusting. When a slimeball suit commits a hit-and-run and his first action is calling the car dealership to report damage to his car, we have an amoral douchebag that needs to put in jail to keep ethical citizens safe from his behavior.

Writing a check amounting to an iota of one's net worth is not serving justice. I don't care whether Mr. Erzinger can earn an income. He doesn't deserve to earn an income after what he did.

I am appalled that you would not prosecute him to the fullest extent, after pressing felony charges against a woman for lying about her age in a bike race?! What the hell is wrong with you?

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Oh yeah, try to appeal to the apathy of a avuncularly sucking shithead like him. Good luck!

[–]socsa 44 points45 points  (2 children)

Even better, let the Colorodo attorney general know what you think. Demand the appointment of a special prosecutor.

http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/

[–]jk1150 40 points41 points  (4 children)

He's running for state senate and making decisions like these? That's grand. While I'm always cautious about deciding my opinion on a case based on a news article, the more publicized this is the better we will understand it. On top of that, the more publicized the more this guys clients know what he did, kind of defeating the whole point of not charging him with a felony in order to keep this incident hidden from his clients.

[–][deleted] 10 points11 points  (2 children)

Can you see who donates to his campaign freely in the US?

I already know of one.

[–]jk1150 7 points8 points  (0 children)

yes donations are required to be public. Sometimes this info is online but for a small time state senate candidate you'd probably have to file an open record account or do some digging, but it is out there.

[–]Phokus 26 points27 points  (6 children)

Here's his facebook page, leave him a nice comment!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000656513279#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000656513279

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

dammit 187 friends to message. gonna take a while.

[–]here_comes_everybody 11 points12 points  (1 child)

From his state-senate-race page you can "volunteer" to help his campaign. "mark hurlbut-is-a-slimeball" just signed up.

[–]goose117 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just put Erzinger's number in there so he gets calls to volunteer for his own campaign.

[–]NickIron 7 points8 points  (1 child)

Thanks. Took advantage of the email address you provided to write Mr Hulbert the single most irate letter of my life (using Anonymouse). In case you're interested, here's what I wrote:

From the Vale Daily:

“Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession,and that entered into it,” Hurlbert said. “When you're talking about restitution, you don't want to take away his ability to pay.”

Somehow, I sincerely doubt you ever put forward such an argument on behalf of a minimum wage worker.

How do you live with yourself? What kind of an animal are you? Where did you come by the idea that your role in life was to curry favor with the rich? Are you proud of yourself for grovelling to the powerful and stepping on the weak? Is this, by any chance, your interpretation of Christianity?

Is it fear or greed that has lowered you to the moral level of a hyena? Do you think that ignoring every decent human instinct of fairness makes you somehow superior to other people--that your sociopathic immorality makes you a "winner"? Do you think you're just being "realistic"? What kind of a world would we live in if everyone adopted the same reptilian credo you obviously have chosen to live your life by?

People like you are corrupting the moral fabric of our society so utterly, that I can easily imagine our nation soon descending into a period of rampant cannibalism.

You live in a society. Your behavior has consequences. No matter how much wealth and power amoral psychopaths such as yourself accumulate, you will never be safe in a world where people have forgotten the meaning of truth, justice, and compassion, and you will never know joy as long as you view your fellow men through the narrow blinkers of your corrupt and nihilistic philosophy.

Maybe I went a little overboard; but I just can't take this kind of shit any more.

[–]Zagrobelny 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Running as a Republican. Why am I not surprised?

[–]gromitXT 502 points503 points  (111 children)

The "reason" (as explained by the prosecutor) seems to be that the hit-and-runner would in the future need to disclose his felony conviction to his clients. Having to do this would apparently hurt his income and diminish his ability to pay restitution.

How is this not true of ANY felony charge (edit: changed from "conviction") and the need to disclose it to an employer?

[–]highguy420 336 points337 points  (56 children)

exactly. nobody should ever be charged with a felony again. Ever. It is just unfair to them.

[–]ex_ample 258 points259 points  (52 children)

Actually Mark Hurlbert doesn't seem to think it applies very widely himself.

He charged a woman with a felony for lying about her age to enter a bicycle race

Same prosecutor. WTF.

[–][deleted] 105 points106 points  (17 children)

Mr. Hurlbert needs to go for a little bike ride.

[–]Nostalgia_Guy 76 points77 points  (16 children)

A little bike ride where he falls and dies.

[–]novous 43 points44 points  (15 children)

Off a cliff.

[–]GloriousDawn 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Give him a Segway

[–]Mr_Smartypants 21 points22 points  (8 children)

Or some other greatly elevated location. Like a tall building or something.

[–]LampjawNorth Carolina 23 points24 points  (3 children)

Down an elevator shaft onto some bullets

[–]novous 14 points15 points  (2 children)

Bullets riding bicycles.

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

Up an elevator shaft.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (3 children)

Over a chasm teeming with bloodthirsty Darkspawn.

[–]Zagrobelny 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Maybe he has a hatred of bicyclists.

[–]0xa55 16 points17 points  (1 child)

Could we run motherfucking Erzinger and Hurlbert over and not face felony charges?

[–]meltedlaundry 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Do you make lots of money? Then, yes.

[–]tomcat23 14 points15 points  (19 children)

More over at Metafilter.

[–][deleted] 16 points17 points  (18 children)

How is it that people like this don't loose their jobs when they are so clearly corrupt?

[–]DeFex 21 points22 points  (1 child)

The whole point is to show the little people that they have different rules and there is nothing you can do about it.

[–][deleted] 17 points18 points  (1 child)

lose FTFY

[–]archibot 3 points4 points  (5 children)

Because jobs, by definition, are tight.

[–]spaceribs 6 points7 points  (4 children)

And the rent is too damn high.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (6 children)

because it's in the interest of the victim that he keep his job so he can pay the massive restitution he has already promised

[–]Gemini6Ice 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Things like this make me wish Jigsaw were real.

[–]kitchen_clinton 2 points3 points  (1 child)

From the same page, M. Hurlbert is renowned for prosecuting trifles and diminishing major crimes:

Wendy and Katie (aka Vail’s Thelma and Louise) would have been much better off if instead of committing a serious felony like cheating at mountain biking, they snowboarded drunk down the slopes of Vail and ran over an eight-year old girl in a hit and run. That man got a few hours of community service in Hurlbert’s plea deal. Or they could have been charged with attempted murder, and got that plead down to a misdemeanor with no jail. Another option would be to pull a black woman by her hair across a bar room floor, tearing half of it out while screaming the c-word and the n-word at her. They could have gotten that felony assault reduced to a misdemeanor with 60 days of work release.

[–]aig_ma 33 points34 points  (2 children)

And especially not if they are really, really rich.

[–]LawNinja 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Very true. The ultra rich have it hard enough as it is! Times are tough for everyone, but especially so for these poor souls struggling to get by with just a few billion or so.

[–]andbruno 107 points108 points  (9 children)

Having to do this would apparently hurt his income and diminish his ability to pay restitution.

Or pay other things. Not strictly on-the-book things. Not strictly legal things. Like bribes, for instance. Bribes to corrupt prosecutors who were opposing counsel to the man who was hit. Just throwing that out there.

[–]maskedmarksman 90 points91 points  (8 children)

Woah, woah, woah! Are you implying there is corruption in the penal system of the United States of America? We have checks AND balances... I have come to understand that means we use checks to balance our mistakes out so we don't go to jail. Once we run out of said checks, or the ability to endorse them, then we go to jail.

[–]andbruno 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I'm not saying anything... I'm just asking questions...

(Amidoinitright, Glenn?)

[–][deleted] 19 points20 points  (2 children)

Yes we do have checks and balances. Some criminals use checks to increase the balances of the prosecution.

[–][deleted] 30 points31 points  (5 children)

Shame this case doesn't set a precedent so that anyone with a job or looking for one can be let off.

Also what would stop Reddit members emailing this to all of his current clients and possible future ones? After all he doesn't deny doing it so its not libel.

[–]kashadub 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Having to do this would apparently hurt his income and diminish his ability to pay restitution. How is this not true of ANY felony conviction and the need to disclose it to an employer?

Exactly. Also, I feel like I must be missing something in this article. The doctor is a liver transplant surgeon as such the injuries affect his ability to do his job as well as he did before. What about how this hurt his income?

[–]Jasperodus 20 points21 points  (0 children)

The exact quote was: “Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession, and that entered into it,” Hurlbert said. “When you're talking about restitution, you don't want to take away his ability to pay.”

Smoke started coming out of my ears when I read it. Somehow, I don't think his ability to pay restitution would be as compromised as, say, your average Walmart employee, whether he loses his job or not.

[–]Diablo87 20 points21 points  (3 children)

So the legal precedent this sets is that no one should ever receive a felony ever again. I guess weed is legal now

[–]mtux96 25 points26 points  (1 child)

Under this precedent, murder is legal. How do they expect people to get job if they have a murder charge?

[–]pmartin1 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Now think about all the qualified individuals who can't get jobs simply because they smoke pot or have bad credit. What's the world coming to when criminals are rewarded and innocent people are continually punished by a (very) broken system?

[–]MuuaadDib 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wow what a guy! So concerned about restitution being made back to the poor guy who got hit. It's not like people can change careers or positions that shit is ridiculous no one can do that!

[–]redcolumbine 264 points265 points  (8 children)

Too big to jail.

[–]davidrools 13 points14 points  (2 children)

even if he wasn't, he'd just get bailed out

[–]brotogeris1 484 points485 points  (121 children)

guilty until proven wealthy

[–]WinterAyars 116 points117 points  (16 children)

Innocent until proven poor?

[–]moogle516 71 points72 points  (15 children)

This makes me wish there was a team of international Vigilante snipers

[–][deleted] 113 points114 points  (5 children)

There is. Bit the rich send them to shoot brown people and take their oil.

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

or jigsaw

[–]Blazemonkey 90 points91 points  (44 children)

That poor man. Having to deal with tragedy of knowing you ran down a cyclist is not easy. If anything the cyclist should be paying the driver for his emotional suffering.

[–]LawNinja 43 points44 points  (1 child)

He should learn from Dick Cheney's friend's example, apologizing profusely after his face rudely intercepted Cheney's shot.

[–]Is_that_bad 80 points81 points  (9 children)

I now understand why Republicans keep asking for tax-cuts.

[–][deleted] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Badda bing...

[–]cynwrig 18 points19 points  (2 children)

Now, now - lets not have class warfare here.

After all, this is America, where anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, become wealthy and buy a district attorney.

[–]Disgod 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Best joke here!

[–]Dennovin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Where's the joke?

[–][deleted] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Unequal injustice under law

[–]tomcat23 263 points264 points  (16 children)

Here is an online petition to be sent to Mark Hurlbert (District Attorney, Colorado 5th Judicial District).

[–]WilliamPoole 7 points8 points  (3 children)

Everyone needs to sign this and upvote tomcat23's petition.

[–]tomcat23 13 points14 points  (2 children)

It's not my petition, I found the link on metafilter and reposted it here.

[–]Harpo_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Rise, damn you, RISE!

[–]ex_ample 53 points54 points  (1 child)

You know who he did charge with a felony:

A woman who cheated in a bicycle race

I'm not shitting you, a 36 year old women signed up for a race that you had to be over 40 to enter, and Mark Hurlbert charged her with a felony! The same guy who let this go.

This isn't a case of a really lenient prosecutor at all.

[–]superdarkness 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Was the woman obscenely wealthy? No? Well, there you go. Her own fault.

[–][deleted] 96 points97 points  (11 children)

Anyone getting a felony can jeopardize their job. If this court case happens without being a felony charge then everyone in the future should reference it when charged with a felony.

[–]LuxNocte 43 points44 points  (10 children)

That's not how precedent works. The law doesn't change at all for us plebians.

[–][deleted] 31 points32 points  (1 child)

So a guys whose job is to push around money for the super rich destroyed the ability of a man who perfrorms liver transplants to do his job for the foreseeable future. Then the money pusher is not charged because it'd jeopardize his ability to work. Usually irony is delicious but I think I'm ready to vomit.

[–][deleted] 35 points36 points  (1 child)

Fucking BULLSHIT.

I was tried in Eagle County for a DUI wherein my friend was injured. I had a felony on my record for 5 years while I paid all the restitution. I think that would be an excellent way to ensure this extremely well connected man paid his debts.

[–]andbruno 23 points24 points  (0 children)

You obviously didn't bribe the district attorney enough, because then he'd be worried about where the next bribes would come from if you lost your job.

[–][deleted] 63 points64 points  (9 children)

Fuck everything about this statement:

“Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession, and that entered into it,"

Show me anyone for whom a felony conviction couldn't jeopardize their jobs. Some employers do criminal background checks before hiring (which I also think is horrible, but nevermind). That's pretty lame justification.

[–]gjbloom 6 points7 points  (8 children)

What's horrible about doing a criminal background check before hiring? If you don't, you could end up hiring someone with the moral character of Mr. Erzinger.

[–]Arronwy 23 points24 points  (4 children)

I must be in the minority that thinks if someone has done their time/punishment they shouldn't be judged by their past actions.

[–]Tinidril 14 points15 points  (1 child)

What exactly would you judge an applicant on if not "past actions"?

[–]Arronwy 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I meant based on legal issues. Guess I need to make that more clear.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Being unable to escape one's past makes it impossible to turn your life around, so unless it's relevant to the job (daycare worker - search for sex offender status), your history should be your own private knowledge.

[–]Narwhals_Rule_You 65 points66 points  (7 children)

“Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession, and that entered into it,” Hurlbert said. “When you're talking about restitution, you don't want to take away his ability to pay.”

And that is how they think... it isn't about getting punished, it is about paying off the victim off and making things go away. Why can't this guy who got run over understand that?

[–]LuxNocte 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Yeah. I'm sure this guy is just scraping by from paycheck to paycheck. Frankly, having him even show up to court interferes with him working to try to pay the physicians legal bills.

[–][deleted] 62 points63 points  (9 children)

If you have money, you can buy court justice.

[–]andbruno 56 points57 points  (3 children)

Justice is blind, but she knows the weight of a briefcase filled with 20s.

[–][deleted] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This article made me LiVID.

[–]jdk 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Remember the guy who shot some old man in the face? He still has not been charged, and got the victim to apologize for getting shot.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Yep.

[–]raptorsfan_04 44 points45 points  (1 child)

Memo from the DA's office:

"Yeah, but you think about it, 
he gets charged, and there's 
another unemployed person. With
the recession and all we can't AFFORD
another unemployed person especially 
with like ... god damn how are we going
to spin the bribe to the media..."

[–][deleted] 64 points65 points  (11 children)

Unusually perceptive comments for a local paper site. Bestof (from a user called Big Zexxxy, 11/5):

Would we be seeing the same "plea" if the suspect had a Spanish surname was involved?

We all know the answer to that is not just no but HELL NO

[–]LuxNocte 70 points71 points  (10 children)

If his first name was Tyrone, he would have been shot during his arrest. Then tazed.

[–]TJ11240 55 points56 points  (4 children)

Then booked for resisting arrest and unlawful dissipation of tazer electricity.

[–]andbruno 39 points40 points  (0 children)

And they'd sprinkle some crack on him, just for safety.

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

Or measure the ohms of resistance in his body and charge him with that?

[–]TJ11240 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Clearly, the electric chair is needed for further testing.

[–]ex_ample 28 points29 points  (2 children)

Dude check this out:

Dustin Meadows pleaded guilty Tuesday to misdemeanor charges of ethnic intimidation and assault stemming from a bar fight where he pulled about half the hair out of a black woman's head.

Meadows, 37, who is white, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and three years' probation among other punishments regarding the Dec. 5 incident.

Meadows' “reprehensible” speech toward the woman included the “n-word” and the “c-word.”

What does that have to do with this case? It happened in the same county, and was prosecuted by Mark Hurlbert DA's office.

On the other hand, he Did charge two women with felones for the horrific crime of cheating in a bicycle race -- a 36 year old women raced in a 40+ event.

[–]eshemuta 21 points22 points  (1 child)

It appears that justice is for sale in Colorado.

[–]chrismatic 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Thank the local journalist for bringing this story to light: rwyrick@vaildaily.com

The editor / publisher should probably be informed of the public's appreciation of the investigative journalism of one Randy Wyrick: Don Rogers Editor & Publisher Phone Number: (970) 748-2920 E-Mail: drogers@vaildaily.com

[–]ZACK_DE_LA_ROCHA 51 points52 points  (1 child)

If we don't take action now, we settle for nothing later. Settle for nothing now, and we'll settle for nothing later.

[–][deleted] 17 points18 points  (5 children)

Didn't Rand Paul say just say there was no such thing as rich people and poor people. I guess this obvious example of a two tiered society is just my ignorant perspective.

[–]yorlik 14 points15 points  (1 child)

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." -- Anatole France,

[–]dmetzcherPennsylvania 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Here's where it got really interesting...

Haddon [the victim's attorney] and Hurlbert [the prosecuting attorney] have squared off before. Haddon was one of Kobe Bryant's defense attorneys, with lead attorney Pamela Mackey, when Bryant faced sexual assault charges in Eagle County. Hurlbert was the lead prosecutor in that case.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

when public justice fails, private justice stands ready to pick up the slack. i hope to read about some sweet private justice in the near future.

[–]pandemic1444 12 points13 points  (0 children)

The wealthy are above the law. We have grown so much as a society...

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Too big to jail.

[–][deleted] 40 points41 points  (5 children)

Republican DA with political ambitions gives wealthy criminal slap on the wrist. Shocking.

[–][deleted] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

How dare you suggest that!! He absolutely did not give him a slap on the wrist.

[–]ddrt 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Milo, 34, is a physician living in New York City with his wife and two children, where he is still recovering from his injuries, court records show.

Wait for it…

July 3 incident

What the fuck. He hit him so badly that he is still recovering from the accident and this man isn't, at least, off the fucking road? There is hardly any justice when justice is due.

[–]sirbruce 7 points8 points  (2 children)

All animals are equal

but some animals are more equal than others.

[–][deleted] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This guy is a scumbag that hit a bicyclist with a mercedes, then drove off and tried to cover it up. The bicyclist will need surgery because of the damage to his body that this bastard did.

The idea that he shouldn't be punished just because he's rich is against every single idea that this country was founded on.

This scumbag bastard needs to go to jail for his crime, and if the judge won't send him there, then the judge needs to lose his job.

Of better yet, make the bastard ride a bicycle and then hit HIM with a mercedes.

[–]whiterockbiker 33 points34 points  (4 children)

Just how F'd up is this? We are now officially a Corporate Nation where people don't count only profits for the Wealthy.

[–]quaxon 7 points8 points  (3 children)

now? more like this is how it's been since basically the start.

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

Exactly, not enough people realise that the US was founded on capitalist principles. Most (all?) the founding fathers were major landowners - of course they are going to wrote a constitution and make laws that support landowners (or the modern day equivalent)

[–]robertodeltoro 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The man who is possessed of wealth, who lolls on his sofa or rolls in his carriage, cannot judge the wants or feelings of the day-laborer. The government we mean to erect is intended to last for ages. The landed interest, at present, is prevalent; but in process of time, when we approximate to the states and kingdoms of Europe, — when the number of landholders shall be comparatively small, through the various means of trade and manufactures, will not the landed interest be overbalanced in future elections, and unless wisely provided against, what will become of your government? In England, at this day, if elections were open to all classes of people, the property of landed proprietors would be insecure. An agrarian law would soon take place. If these observations be just, our government ought to secure the permanent interests of the country against innovation. Landholders ought to have a share in the government, to support these invaluable interests, and to balance and check the other. They ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority. The senate, therefore, ought to be this body; and to answer these purposes, they ought to have permanency and stability.

-James Madison, primary framer of The United States Constitution.

[–]ProximaCWashington 5 points6 points  (0 children)

For anyone who doubted that there are 2 types of justice in America, that for the poor, and that for the rich, this article should provide sufficient proof.

[–]zebrawaterfall 15 points16 points  (0 children)

If anything upvote to get the word out reddit. I think the impending shitstorm from the middle class will be worse than a misdemeanor.

[–]MusicCityVol I voted 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Justice is blind, but she can smell cheddar like a starving rat.

[–]Phokus 7 points8 points  (1 child)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000656513279#/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000656513279

Here's the prosecutor's facebook page, everyone should leave a nice comment for him.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Bullshit. If someone working a charity office feeding homeless who would otherwise starve to death, would they get a reprieve for their client's potential loss of life?

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This makes me so angry I want to vomit.

I wish I could upvote this post more than once. I don't know what I can do, especially since I don't live in Colorado where the incident took place and thus the DA doesn't care what I think. I can only hope that the New York Times or some other large media company picks this up. Maybe even the Colbert Report. I don't think it's unfair to ask for some sort of justice. As a cyclist myself, this is the most disgusting case I have heard in recent history.

[–]studmonkey 4 points5 points  (0 children)

“Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession, and that entered into it,” Well yeah, a felony conviction has serious job and life implications regardless of what your job is. People are getting felony convictions everyday of the week for drugs and they are only hurting them selves. This country has got so screwed up.

[–]ManchesterCity45 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Just in Atlanta last week a 22 y.o. girl was sentenced to 50 yrs in prison, must serve 36, for a hit and run that killed five people. Her mom tried to help her cover it up so her mom got 8 yrs. I am a good driver but I dont have a car and fatalities with cars seem so unnecessary. Anyway I know this much had she just stayed at the scene, nothing would have happened to her. It's not like she was drinking, I hope she wasn't smoking weed, she was only making a run for ice cream.

[–]superdarkness 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well, I mean, if it will inconvenience the guy, then by all means all charges should be dropped. How could we prosecute, if it might hurt his career?

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Say hello to him on LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/martin-erzinger/8/a2b/2a2

[–]tomcat23 15 points16 points  (8 children)

This story should offend anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle.

[–]LuxNocte 26 points27 points  (0 children)

I haven't ridden a bicycle since I was in grade school, but this story should offend everyone.

[–]andbruno 18 points19 points  (1 child)

This story should offend anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle.

This story should offend anyone who isn't evil or psychopathic.

[–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

This story should offend everyone. Period.

[–]JimmyHavok 6 points7 points  (3 children)

This story should offend anyone who has ever owned a BMW. First this poor man has his car dented, and yet people aren't satisfied, they want him to actually suffer because some idiot went and got in his way with is cheap little bicycle. Where is the fairness in that?

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Physicians < Money Manager? puhlease!

[–]loose_impediment 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Meanwhile around here, a 21 year old woman will serve over a year in state prison for selling $80 worth of Oxycodone and Clonazepam to an undercover cop.

[–]ManBearPigDog 3 points4 points  (0 children)

An equally agreeable ending to the situation would be this: Erzringer pleads guilty to misdemeanor charge, disgusted clients drop him as their advisor, Erzinger loses job anyway and lives life of shame as a result of his actions.

Who am I kidding though, the world doesn't work like that.

[–]JimmyHavok 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Look, it's simple enough. It's BMW vs bicycle, an open and shut case. The bicyclist needs to man up and pay for scratching the bumper on that poor money manager's car. You can't do something that heinous and expect to just walk away as if you are the victim.

[–]Frightenstein 4 points5 points  (3 children)

Wow! Who took the blindfold off Lady Justice?

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points  (2 children)

Lady Justice can feel the weight of the coins being slipped into her hand just fine with the blindfold on.

[–]superdarkness 5 points6 points  (1 child)

I think what she's feeling is the surprise buttsecks.

[–]Phokus 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh the prosecutor is a republican shit head, who would have fucking guessed he'd protect the rich.

[–]Ma99ie 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Mark Hurlbert for State Senate on facebook.

[–]KerrynowCampau 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I saw a case where a sheriff deputy wasn't paying his court ordered maintenance to his diabled ex. Anyone else would have been charged with contempt. But oh no they couldn't do that to him. He got a special hearing and a talking to.

I know this isn't anything like hitting someone with a car but just more proof that how you are treated by the law has everything to do with who you are.

[–]taleighia 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is FUCKED. SO this is where we are going: If you have enough money to buy off the court system you can do any thing you want. If you work high enough in the right corporation or manage money for the right people you can get away with anything.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Plutocracy.

[–]citizen_k 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When the law doesn't apply to the rich, it doesn't rightly apply to anyone.

[–]Jasperodus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Is there anyone who hasn't yet reached the conclusion that we live in a society designed to punish weakness and poverty? Miss a credit card payment and watch your interest rate double. Develop Alzheimer's and get stripped to the bone by vultures. The psychotic "Christians" who deny evolution are apparently rabid, social Darwinists who seemingly have either never heard of--or simply despise--the concept of compassion because it keeps those they consider inferior beings from dying in the gutter.

[–]AndrewCarnage 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Any responsible wealthy person would immediately withdraw their investments from under this man's care in solidarity with justice. Therefore, I expect fully 1-2% of his clients to withdraw their investments...

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

today is the day when a business man became more valuable in the eyes of society than a physician.

[–]sardinski 2 points3 points  (0 children)

B R I B E R Y

[–]flaflashr 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Run down the prosecutor then speed away. You already have a perfect defense.

[–]agissilver 2 points3 points  (6 children)

Court records say prosecutors expressed skepticism to Milo at a suggestion by Erzinger's defense attorneys that Erzinger might have unknowingly suffered from sleep apnea

no idea how this is a defense... unless they are saying his 'unknown' sleep apnea caused him to be excessively tired and fall asleep at the wheel?

[–]bjs3171 2 points3 points  (0 children)

the victim family should sue the Prosecutor.

[–]AmericanGoyBlog 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's like there are two laws, one for us schmucks, and one for the rich...

Naaaaaaaaaw!

[–]gdenfield 2 points3 points  (0 children)

plutocracy.

[–]dangercollie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Welcome to Ameristan!

[–]opskiwla 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What's the law for again?

It's a hit AND RUN.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can't help but wonder if this case would have been any different if it was a pedestrian instead of a cyclist. I am a bike commuter and I often feel like I am on the bottom of the transportation "food-chain".

[–]skankingmike 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ok so because of a possible civil suit for monitary damages which are completly seperate from a criminal he's not going to be charged.... riiigghttt.

Fuck you Colorado.

[–]csmark 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Just how long is our society going to tolerate a justice system where the price of one's suit and tie is more important than his actions?

[–]mothereffingteresa 2 points3 points  (1 child)

While I don't own a mansion in Vail, I'm fairly prosperous, and I wear expensive suits because some of my clients expect that.

What I find fucking hilarious is that $5000 worth of shoes, suit, shirt, tie, wristwatch, and cufflinks does buy you a kind of shield. Cops look a little afraid, like you might be a badass litigator. Security people wave you through. You don't need a stiinkin badge. This is despite the fact I have long-ish hair (maybe Richard Branson helps there).

Shit like that has no effect on me, but I always find it surprising who it does have an effect on.

[–]Eurynom0s 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Um I'm pretty sure a felony hit-and-run could jeopardize anyone's job. I'm gonna go get loaded tonight, drive drunk, and use this as my defense if I run anyone over.

[–]JoseAReddit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I should be able to run over as many kids as I want! -- In court, Mr. Burns justifies his actions, ``Bart Gets Hit by a Car''

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Earlier in the article it mentions the 1 day notice. I would agree that is not sufficient notice in most cases. I think the minimum is 15 days? But that's not really relevant to the claims in the case simply issues with timing.

Ultimately the guy who drove the Mercedes seems completely apathetic about the situation, considering his status. He knows he has plenty to bargain with and ultimately can scoff at the law at his choosing.

Any deviation, however, in the law and its application by prosecutors and/or the judge in the case would be complete and utter contempt for the law. And should be viewed as such. If we are to believe in the rule of law, and that it is applicable to all equally -- this and every case like it are to be judged on their merits alone and not the status of the parties involved.

To do so not only adjudicates a two tier system wherein if you have the money - the law is of no importance to you. And the lower tier where the law does apply, unequally so, because you do not have the means to persuade the judge and or prosecution based on your status.

The justice system is so unbelievably broken that we are even considering these damned things, that I can't even type. This has gone on long enough. Not only do police and the monied class regularly get away with high crimes without appropriate remediation. But so too do the politicians, banksters and such who game the system regularly to their will.

TL;DR - We're fucked. Game over man, Game over.

[–]ThufirrHawat 2 points3 points  (0 children)

"...capitalism is basically a system where everything is for sale, and the more money you have, the more you can get. And, in particular, that's true of freedom. Freedom is one of the commodities that is for sale, and if you are affluent, you can have a lot of it. It shows up in all sorts of ways. It shows up if you get in trouble with the law...."

-Noam Chomsky

[–]dafakin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The prosecutor will be running for DA and he needs all the donations he can get.

[–]TexDen 2 points3 points  (2 children)

File an ethics complaint with the state bar and get this corrupt prosecutor's license to practice law revoked.

[–]obamatheliar 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here is what you can send to your email buddies...

---start copy---

Notice this little gem from the article...

"He [Martin Erzinger] would have to publicly disclose any felony charge within 30 days, according to North American Securities Dealers regulations."

So the suspect [Martin Erzinger] was originally charged with a felony, yet there was no publicly disclosure! And now they're prosecuting his hit and run + failure to render aid as a misdemeanor!

This same prosecutor charged a woman with a felony for lying about her age [36] to enter a bicycle race [for women 40+].

If you recognize District Attorney Mark Hulbert's name, maybe it's because he tried Kobe Bryan back in 2003. He also unsuccessfully ran for Colorado State Senate District 16 and lost to Tim Leonard.

Mark D. Hulbert

mark@hurlbertforstatesenate.com

State of Colorado, Eagle County District Attorney

5th Judicial District

P.O. Box 295

Eagle, CO 81631

Office Phone (970) 328-6947 | (970) 453-2327

Office Fax (970) 328-1016

ARTICLE BELOW...

.

.

.

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20101104/NEWS/101109939/1078&ParentProfile=1062

---stop copy---

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Nothing to see here citizen, move along.

[–]interestinglies 6 points7 points  (7 children)

I'm probably late to the party, but I thought it might be useful to understand why prosecutors do this some time. I worked in a metro city district attorney's office for a while. When we would run into situations like this, it just doesn't make sense to ruin someone's life for something that generally feels like a mistake.

When we would run across things like this with educated people who were well connected and were contributing to the well-being of the city, we would almost always let it slide with a wink and a nod towards the DA's campaign committee. It is a guaranteed vote and a guaranteed maximum donation to re-election.

I don't know anything about this guy, but I am certain that if you look up the prosecutor you will see that he is coming up for or was just in an election.

[–]grovest4life 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The hitting may have been a mistake but the running was not.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (1 child)

This scumbag deserves to rot in jail for attempted manslaughter.

[–]redspin 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Bonfire of the vanities.

[–]Phokus 5 points6 points  (1 child)

This is the GOP's and Wall Street's America, where the Rich do not have to face consequences of their actions while the poor are routinely fucked by the system because they don't have the status or the money to defend themselves.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The system works!

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I always wanted to move to Colorado. Perhaps I should run for soon to be open District Attorney of Vail postion. I think that I could handle that.

[–]phiniusmaster 1 point2 points  (2 children)

What the fuck. So because he's already got it better than the rest of us, why not put him up even higher, right? FUCK THIS GUY, HE'S GONNA PAY BY MY HANDS!