Brittany Deanne Schuetz
Meet twenty year old Brittany Deanne Schuetz of Santa Ana, California. When Brittany isn’t streaking her hair or plucking her eyebrows, she likes to kick back, relax, and knock back a couple of drinkie-poos with her friends. After tying more than one on, Brittany likes to get in her car and drive. Really fast.
On the evening of January 31st, 2009, Brittany attended a party in the City of Sherman Oaks with a group of friends. A designated driver was reported to have driven Brittany to the party, along with the others from a residence in Whittier, where the party-goers met up earlier that evening. When the group was done with the festivities in Sherman Oaks, the designated driver drove the group, including Brittany, back to the residence.
At approximately 1:00 am, at the residence in Whittier, Brittany’s friends were pleading with her to spend the night in lieu of driving home. Brittany was hammered from a long night of drinking and it was obvious to her friends that she was in no condition to drive. 
Brittany continued to argue with her friends, insisting that she drive herself home, refusing to cooperate with their requests.
Meanwhile, at another residence in Whittier, a young couple who had fallen asleep on the couch while watching Saturday Night Live, woke up. April Whang told her boyfriend, Thomas Sleigh that she needed to get going because it was getting late. Thomas walked April outside to her car, where he told her he loved her and kissed her goodbye.
He would later state that he had April roll down her car window to give him one more kiss goodbye. April told Thomas that she would call him when she got home.
I bet you can guess what happened next.
Brittany drove.
April never called.
April was one mile from her home when her 2004 Acura entered the intersection at Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway in the City of La Habra. April was making a left hand turn on 
a green light when Brittany ran a red light as she was traveling eastbound on Beach. Brittany was traveling at upwards of 90 to 100 miles per hour when her 2003 Mazda slammed into April’s car. The impact of the collision was so tremendous that April was thrown from the driver’s seat into the cargo area of her vehicle. April almost immediately died at the scene of the accident.
When Police arrived, they found Brittany, sitting in her vehicle. She was alive, (surprise, surprise) and April was dead. Brittany demonstrated signs of intoxication and was booked on suspicion on DUI and suspected vehicular manslaughter. Tests would later indicate that Brittany’s blood alcohol level was at 0.24, which is three times over the legal limit, provided someone is of legal drinking age. In Brittany’s case, the blood alcohol level is a legal moot point because there is a zero tolerance for individuals under the legal drinking age of twenty-one.
And get ready for this, folks. At the time of this fatal accident, Brittany was on probation for a previous DUI she received in 2007. (This WTF moment is brought to you by a fucktard named Brittany Schuetz)
April Whang was a young and talented figure skater who had recently begun to play ice hockey. She worked at the Ultimate Skate and Hockey Store located in the City of Anaheim at the Pond. April was said to have been a role model for many of the young girls who were aspiring skaters and 
hockey players. The children looked up to her and admired her for her grace and beauty both on and off the ice. She was described as “strong, but kind” and a “ray of sunshine” by those who knew and loved her.
Ironically, April was always “adamant about not drinking and driving” said her boyfriend, Thomas. April oftentimes would take on the role of “designated driver” when she and friends went out.
April touched the lives of so many that over one thousand people attended her services, which were held in February of this year. She is greatly missed by her family and friends. April’s sister, Kimberly Whang said this about the loss of her older sister:
“We are devastated. It’s not easy to wake up in the morning and realize April is not coming home. It’s been really emotional and hard for our family.”
As far as emotion goes, Brittany Deanne Schuetz was said to have shown no emotion throughout the preliminary stages of the trial, that is, until she learned that because of her 2007 DUI charges, the District Attorney was not charging her with vehicular manslaughter. Instead, they were charging party girl with murder. April’s boyfriend, Thomas, had this to say about Brittany’s demeanor:
“Nobody saw any kind of emotion from her until she found out that she was going to be charged with murder. That’s when everyone could see her emotion and tears.”
Brittany was indicted on March 23rd, 2009 for the murder of April Whang. Brittany has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her 
and is currently being held in lieu of one million dollars bail. Her arraignment is set for March 27th. Brittany can face anywhere from fifteen years to life in prison for the senseless murder of April Whang.
This case is particularly tragic and heartbreaking. Not only because April was a young, beautiful, and talented girl with her whole life ahead of her, but also because of the absolute devastation Brittany has caused the family and friends of April, who is missed so dearly. I hope that Brittany Understands what she has done. Understands the pain she has caused. Understands the senselessness of it all.
But I can tell you that Brittany won’t. She is too selfish of a person. But she will suffer in her own right. When her streaks grow out and she can’t dye them in lock down. Or when she can’t pluck her jacked up eyebrows because there are no tweezers allowed in jail. I am telling you, this is sad, but she will probably be more upset about those minor and superficial things which affect her than with the fact that she has taken someone’s life and hurt so many others. Brittany just strikes me as that type of a person.
Editor’s Notes: The photos, starting at the top of the story:
1. Brittany Deanne Schuetz,
2. April Whang
3. April Whang with her boyfriend, Thomas Sleigh
4. The Whang Family, from left to right, April’s father, Brian Whang, mother, Kyung Whang, sister, Kimberly Whang, along with Thomas Sleigh
5. The remains of April Whang’s car – My God
6. The remains of April Whang’s car, from another angle
Does Brittany Deanne Schuetz Deserve Hell
- Yes (83%, 326 Votes)
- No (17%, 65 Votes)
Total Voters: 391
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209 Comments »
No one will be surprised by my sentiment that Britney should be facing the death penalty.
The word inexcusable is thrown around a lot, but someone with a suspended license, due to a DUI, gets into a car and kills someone isn’t merely an act of murder, it’s the sort of murder that truly is inexcusable. It is the definition of such a word.
Some might come forward and say: “This was a horrible mistake.”
How can this be called a mistake? This was purposeful.
Well, sir, that someone is me.
Granted, drunk driving is bad. However, there is a medically well recognized condition of dimished inhibitions, clouded thinking and impaired judgment known as … ready for this one?
DRUNKENESS!
Brittany, presumably, never had the slightest intention of hurting anyone — she wanted to party; she wanted to go home thereafter. Certainly we’ve all been there. And I’m certainly willing to place a bet with anyone reading that a good number of readers, commenters and contributors to this website have in the past and will in the future start their car after having a drink, two, or more. They’re not murderers.
There is a legal term, mens rea which, loosely translated is an intention to break the law (more literally, guilty mind). Fortunately in many states (but unfortunately for Brittany, not in California) it is the burden of the prosecutor to proove an accused intended to cause harm to a person in order for one to be found guilty of murder. Considering murder is the intentional killing of a person, this makes perfect sense.
What if Brittany is an alcoholic? In fact, I daresay with her track record, she most likely is. We don’t lock people up for diabetes; why should we for alcoholism? This girl needs counseling, medical attention and rehabilitation — not prison, not hell.
Hey James,
I disagree with you when you say she isn’t a murderer. If you kill someone intentional or unintentional you still have committed murder (although the courts may not agree with me). I agree she probably wasn’t planning to hurt or kill someone, probably just wanted to get home. Be she didn’t get home and she did kill someone. I agree that she probably does have a problem, but we only lock up alcholics when they break the law. I agree that she shouldn’t be condemned to hell, but she should be condemned to prison, not some treatment facility. She can receive her treatment in prison where she will have no access to the stuff. I don’t know this girl but based off her reaction or lack of one thereof; I do believe that she is very selfish-but her selfish, superficial world will come crashing down around her as the prison walls quickly close around her-and it is sad to say, that only then; I feel that her the gravity will hit her. If I were this girls boyfriend or family members(April’s) I would send her letters reminding her of her birthday, our anniversary, or any other special thing that we shared to remind her of the beautiful life that she so selfishly snuffed out. As for her friends, they should be held liable to….if that were my friend drunk like that and refused to not drive; I would have to kick her ass and make her stay home (Now I don’t usually advocate violence against women; but I believe this case makes an exception). Anyways I will wrap this up with my catchphrase that you all know and love; stab her in the rectum. lol (The last one is a joke for those whow would argue that “it takes away all seriousness from your argument or whatever”)
I’ve been drunk. I’ve been falling down drunk. He’ll I’ve even been passed out puking in my own hair drunk. Amazingly enough, I’ve always known right from wrong. I’ve never gotten drunk and gotten behind the wheel. In fact, more then once, I’ve had my sister take me out driving while I was drunk and remarked how funny and scary it was that people as drunk as I was were dumb enough to think they could drive. We all know what can happen when you drink and drive, some people just choose to do it anyways. They know that it kills people, they just don’t care.
The reason the DA went after her for murder instead of simple vehicular manslaughter was because of the fact that they considered her to be more culpable for her actions due to the fact that she was already on probation for a DUI from 2007 and was placed “on notice” and told not to drink and drive again. Formally.
If this was her first offense, she would have been probably just been charged with vehicular manslaughter, but it wasnt and they need to pursue charges which hold her more accountable.
In addition to this, Brittany attended multiple AA meetings while on probation along with educational classes on the dangers of drunk driving, so she had resources available to her pertaining to alchoholism, if she, in fact, was an alchoholic-which I dont believe.
There are many alchoholics that I personally know who would never drink and drive. They stay home. They don’t chance it, they know it would be stupid and could kill people. They know a DUI costs $$, they know they could lose their job.
Ultimately, we have to draw the line somewhere and hold people responsible for their actions. The first time, you get lucky, ok, learn from it. Whatever. But the second time, she killed someone.
Going 100 mph down Beach Blvd, after leaving somewhere that she could have crashed out. She made the choices, she needs to pay the piper.
Drunkeness… Is voluntary, James. This girl did not get drunk accidentally- and even after being asked by friends not to drive (not to mention her previous DUI)- she got in the car and drove. Brittany was breaking the law just by drinking in the first place- she’s not of legal drinking age. Anything she did after that- that is her responsibility.
Now, while you are willing to bet that many readers here will drink and drive at some point, I am willing to bet that just as many won’t. The people that believe that EVERYONE drinks and drives are people that drink and drive, for the most part. While you may think that this girl does not deserve prison after her selfish, shitty actions stole someone’s life- I suggest you go to a MADD meeting. Meet someone who has lost someone that they love to a drunk driver. I can tell you from VERY personal experience that it is a terrible thing- especially when it is someone who has gotten away with DUI after DUI like the man that killed my brother did. These people KNOW the repercussions of drinking and driving and they do it anyway. As far as your bullshit excuse that their inhibitions are lowered while they are drunk- Again, they knew before they started drinking how they were going to end up at the end of the night. That makes anything that results from it their responsibility. Period.
I am sorry about your brother, diana :(
Thanks, Poptart. The problem with people like James saying that people like Brittany don’t need prison is that they don’t realize- if these people would have had real repurcussions the first time (or second… the guy that killed Tony had 3 prior DUI’s), then maybe they would have learned. Or been in jail instead of drinking or driving. Regardless of how many people want to blow it off, this is a VIOLENT crime that kills way too many people. It is obvious that slaps on the wrist are not working. I hope this girl gets prison. Also, I think we posted at the same time earlier, and you hit the nail on the head. This girl’s prior DUI should have been enough to keep her off the streets, but for selfish, stupid people like Brittany someone has to die before they learn.
People like Michael Gagnon
http://pysih.com/2008/01/18/michael-gagnon-pleads-not-guilty/
I think Michael Gagnon entry had the most replies besides Lori Drew at PYSIH. Well, she had multiple entries with many replies that are vitriolic in nature, which she rightfully deserves. Looks like Gagnon is one of the most hated person here at PYSIH and for good reasons.
Yeah, me too Diana, sorry to hear about your brother.
These cases always give me a twinge of guilt, since it’s only by the grace of God that I’m not sitting in prison with someone’s blood on my hands. During my 20′s through my early 30′s, I could probably count on my fingers and toes the number of times I WASN’T high on some substance when I was driving. But I never killed or hurt anyone but myself.
At least that one thing I don’t have to worry about today. I traded it for all those normal, everyday problems that we all deal with – and let me tell you, it was NOT a fair trade. This life is much, much harder….LoL.
Sorry to hear that Diana. Drunk driving is serious.
Comon’ James – Any rational person knows that if you get behind the wheel of a car drunk your chances of seriously injuring or killing someone increase by a ridiculous amount. Being drunk or high has never been recognized as diminished capacity under the law, otherwise every lowlife, rapist, murderer and child molesting shitbag would claim there were drinking or shot a couple of bags of dope before they went out and broke the law. That blows your Mens Rea theory all to pieces, don’t you think.
What Brittany did most certainly qualifies as second degree murder, except in the fantasy land you’re talking about, where no one is ever responsible for what they do, and a couple of beers is your ticket to acquittal every time.
Well James, i cant even begin to write something as eloquent and informed as Jason, so i wont even try. I’ll keep this short and sweet and say what i think as best as i can. Are ya ready for it?
Here goes. James, Your an ass!!!
Amy… James isn’t an ass, he is just, just ……How do you say it…. SIMPLE MINDED. We should feel pitty for him because I doubt if he would have that much compassion if this selfish little bitch had killed someone he loved. Wonder if help would be in order for this two time loser then. On second thought I think you’re right he is an ASS.
Idiot. So, if I wanted to kill someone, all I would need to do is to get rip-roaring drunk and run them down…or even shoot them…hey, “impaired judgement” right. And, with your way of thinking, all I would get is rehab. Brilliant. Spoken like a true left-wing nut job who believes no one is ultimately responsible for his/her actions…it’s always the fault of society or family like or drugs or peer pressue or alcohol or..or …or…
James — are you retarded? I don’t think it’s fair to compare a diabetic to an alcoholic.
First, while it is true that diabetes is a disease which can be acquired due to poor lifestyle choices, there are also a LOT of people out there living with the disease who did NOT ask for it. Some are born with the condition. Second, I can’t recall EVER hearing a story on the evening news about somebody dying as a result of somebody else’s diabetes.
Drinking alcohol is a choice. Given that Miss Brittany had already been convicted of a DUI, she was more than aware of the fact that drinking and driving is not only a dumb idea, it is actually illegal. Last time I checked, it was not illegal to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of diabetes.
Next time you decide to drink and drive, James, I hope you don’t kill anybody. If somebody has to die, however, here’s to hoping that it’s you. Ignoramous.
Being drunk is a choice one makes. You’re no better than the drunk driver because you are an enabler.
Damn James how many excuses do you need to come up with?
Lets lay out the facts shall we?
She was at an establishment that serves alc.
She consumed a few drinks
She got in her car
She inserted the key and turned the key to start the car
She put the car in gear
She murdered another human being.
Is tha simple enough for you? Should I draw a few pictures?
She knew driving drunk was a bad bad. She did anyway. She knew she was drunk. She drove anyway. Curb stomp would be the correct punishment in my opinion.
She is a little younger than I am. She I am sure went to public schools like I did. She knew for a fact that drunk driving kills.
I have never in my life gotten behind the wheel of a car after drinking. Not a single beer or even caugh medicine. Sorry your bullshit might work with some ignorant redneck but I am neither ignorant or a redneck.
I say to you James learn how to suck yer own balls because I am sure you will be the only person in your shitty life to do so.
How many of us have ever driven drunk before and just by the grace of god kept us from haqrming others. Lets try to understand that a person who chooses to drink and drive is a person who is lost and
is probably an alcoholic due to someone who has crippled her emotionally in life. Lets try to undrstand the root cause of why we have become so uncompashionate towards those who are in need of forgivenss. If Erics friend was a person who knew God then we should rejoice because she is now in heaven with god who has preparded it for those he loves. A place free of sin and death and sorrow aand hate and anger…. True fredom from the things that corrupt us in this world. So that being said the real truth is that we should be jealous of her because she is no longer living this life of death and corruptionin this world in these corrupt bodies because the physical death in this life is necessary so that our spirit can then be transfered to a heavenly body that is incorruptable.
Celebrate in her Victory and pray that The Girl who ttok her life may find forgiveness from thise she has hurt. In this act is when someone who is so loste then sees love an mercy and grace in the God who has given us the ability to love our enemies
How man of us drove drunk, were arrested and convicted of that crime, then chose to drive drunk against the urgings of our friends and even made plans while sober to drive drunk? Which of us then chose to drive so drunk that they killed someone?
Christ spends a bit of time telling us we have some things to do here. There are talents to be invested. The sudden loss of life due to stupidity and murderous intent aren’t the sort of thing we should sand blast away because the victim gets to go to club Heaven.
You need to spend some time actually reading the bible before you go off half cocked here. Your opinions aren’t those of someone whose bothered to read the Bible for themselves, but rather those of someone semi-illiterate, whose trying to white wash this in a paradigm he is ill-prepared to defend.
E’gad that was painful to read…almost to the point of bile rising in my throat, as for being ‘jealous’ you are without a doubt an ‘eejit’…fuck you’ve pissed me of…
yall need to shut up..yall dont need to be talking shit about my family when you dont even know the whole story..you guys need to get your facs straight before you start talking shit..she doesnt even care about her looks she is a down to earth girl..her friends kicked her out of the house because they got in a fight..it was their fault she had to drive home..you guys need to check yourself before you right shit about someone
No one “has to drive drunk.”
Why couldn’t she have called you?
Jason, as the lady said, you’re obviously missing some facs. Her friends kicked her out because she over-plucks her eyebrows. It’s a ghetto offense, obviously they had to react. It’s all their fault! She was too drunk to walk, so obviously she HAD to drive. Too drunk to call a cab or go in and apologize for making herself look like a foot and asking to hang out until she’s sober to drive. No, she HAD to drive right then. Brandi’s right! Get your facs straight, yall!
“Last week Schuetz told the jury she consumed Skyy Vodka at a friend’s house in Whittier and had several more drinks at an apartment in Sherman Oaks on Jan. 31, 2009.
Schuetz told the jury she planned to spend the night at her friend’s house in Whittier but on the way back from Sherman Oaks decided she wanted to go home. She said she called her boyfriend to pick her up, but he told her he couldn’t.”
http://www.ocregister.com/news/whang-234692-crash-schuetz.html
Indeed vcbecky… Maybe I should apologize for being right so often. It might help people….
;^)
How dare you think before you type, Jason. How dare you research before posting opinions so those opinions are well-informed and logical. How dare you try to educate people in the fine art of telling Bullshit from Truth. You utter tool, you. Hang your head in shame… ;)
Spend a little less time glued to Jerry Springer and a little more time getting the English language figured out.
right about what? ohh you mean write about. ok.
there is NO excuse for driving drunk.
“DRINK RESPONSIBLY”
Here’s a word for you to learn.
It’s called…TAXI. Do you know what that is? That is a type of car that contains a person who will safely drive a drunk person to their destination. One should call said TAXI when they are too drunk to drive. TAXI’s are perfect for people who are thrown out of houses after drunken fights with friends. TAXI’s save lives.
You may also refer to them as “CABS”, depending on the region in which you live.
Thank you for listening and learning the basics of Drunk 101.
She killed a person by drunk driving. What part do you not understand?
bitch. whore. cunt.
Absolutely Unspeakable.
I wonder when her friends will discover this posting and come out of the woodwork to defend her; blah blah she isnt a bad person, blah blah she made a mistake. BLAH BLAH. (I can hardly wait for that), Obviously this prima donna made more than one mistake. She had a record of alcohol violations; yet continued to drink. Im pretty sure that a conviction for something (anything), then said conviction would prompt me to steer clear of that particular vise. She is a bad person. A BAD BAD BAD person. She cares more about her perfect eyebrows, hi-lites, and alcohol than she does for human life. I also feel like if this “princess” was as drunk as she seems to have been, then her friends could have overpowered her and taken her keys. They could have tried harder to keep her from leaving. Im not blaming the friends–theyre not the ones who were driving, and Im sure (if they have ANY kind of conscience) that they feel bad enough on their own.
All I can say is thank god for small miracles that April died almost immediately. Looking at the photos of the car, I cant imagine being trapped in there conscious.
I’ll never understand why the drunk drivers who murder others with their careless ways seem to come out of situations like these unscathed–or barely scathed. And then they get over emotional when they find out their freedom is gone. Why the victims seem to always be outstanding members of society who have their chances to contribute something good are cut off instantly. I know, hindsight is 20/20–but this is something (drunk driving) that you know isnt going to end well. We hear about it enough and I wish more people would take heed of that knowledge. I dont care if you drove home from the bar 500 times drunk and nothing happened; YOU are putting EVERY other driver on the road at risk –and they dont even know it; there will be that time that something happens; something horrible. im not saying alcohol is horrible; if, youre old enough. If, youre staying home or somewhere off the road. If, you control yourself.
Thank you Poptart for putting this story out here–maybe just maybe after reading it here, people open their eyes a little wider and start thinking
Good that her friends made an attempt to stop her from driving that night… however… these friends had a moral obligation to call 911 and let the police know that a totally wasted girl was about to drive on the streets. For their friend’s safety and for anyone else’s in her path. I know that would have put a major kink in their friendship, to say the least, but this chick didn’t just have a buzz on… she was completely plastered.
WTF
Oh Matt, is this your first “What The Fuck?” moment? (You’ll have to read the Ryan T. Junglas story for an explanation of this comment.)
Naw, the Mansa story was my first WTF moment And the Ryan Junglas story was just fucked up. But look at that picture, what the fuck. Its like she doesn’t even care.
DUI is far too expensive to do twice. The $10,000 you pay the first time should teach you a lesson.
She should be thrown into a MADD meeting and locked in….God, this fucking cunt pisses me off.
Tito, I saw some web page for MADD and this bitch was actually on it. What a loser.
your the fat cunt
Hey, hey, hey, no insulting Tito. You trashy whore, wash your keyboard off with bleach, then go shove your head in the oven where it belongs.
oh my! I read comments for a while,and my heart hurt for April and the entire Whang family ,and her bofriend.Then i read Frito’s comment you army fag,and it made me angry that Aprils friends,and others that didn’t know her, are commenting on streaks and eyebrows.What really bites was the christophere reeves comment.Good golly he was superman.Also ,why was it alrite for frito to make ghetto comments queer? Go to iraq or somewhere else fuck face.
bull dyke
Oh my! It took you 3 minutes to come up with ‘bull dyke’ after you posted your original response. You felt the words ‘bull dyke’ were important enough to add, even important enough for their own post. You have no idea what that says about your thought process, Sally. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry that people like you are able to survive on this planet, without accidentally stabbing yourself to death with a butter knife or getting sucked into a jet engine, long enough to learn how to post on the internet.
You’re an idiot, just like your bitch Brittany. You’re the kind of person that makes me question Darwin. If there is a God and he isn’t a mean jerk, you’re infertile.
If a website like this did a story on a friend of mine, and if I were fool enough to want to defend her actions, I certainly wouldn’t start by insulting the people posting on the blog. If I approach it without venom, I might get some intelligent discourse going and they might see it my way.
Instead you put on your clown shoes and stomped around as if you could stop the entire discussion with some idiotic horn honking and silly balloon animals. Brilliant.
Take off the stupid red nose and either act like a human adult with a point to make, or go post somewhere more your speed. (Does ‘Sesame’ Street have a website with a comment section?)
First off “mens rea” isn’t a legal term, it’s a Latin term which means “guilty mind” which is placed in the legal context as a requirement of “actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea” or, “the act of a crime does not make someone guilty unless the mind is also guilty”. We can parse verbs all night, but your argument doesn’t hold water because she was aware that people can be killed by drunk driving. She was aware that driving drunk is a crime, one she was already convicted of.
But wait, there’s still more. She has an obligation to society not to engage in a drunken state where she commits the crime she’s already been found guilty of again. She’s aware that when she gets drunk, she may drive drunk. That makes her responsible for her actions before she gets drunk. States like California, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Washington, Delaware and thirteen other states qualify repeat drunk drivers who take a life with the consequences of their actions and additionally most of these states have aggravated contingencies for when someone drunk, takes someone’s life with an automobile. Why? Because it’s a poor excuse and from 13470 people are killed by them in the United States alone. That’s 2/5ths as many deaths as those killed by firearms over the same period. Here’s another great statistic, those who commit a DUI homicide, are 55% likely to have been convicted of a prior DUI offense as Britney was.
Why are these statistics so important? Because they’re not new. Britney knew about them. As part of her reduced sentence she had to participate in a state mandated alcohol program, one that instructed her on these same statistics and the consequences of her actions. Regardless of her state at the time of the wreck, her intent at the time she imbibed to that degree of drunkenness was excessive, illegal, and had the grave consequences listed above. She was guilty of a crime with the first sip, and was aware of the consequences before that sip could impair her faculties. Her later impairment does not defend or excuse her actions.
Let me guess your next argument, that she can’t have had concurrence with both actus reus and mens rea, but at no point during her drunkenness was she not committing a crime. If in the course of a shoot out, a criminal suffers a critical brain injury, but continues to shoot, the officer who shoots him is not questioned about his justification in shooting him. A crime is being committed from the moment it starts to its completion. Underage drinking is a crime, violation of a court order is a crime, operating a motor vehicle under the influence is a crime, failing to stop at a stop light is a crime, killing someone with your car because you committed these other actions are all crimes. Concurrence occurs because she was a criminal from the beginning of these course of events and her impaired state was a chosen criminal action with known consequences. That’s the very definition of the Single Transaction Principle and if you truly understand Mens Rea, as you claimed above, you’ll admit that your argument was not only flawed, but came from your intent to defend Britney the person, not Britney’s actual commission of a crime.
Thank you for this Jason.
I was reading your post Jason, and wondering why I never gave you a compliment, or told you how much I like what you have to say all the time. I mean, I always make it a point to tell the people I like and respect that I, well, uh, like and respect them. I don’t know why I never told that, because you’re really one of the smartest people we have on PYSIH.
I guess you’ll have to chalk it up to old age, overwork and a touch of either dementia or stupidity on my part. My money’s on stupidity….
Well said Jason. James, don’t bother replying as Jason is obviously your intellectual superior.
It wouldnt have been very hard to take her keys away and hide them from her. Thats what my friends and I do when faced with person that is very drunk and wants to drive. She deserves everything that she gets.
I’m so very glad my 18 year old daughter refuses to learn to drive.
Matt,
If you were backing out your driveway and a 3 year old ran into the path of your car, you didnt see it and drove into it, killing the child, you’re a murderer??
“If you kill someone intentional or unintentional you still have committed murder (although the courts may not agree with me).”
Killing someone and being a murderer are very different…
This is an interesting issue….
Were you looking behind you when the child ran past? Were you driving safely? Had you chosen at that moment to do anything illegal that would make it more difficult for you to prevent yourself from killing that child?
There are accidental killings, but it’s our duty to be aware of our actions. A three year old ran in front of my car. I went into a ditch just in time, but I had been A. Speeding, B. Talking with my passenger, C. not been fully aware of the unattended child at the side of the road. I chose in that instant to damage my car rather than hit the child. I had a rational choice at that moment and a responsibility for both the child(pedestrian) and my passenger. This occurred 14 years ago, but I think about the act often. An officer was called, he inspected my tire skids, the tires themselves, my car, and asked me about my mental state and a host of other options. I didn’t kill the child or even hit the child, but the implication is there. The officer’s job was to make certain I was not committing a crime and any infraction I was committing, he was assisting the public, including myself in assuring I was not a danger to it.
While I agree not all killings are murder, I think Brittany’s action was a murder. I think Matt may be coming at this from a semantic position.
1. The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/murder
It’s so easy to be unlawful, and the death of another human being seems so preventable, that there are few cases this clear definition could not be applied. Your example is one of those Mens Rea arguments that would be more muddy. More difficult to determine right and wrong, state, action and belief.
To paraphrase Jason, if I were to slam the gas down in my own laneway, while talking on a cellphone and getting a blow job…and then run over a child in my laneway, that’s murder. Do you understand the differentiation?
That cut clearly to the point. You wouldn’t have to be doing “all” of those things, but the distractions would be participatory and all criminal, regardless of your State or English speaking country to my knowledge.
Lol. That is one expensive hummer.
Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way excusing Brittany’s actions. But when we get into chat over ‘killing’ vs ‘murderering’, it gets frustrating.
I have been drunk very drunk in fact. I have sad to say driven very drunk. I will NEVER again. But I did not drive 90-100 MPH EVER and always drove carefully. I of course did want to get caught.
Someone who has a prev DUI and drives that fast after getting wasted all night is plain stupid and a murder. She had to know what she was doing. Well it looks like she will have lots of time to think about what she has done..
Dear god, that car…I’m glad she’s being charged with murder. What a dumb bitch.
take a pill jill you stupid bitch, i almost thought u cared until your last comment bitch
You need to take a chill pill.
A simple solution would have been to do what my friend did when he had parties involving drinking. Take everyone’s keys and DO NOT return them no matter how much someone pleads and begs.
Let’s face it, when we’re drinking, the world suddenly seems like peaches and cream. Then again, sometimes it brings out our rage and general stupidity.
Brittany seems like a professional partier/drinker. She needed help a while ago. Now this.
Here’s my Yoda-like wisdom for the day:
In my opinion, a person who has a drinking problem needs to find out WHY he or she drinks. What’s the motive BEHIND the bottle that causes one to drink? Brittany may have been sexually molested for all we know, now many lives have been ruined.
The condition of that car is UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Look, I kinda agree with you, in that there’s usually a reason that someone behaves in such an extreme manner. I had a drinking problem for a while, and it took a few attempts before I stopped and stayed that way.
But I’m having a hard time worrying about Brittany’s mental state right now. She just didn’t drive drunk-she sped at around 100 mph, ran a red light, and rammed a car. Since then, she’s had multiple chances to express any emotion at all at causing the death of another person, and it would seem that it hasn’t happened.
If Brittany needs help-and she probably does, that drive could be considered an unconcious suicide attempt-I hope she goes to group meetings in prison. I’ll send her books on addiction recovery.
Oh, believe me, I’m not pleading the insanity defense for poor old Brittany. In my mind, she blew it. It’s done. She’s going away.
There’s hope for the future though! Maybe some young, drunken fool will read our comments and get help before it’s too late!
I’m no stranger to the bottle. 100 proof Captain Morgan’s is pretty damn good! I often overindulge because I’m bored or depressed or whatever. The problem isn’t alcohol, it’s my own restlessness!
She’ll no longer be pretty when she gets out of prison.
even if she was cute in the least (which she’s not) her actions and lack of remorse make her hideous!
what the fuck is wrong with you fucking idiots.Who the fuck cares what her eyebrows look like, or if she has her hair streaked?Yeah i’am sure your dead friend april would be really proud of you.How sad her looking down ,and this is what people who loved her are commenting on if they would fuck Britt.You all dont really care you really are setting at your computer rubbin your twats and dicks thinking about how Britt does her hair and eyebrows.I am sorry April.
I care that a footface like Brittany killed a person like April. Brittany is an ugly bitch inside and out. Anyone who drinks and drives is a fool. It only takes half a second for that fool to become a murderer.
Don’t give us that bullshit about ‘she’s a good person, she just made a mistake’. BULLSHIT. She KNEW she was drunk. She CHOSE to drive. There was no mistake, there was only a selfish disregard for the safety of those around her. I wish Britt had died in the accident, but slowly.
Fuck her and fuck you, Sally.
she’s not pretty to begin with
Agreed. She is Fugly.
Her eyebrows crack me up.
Holy shit, how the fuck did I miss those? This is the only chick I’ve ever met who has melting eyebrows.
I meant pretty in a club slut way.
Doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t fuck this bitch with Christopher Reeves dick and a U-Haul pushing him.
Sure, Allah. She’s pretty. Pretty fucking stupid. If you like V.D. ridden bitches that look like they were dragged thru the back alley behind a bar, she’s your type. *eeew*
u fat piece of shit.your a lop.
Sally, you’re functionally illiterate.
Ugh I hate hearing about DUI cases like this. My brother’s girlfriend was killed in a DUI accident a few years ago, and it’s been a huge issue for me since. She was 19 years old.
Brittany Schuetz is a selfish, stupid, inconsiderate child. She wasn’t even old enough to drink and already had a prior DUI? She had a place to stay and had no reason to drive. Every event that led up to April’s death was due to stupid choices by Brittany. You can put the blame on her friends if you’d like, and you can blame whoever provided her the alcohol, but at the end of the day, it was Brittany that killed April.
Some people NEVER learn nor care to, it’s just that simple.
Next in line are those who are better at whatever than most anybody else – the ones that can handle their liquor better than most people.
Along side them are those who have enough experience, so they’ll just do it again.
There are also those who feel that they have not had that much, and those who feel it’s nobody else’s business what one does.
Then there are the people who constant;y have to pushthe envelope.
There are so many different reasons why some people are just plain assholes.
While Brittany did not intend on killing anyone, there is little that is accidental about this situation. She made many bad choices
1. Drinking – how old is she?
2. Arguing with others – I will dare to assume she could have got a sober ride home
3. Going somewhere that she did not want to stay
4. Speeding – if she was familiar with the area, she knew where intersections may be, if she was unfamiliar then one should not be speeding
She may have made other bad choices as well….
Add to the fact that nothing seemed to phase her and I’ll bet she’d celebrate the end of a light sentence with another DUI.
James,
Are you that big of a dumbass? She slammed into April’s car at 90-100 miles per fucking hour and April was killed instantly and you think she only needs help, not prison??
WTF, what if that had been your wife or child, would you want her to only get help? Not have to pay for MURDERING someone you loved?
She needs to spend the rest of her life in prison for murder!
People, people, PLEASE be careful when you’re driving around at night past about ten. I live in a large farming town and at least three-quarters of the people out driving around at midnight are SMASHED. My eighteen year old works long hours and was commenting the other day about how every other person in a car was weaving around the freeway when he got off work.
Please be aware of your surroundings and the other drivers when you’re driving around late at night. Save yourself if possible.
Unfortunately, because of the alcohol, most drunk drivers “bend” thus it is more likely that they walk away from such things than a sober person taken by surprise and by reflex tense up. So sad when it really should be the other way around.
I think they rightfully charged her with murder. She had already done this before. Sure, drinking clouds your judgment but it doesn’t make you forget right from wrong. Simple as that. I seriously doubt she “forgot” she had already been in trouble for the same exact thing. She knew what she was doing and CHOSE to do it anyway. She should rot in jail for what she has done. There is no excuse for the law and no excuse for stupidity and shelfishness.
RIP April. You had so much to live for.
Samantha, poor choice of words on my part sorry. Accidental deaths aren’t necessarily murder all the time. But this case was definitely murder. Not in the ‘Pre meditated’ sense, but murder nontheless
She’s not remorseful, you can tell just by looking at her. “Murder” implies she got behind the wheel with the intention of running someone over, I think “Vehicular manslaughter” is a better description.
After reading some of the postings, I am inclined to agree that “murder” is a wrong charge. While it sounds good, legally it’s wrong and stretching the law to make it fit a certain case is morally wrong.
This bitch needs to be locked up, BUT she needs to be done in the correct manner. No plea bargains, max sentence on each charge.
If we want to be “legal bastards” impose fines and then keep her in jail for not paying the fines!
Second-degree murder is ordinarily defined as 1) an intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable “heat of passion” or 2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender’s obvious lack of concern for human life. Second-degree murder may best be viewed as the middle ground between first-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.
http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/a-z/murder_second_degree.html
It’s the second definition that’s so clearly being used in her case. If someone fires an automatic weapon at the horizon, and kills no one, but is prosecuted for unlawful discharge of a weapon, and then follows up within a few years, after receiving a reduced sentence (the definition of parole in this context), and fires the gun in the same or a more aggravated way, and kills someone, they too are guilty of second degree murder.
Reckless conduct: Check
Obvious lack of Concern for human life: This is where the only “meat” of this argument exists.
1. Driving at an unsafe speed: 30 miles over the speed limit would have been considered wreckless endangerment, you don’t usually have stop lights on roads with 60 and 70 mph posted limits. In this case, it’s ironic she destroyed the 40 mph speed limit sign with her victim’s car before her victim’s car came to rest in the Gas station sign. Fifty or sixty miles over the speed limit is a disregard for your life and the life of others.
2. Repeat offender in underage drinking and DUI
3. Was made clearly aware of the consequences of these actions in a State mandated program, designed to prevent just such a relapse.
4. Actions were performed in violation of her parole: Flagrant disregard for the law is much worse when a death is involved, since the law in this case is to prevent a death or the public harm. This brings into clear focus that the laws on the book have a valid need.
Above, I gave the definition of murder. The comma separates an interesting clause. While premeditation is the key to the most flagrant and easily identifiable murder, the unlawful killing of another is murder. She has unlawful in spades and no one can doubt she killed her victim, so where does the conundrum remain? What’s the problem with calling this act murder?
With that set of FACTS, I must agree on the murder charge. The definition fits well.
Thank you for presenting a well researched rebuttal
I dont know, Fred. I agree with the DA, that this time around it was murder because she was fully aware of the ramifications of her previous DUI and the potential for what could happen, if she continued drinking and driving. She made the choice, and she killed someone this time. Plus, she was speeding at a rate which was absolutely ridiculous.
I have one guy working for me who, in the span of one year, has received 2 DUI’s. No prison, either. He hired an Attorney and got off on house arrest and work release. What if that moron killed someone the second time around? I am just waiting for a call from him-or a family member on a Monday telling me he cant come to work because he has killed someone while drinking and driving. When that happens, I will not be shocked. And, they better pursue murder charges because he would deserve it. He has laughed and bragged to his co workers that he regularly forges his signatures on his AA card from the court.
But most importantly, he is aware that drinking and driving is not ok, he knows what could happen, he has been informed, he has been warned by the law not to do it again, just like that streaked nightmare skeezer Brittany.
In those types of situations, it is murder, and Brittany “Cheers” *clink* should be charged with murder and rightfully so.
After getting a set of facts, I am agreeing with the murder charge.
Another way to think of Mens Rea is the ‘mind of the crime’. Some laws, murder typically being included, are what’s called a ‘specific intent’ crime. You have to intend to do it in order to be charged with it. Other crimes are called ‘general intent’, which is what most negligent homicide cases fall under. WIth general intent, you don’t have to necessarily mean to commit the crime in order to be guilty of it. A good example of general intent is statutory rape. You may not know that a person is underage when you have sex with them, but you still did it and that makes it a crime. I’m surprised that this case is being charged as murder, because to me it seems that the actual killing was a ‘general intent’ crime. Yes, the DUI was specific intent, but not the killing. It’s interesting.
188. Such malice may be express or implied. It is express when
there is manifested a deliberate intention unlawfully to take away
the life of a fellow creature. It is implied, when no considerable
provocation appears, or when the circumstances attending the killing
show an abandoned and malignant heart.
When it is shown that the killing resulted from the intentional
doing of an act with express or implied malice as defined above, no
other mental state need be shown to establish the mental state of
malice aforethought. Neither an awareness of the obligation to act
within the general body of laws regulating society nor acting despite
such awareness is included within the definition of malice.
California Penal Code 188, which defines Murder with malice, express or implied. This is implied malice, not general intent. Her intent was implied because her actions prove an abandoned and malignant heart.
It makes sense now… I forget that this is going on in Cali; laws are different where I live.
What state do you live in? The laws may in fact be more similar than you think. Often times, when someone has decided their life isn’t worth anything, they become self-destructive. They start taking that self-destructive attitude out on the road: “If I don’t care whether I live or die, why should I care what happens to other people?”
Malignant… Abandoned….
Other states have faced this before.
This may help to explain why it’s murder:
From http://library.findlaw.com/2009/Feb/16/247357.html
“Driver Responsibility Acknowledgment
Effective as of July 1, 2008, all individuals applying for a California driver’s license or seeking renewal of their driver’s license are required to sign a written acknowledgment that states:
Driving under the influence impairs their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous to human life
If someone is killed as result of a drunk driving accident, the drunk driver can be charged with murder
The legislature’s purpose in passing this law was to provide a tool for prosecutors to use in convicting drunk drivers for gross vehicular manslaughter and second degree murder. In order to secure a conviction for one of these crimes, prosecutors must present evidence that the drunk driver knew or had a subjective awareness that driving while intoxicated posed a dangerous risk to human life. This can be difficult for prosecutors to prove, unless the driver had a previous DUI conviction.
The written acknowledgment, however, can serve as evidence of the individual’s knowledge of the danger created to human life from drunk driving. Without the acknowledgment or other proof of knowledge, prosecutors may only be able to file charges for the lesser crime of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence – a crime that carries a lesser penalty than second degree murder or gross vehicular manslaughter.
When California drivers sign this acknowledgment at the time they apply for or renew their driver’s license, they are providing a potentially powerful piece of evidence for prosecutors to use against them in the future if they are the cause of a DUI-related death. Without the acknowledgment, the driver may only face manslaughter charges. But with the acknowledgment, he or she may face murder charges and 15 years to life in a state prison.”
Not sure whether she signed this particular acknowledgement .. but obviously her previous DUI means she was well aware of the dangers and consequences of driving drunk.
This is not a “stretch” of the charge of murder to fit these circumstances … this has been enshrined in the California law.
This is awesome- I get pretty regular bulletins from MADD, but was not aware of this legislation- which is funky, cause my mom lives there. This is a pretty big step in the right direction for getting these offenders to take responsibility for what they have done.
Excellent find.
Agreed, great find. California is cracking down on drinking and driving and, as diana said, this is a good step in the right direction. This is what I like to see. :)
Anyone know if other states have something similar to this? I know driving under the influence is a big problem in California and it seems that every holiday, there are more and more checkpoints which are set up. Certain counties actually go harder on the offender because they have had so many instances of DUI’s in their region.
Wow. I feel so sad when I look at April’s pictiures. She seemed so happy :)
I completely agree with them charging Brittany with murder. She had a DD, she had a place to crash, she was already on probation for drinking… so many things shouldve kept her from making the decision not to drive that night.
RIP April <3
I do not agree with drunk drinving but there was a time when I was younger and thought that I was invincible that I did drive while I had been drinking. Of course I got pulled over and lost my license, paid and a fine, and was mortally embarassed. I was young and dumb and even though I knew that I could hurt someone it truly never occurred to me that not everyone was as invincible as I was. When we are young we all make stupid mistakes. It doesn’t necessarily have to be driving drunk, but stupid mistakes are made that later with experience and wisdom we outgrow. Everyone keeps saying that she was selfish and they are correct, about 99% of 20 year olds are selfish. They do things for themselves because they don’t have a spouse and children counting on them. Drunk driving is wrong but I can’t imagine not growing out of my stupid stage because of something that I would never do later on. She was dumb and deserves voluntary manslaughter but I do not agree with murder.
Answer honestly Lewbell, do you know her?
Are you family, a friend, someone who knew her before, and “can’t believe she did this?”
If so, this attitude is common. It’s an emotional response that overtakes reason. You look for ways to blame the laws for being too strict rather than the person who committed the crimes. You make excuses. You look for some way to make it seem like this was all a big accident or simply a youthful mistake–mistakes were made, but fundamentally she’s a bad person and a danger to everyone around her. She’s the same as a rabid dog, there simply is nothing that will fix the problem–if set free in less time, she’s highly likely to drive drunk again and ultimately to kill. You don’t get second chances very often in life, and when you kill someone, willfully, you shouldn’t get one ever again. The pattern is too set, too easy to see and too obvious to risk it.
I think she should pay for this crime with her life. It’s a horrible event, but the fundamental truth here is that she knew what she was doing. She knew there was a danger, and invincible or not, she chose to make the actions that killed someone in part because she knew she could kill someone and did not want anyone to stop her.
cases like this always make me particularly angry. i am a 22 year old girl and i also like to party, but i have NEVER gotten behind the wheel drunk and i can say that proudly, i can also say i NEVER let my friends drive drunk, even if it comes to physical fighting (its happened). this bitch was obviously a sloppy drunk who wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. this chick has no excuse at all!! the fact that she isn’t remorseful just makes me even more angry because not only did she make a stupid decision and someone had to die for it, but shes not even sorry about it. obviously, she only cares about herself and that’s really really sad. the only silver lining is, take a long hard look at this picture, this chick will last 2 minutes in state prison if shes lucky, before shes someones bitch and getting the shit kicked out of her…
my condolences to the Whang family and all of Aprils friends.
as for the fucktard who wanted to drink and drive, i can only HOPE one day you will be released from prison and some drunk takes you out :)
James, you my friend are a fucktard!!!
She made the decision to drink and drive DUH she is a murderer! dumbass! what if it were your wife or girlfriend or hey your mother or daughter???? would you still feel the same?
She looks like she could be Doctor Spock’s love child…Beam me up Scotty!!!
I do see the resemblence to Spock, Amy. LOL. I would pay some good money to see a pic of her now, I bet her eyebrows have grown back.
Wonder what they REALLY look like… Creepy.
May she swim in urine and human/animal excrement…forever.
This is my prayer.
Amen.
well we can tell you pray to anus gods you dip shit .April heard that prayer and shit her pants fuckface
‘Anus gods’? Are you serious? You have gods for your anus? Do you also have a pussy troll? You suck, Sally.
Is there any truth in what I heard that April was not wearing a seat belt?
Was April wearing a seat belt?
Brittnay was going to school to become a Nurse. Also she has a public defender. She has no money to hire a lawyer. Don’t worry, other than her family and a few friends, no one gives a dam about her. She will go to jail. She earned jail but she is so young. I was stupid when I was 20 yrs old.
She was not spoiled by money, she was raised by a single mom and she worked real hard at home, helped watch her younger brother. She is not from a rich family.
All I know about that night is what I read on the internet. She was driven to the party by friends, and driven back to their house, where she left in her car. I hope the people who put on that drinking party for under aged people get in some kind of trouble. Also Brittney got a slap on the wrist the first time. Knowing Brittney, I am sure she she has a drinking problem.
You might have a point about the people who served underage Brittany might needed some sort of charges. But there were many chances for her to stop herself and not drive. There were also many chances for her friends to stop her themselves.
I’m glad that it seems you had nothing to do with this, since you read it on the internet. In fact, and this might just be me, you sound as if you haven’t had contact with her in a while. Just a vibe I’m getting.
dont put your her friend bitch
Sally, now that you’ve drooled all over this thread and shown us what an asshat you are, care to tell us what your relationship to this case is? If not, go someplace else to practice your insults. I suggest a preschool sandbox. Your lack of intelligence gives us little to work with here. You suck.
Before you start ‘defending’ this piece of trash drunk driving bitch, keep in mind that just about everyone who posts regularly on this board is WAAAAAY smarter than you are. We’ve won this game on countless occasions and trust me, we won’t lose to an idiot like you. If you care to be another stamp on the side of the bomber, keep on in this vein. We’re only too happy to stomp on another enabling friend or family member who has the audacity to be angry at the public because we want people like Brittany to die slowly.
P.S. BRITTANY LOOKS LIKE A FOOT. A DISGUSTING, CALLOUS-ENCRUSTED, GANGRENOUS FOOT WITH STUPID EYEBROWS. There. Now you have a starting point, Sally. Go fer it.
Okayy, you say she’s ugly wtf don’t you add a picture? exactly dont talk shit if you don’t know a damn person
Whoa your suppose to be her friend and your saying she has a drinking problem. Your one fucked up friend.
Reply to Britts Friend.
Too Bad Brittney couldn’t be let out of prison once in a while to speak at high schools on how drinking and driving can hurt so many people. April is dead, leaving a boy friend, sister, parents, co workers, ice skateing students, and many friends. Brittney’s family is hurt. And Brittney will never be the same. Blond Girls in prison have a much harder time. The girls in there from gangs zero in on the blonds.
From what I heard about April, I don’t thnk she would be calling Brittney all those names.
The blonde will probably grow out pretty quickly.
Well April can’t call anyone names can she? She’s DEAD! And so what if she never had her seat belt on. Someone get t-boned by a drunk doing 90-100 miles per hour they’re going to die. Britt deserves to be charged with murder. She got drunk, was pleaded with to sleep it off, got in her car and killed a young lady with everything in the world to live for. After reading Jasons posts not only do I think it’s murder, but so does the state of California… where she chose to reside… and drink… and drive… and MURDER a young woman with her car in her illiegally drunken state of mind while committing the crimminal act of drinking & driving.
Sorry I’m late on this one, but this biotch deserves worse then a cushy prison cell. People like her disgust me. Most of my family was killed by a drunk driver (my aunt and uncle and grandma) my mom had every bone broke from the shoulders down. this was his first offence he got nothing more then a slap on the wrist. He went on to kill 3 more families again slap on the wrist and a fine. After that it has completly changed my view on people like this. *sigh* I wish people would learn not to do stupid things like this.
this site is ridiculous. we all deserve to be in hell but it is by God’s grace and his sacrifice on the cross we are not. so leave the judgement to God and worry about yourselves
I cant speak for everyone else here, only myself. An i personally dont believe in hell and therefore dont vote. And i think most other people who post here know that a click of their mouse is not going to send anyone to hell. But i do believe that we do some good here in that we raise awareness of these crimes and hopefully with that awareness change can be made. That is why i, and many others started writng for the site. We wanted to give a voice to the victims and to hopefully deter even one person from having to suffer.
Hey, genius. I am worried about myself-and my loved ones, and any other decent people for that matter who travel by way of car. As long as selfish little lightweights like Britney “Cheers” continue to make choices which place me and other people, namely people who I love, in jeopardy, IT IS MY DAMN BUSINESS. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO TELL ME IT ISNT???!!!
The whole “hell” thing is inconsequential semantics, you know it and I know it. I am so tired of self-righteous bible thumping idiots using that factor on this site as their sole basis for defending trash like this bitch. Are you for real? Or are you just another person who drinks and drives and thinks that it is ok?
Because, um…. none of us have ever heard that particular spiel before! ZOMG! Anyway, I don’t believe in hell in the FIRST place, secondly we ARE worried about ourselves, because if someone wasn’t around to judge these fucktards by their actions, people like Brit Brit would be out the next weekend trying to T-bone OUR cars. Thanks, but no thanks.
I also have to say for the sake of my aching eyes… please learn to spell before you post.
You do realize that the voting here is strictly symbolic, right anonymos? Nobody here but a very few fringe nutjobs like yourself take it literally.
***moron***cough***
Great, more people who call themselves “Christians”. The Bible is not exactly consistent considering it was written by different people over a span centuries.
The most religious people are the ones who do not flaunt it and they do not have to. The people who call themselves, “Christian”, “Jewish”, “Muslim”, “Hindu”, etc. are pretentious.
If this was her first offense, if she had only had a couple beers, if she was driving the speed limit, I might feel she deserved some mercy.
But she had a prior DUI, she was totally wasted and she was speeding through red lights. She killed someone.
End of story.
you people have no life commenting on her looks…get a fucking life. And as for your debates….you must have no life to sit on your computer all day and debate with eachother on how bad of a person brittany is….instead of caring so much about brittany (which you all do) start caring about your life.
nobody forces you ignorant jackasses (the negative people always complaining that the admin are harsh and we cant send them to hell and nobody has a life) to come onto this site and read anything, much less reply. but sadly, you can say what you want, just as much as we can. and I will say this, when someone ruins other people’s lives, they are pretty much a target for karma and bullshit, and i stop caring about those who dont give a shit about humanity. so go live your life and stay away from websites and comments you dont like.
Thus spake the hypocrite, as she tried to get in ye final, last word. It was flaky and full of fail…
What’s your story Joanna? Why do you want to protect Brittany from the big, bad INTERNET?
which one is the hypocrite? just clear it up for me cuz i’m kinda dense at times… :)
Sorry, my screen didn’t have your comment yet Dani. Yeah, I was talking to Joanna.
–Jason
Just a little update on this… Brittany goes to trial beginning tomorrow.
DRUNKEN DRIVER FACES TRIAL FOR MURDERING ANOTHER MOTORIST IN EARLY MORNING HIGH-SPEED CRASH
SANTA ANA – A drunken driver on notice that driving under the influence could kill others faces trial tomorrow for murdering a 26-year-old motorist in an early morning high-speed crash. Brittany Deanne Schuetz, 21, Santa Ana, faces one felony count of murder and a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison if convicted. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-30, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
In 2007, Schuetz attended and completed alcohol awareness classes, during which she was instructed about the dangers of drinking and driving.
On the night of Jan. 31, 2009, Schuetz is accused of consuming several alcoholic drinks at a party. After midnight on Feb. 1, 2009, she is accused of leaving the party and ignoring her friends’ offers to find her a ride home and their pleas for her not to drive.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Schuetz is accused of driving at a high rate of speed on Beach Boulevard in a black 2003 Mazda 6. She is accused of entering the intersection at Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway against a red light. After running the red light, the defendant is accused of striking victim April Whang’s vehicle, which was traveling eastbound on Imperial Highway from Beach Boulevard on a green light. Schuetz is accused of causing the crash, the impact of which threw Whang from the driver’s seat to the cargo area of her 2004 Acura Integra.
La Habra Police arrived at the scene to find the defendant sitting in the driver’s seat of her car. Schuetz is accused of displaying objective signs of alcohol intoxication including emitting a strong odor of alcohol from her breath, having bloodshot and watery eyes, and not being able to answer any of the basic questions asked by investigating officers. She is accused of having a blood alcohol level over the legal limit, making it unsafe for her to drive.
Whang died at the scene due to multiple traumatic injuries. The victim was an ice hockey player and former figure skater. She worked as a store manager at The Rinks Anaheim Ice. Over 1,000 people attended her funeral. Whang lived in Fullerton with her parents and 21-year-old sister.
Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
Edit: .24 BAC is three TIMES the legal limit of .08, not three times OVER the limit. Please, wordsmiths, get this right! And yes, she was damned (used advisedly) drunk.
Says the idiot who just confessed that she too sits at her computer occasionally and follows this website.
Way to own yourself there, Joanna…golly, nothing gets past you, eh ?
Actually, my life is just fine Joanna – in fact, it’s been made quite a bit better by this website and the people who comment here – well, not counting you of course, in spite of the high amusement factor a post like yours brings to the table.
If you don’t like this site, than don’t COME HERE! Simple.
OC drivers- be extra careful on the roads! This murderer posted bail on 7/4/09 and is back on the streets!
Well that blows…
WAIT! Who was the drunk driver we had posted here a while back who got out of prison after a DWI and was killed… By another drunk driver? Ah, if only they could all take care of each other so efficiently.
James,
I just stumbled onto this page…and I’m going to give you a cordial FUCK YOU. You tree hugging fucking cunt liberal (I have nothing against liberals, just against liberals like YOU James).
Doesn’t need prison? Are you fucking kidding me? She didn’t get caught innocently partying in the dorms for drinking underage. No, she got behind the wheel, obviously hammered (0.24 BAC), KILLS SOMEONE, and you say she needs help?
No, fuck you James. You’re now invited to the list of people we’ll see in Hell.
When this kind of shit happens and they get time and not death. They should be made to have photos of what happened put in the cell with them as a reminder of what they did and that they can never take them down. And to drive the point home photos of the vic both alive and dead. Lets see how that cunt acts then.
WTF is wrong with people? This stupid piece of slag KILLED someone. AFTER she was guilty of drunk driving before. She needs sentenced to about 50 years of prison – no parole. I don’t care if she os a drunk, was a two time thing to drink and drive, or if others knew she was driving drunk. Whatever those circumstances are, SHE KILLED AN INNOCENT PERSON. And she did so in an act that was well-known to be deadly.
The only was she should not serve a long sentence is if she decided to kill herself to avoid the public paying for her stupid bitch ass self to stay in jail.
A mesage to Brittany- DIE BITCH!
everybody makes mistakes she should not be charged they should dismiss the case its not her fault its april fault for going out so late
Yeah, yeah – nice try troll boy. But we do have a new candidate for the worst trolling attempt ever on PYSIH. You really, really suck at it.
Oh. I had no idea the streets belong to drunk drivers after the sun goes down. Shame on anyone out taking an evening stroll, huh? Is Brittany some sort of alcohol vampire? Does she sparkle?
She didn’t make a mistake. Drunk driving is not a mistake. She knew she was drunk and she drove out of choice. This wasn’t a mistake, this was a selfish idiot being.. a selfish idiot.
Why must people throw their weight behind selfish idiots?
Well, by your thinking, the 19 knife wielding hijackers made a mistake on September 11, 2001, when they crashed those airplanes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Or Jim Jones and 913 of his followers committed mass suicide on November 18, 1978 because he thought the CIA was after him, when it was not the case.
Drunk driving is not a mistake. It is a choice one makes, like committing a crime.
Guys, this guy is a fraud. He cares less about ol’ Brittany that most of us do. He’s just a pathetic troll looking to make a little noise in the group, that’s all.
I like giving trolls grief.
it’s your parents fault you’re such a dumbass.
LOL by that logic both April and this murderous Brittany are at fault for being out so late at night. Of course twit-for-brains troll-boy there failed to see that though.
RIP April. And Brittany – karma will get you, missy.
Sally~ Seriously!? You have got some problems, missy. Stop with the retardation and comment on the story, or defend Brittany, or condemn her, whatever. Stop insulting the regulars just for the sake of seeing your words on a screen. At the very least, attempt to be civil, at the most, attempt to put together coherent thoughts and witticisms.
Wow. when I first saw the car, I thought it was a motorcycle.
Honestly, you people need to get a damn life. Shit happens, people die. She would of died one day anyways, and if you think about it, what if this was your family member. would you still love your brother, sister or cousin that killed a person bcuz her friend’s just let her leave. People do stupid shit and actions take place for it. but you can’t live your life saying oh she she be in hell for killing this person or god wont let her in. I bet people who read this do just as bad shit. Brittany wont be in hell, her faith depends on how she lives the rest of HER LIFE. So if your going to sit her and judge a person, bcuz i know she doesn’t care about her looks; or she didn’t cry when she find out she might do life, she cried bcuz she hurt millions of people. my teacher was hit and killed and you don’t see me going ape shit. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND LIFE IS A BITCH, SHIT WILL HAPPEN. DEAL WITH IT, DONT FUCKING JUDGE IT. OH AND GET A LIFE TO WHO EVER WROTE THIS, BCUZ YOU DIDN’T HEAR BOTH SIDE YOU BIASED BITCH.
Little boys and girls here we have the perfect example of why you should never sniff glue, mate with farm animals, vote for democrats, eat junk food, stare directly in to the sun, overdose on asparin and stay in school.
Unless you want to end up living in a trailer park.
Can’t say you haven’t been warned.
Careful Mulch, misplaced modifier on “stay in school” and “vote for Democrats.”
You said never effectively as a modifier for both. I know you intended the second, but given my penchant for voting for some Democrats, I felt this was a good place to rib you on both items.
I calls em likes I sees em :-)
LOL!
There is no second side to this. She drove drunk, got caught, plead with the court to have mercy on her and grant her probation, drove drunk again and killed someone running a stoplight, in excess of the speed limit.
That’s observing reality, not judging.
well don’t you feel special, how bout we find who you are, look up your background and see how you have no life? people die all the fucking time, you either be like you and judge every fucking word you hear or move on. SHES DEAD, NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO. GET THE FUCK OVER IT!
You’re an evil, selfish cunt just like Brittany. You have no soul. You should kill yourself.
Let me make that perfectly clear – J.NICOLE, YOU EVIL, SELFISH, INHUMAN CUNT, PLEASE GO KILL YOURSELF. RIGHT NOW.
ohh honey its funny how you think your stupidity of words is going to phase me. i could kill myself but than i would be as low as your bitch ass :] so pardon my language, i’ll make this clean, GET A LIFE VCBECKY
Would you please define what ‘get a life’ is supposed to mean? You like to use the word ‘life’, yet you place no value on it. You’re a heartless asshole, J.Nicole.
In fact, would you clarify your entire post? “Stupidity of words”? What in hell does that mean? Do you actually speak English as your first language?
Non-terrorist, knuckle bump vcbecky, even if I prefer to not hope anyone commits suicide before they gain an understanding of life in excess of their freshman year in high school.
Let me guess…you know Brittany.
Friend? Relative?
Gosh…I wish we could tell the dead girl’s family to “get the fuck over it” because their daughter, sister, cousin, niece, grand-daughter is dead…
Nicole..you are right..she would have died…SOMEDAY.
Wanna know the skeletons in my closet?
I did drugs for seven years. Quit cold turkey. Had my first child at 18. I wasn’t even mature enough myself to raise a child…but I did.
BUT…I NEVER..EVER drank and then got behind the wheel, because I bear common sense to know that those two don’t mix.
Plenty of my friends have lost their car keys for the night because I didn’t feel they were capable to make it home safely, and hey, I might have saved a few lives those nights.
What you don’t seem to understand is that Kimberly is dead, but not by any choice of her own. Brittany is at fault for that.
Don’t defend her. You aren’t helping her case by claiming that she would have redemption the minute she faces God, because she committed one of the ultimate sins…THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
Seriously..some of you trolls should brush up on your bible reading.
Apparently each and every one of you that drop in here to defend the people who do wrong don’t comprehend that.
actually no i don’t know her, not a friend, relative nothing. i just heard the story. and yeah brittany got behind the wheel while being drunk; so did the guy that killed my teacher but im not going crazy like the others on here. yeah i understand completely that her time might of not been today, but if GOD wanted her to survive that accident, he would of let her. She died, can’t do shit bout it.
Do you place any value on human life at all?
I have lost people in wrecks too…but…the whole idea of this site is to let others know what we are dealing with as good people in today’s society.
I mean…wouldn’t you want to know if the guy who lived next door to you killed an innocent baby?
Wouldn’t you want to know that girl you are about to hire to drive a commuter bus was twice convicted of DUI and killed a person while under the influence?
I say you should commend Max and Admin for their work, because they are sharing this vital information with people who would like to know this kind of thing.
Yeah, but they sure love to run their mouths about “God”: “God will judge, only God will know.” They love to talk about God because it makes them feel that they’re spiritual and better than everyone else. God is probably throwing up as we speak becauase of this whore, He probly wishes he could go into the witness protection program to get away from this taint.
E, those kind of people are insecure and need to feel better about themselves. The Bible does say to judge also many times. The Bible is a group of books written by different people over time.
You really think you’re one tough fuck, don’t you? “Get over it” “shit happens” “everybody dies” WOOoohhh don’t scare me now! You figure you’re going to barge into this site and straighten everybody out, huh? Wake up call, trash: here are three facts you need to know about people at this site. (1) We’re all smarter than you. Your posts are so full of mistakes they’re laughable. It’s FAZE not PHASE motherfucker. “Actions take place for it” “stupidity of words,” exactly what the hell are you talking about? We all have different educational levels, but you go beyond lack of education, you’re so proud of sounding ignorant and (you hope) street that you’re very hard to understand. (2) We’re all more honest than you. So you don’t know this drunken cooz, huh? You sure throw her first name around like you do. Saying “Brittany won’t be in hell” sure sounds to me like you know her. I think you’re a liar. (3) We’re all better than you. You’re an angry, pissy, sorry, son of a bitch. Oops, what was that?! Was I judgmental? Damn straight! I LOVE judging worthless skinbags like you!
“E,” is most definitely for your excellence.
Bravo, well said and THANK YOU for putting into words the ultimate smack down to this ‘tard.
Hi, my name is Jason, I’m a Senior Software Developer in Raleigh, NC. I’ve been happily married 3 years, 4 months, 24 days. I have a good Credit Score, spotless criminal record, high security clearance, and am considered an expert in the field of software security. I also lost my friend Bethany and her four children to a Drunk Driver featured on this site, named Michael Gagnon. I’m working to get driving drunk in North Carolina, and the aggravated crime of vehicular homicide while drunk, eligible for the death penalty. I volunteer for a few charities, support politicians I meet and know personally, and generally am pleased with myself and my life.
I have a life and a terribly good reason to be hard on drunk drivers and the morons(like you) who choose to support their crimes.
FAIL!
Drunk driving is not a mistake. It IS A CRIME!!!!! By your thinking, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold made a mistake when they killed 13 people at Columbine High School. They had bad judgement when they massacred fellow classmates.
Your teacher was hit and killed? It’s obvious s/he died before getting the chance to teach your ignorant worthless ass.
J Nicole, you are one stupid bitch, “shes dead, get over it” the woman had a family who loved her and was going to get married and had a whole non-drug using life ahead of her, she was going to make something of herself one day… your stupid loser ass bitch freind ended all that, well guess what, your bitch friend may very well be in prison for the rest of her life, but “oh well” life sucks. losers go to prison every fucking day… get over it bitch…
and by Kimberly, I meant April.
Dammit.
Still…
I scrolled up and read her relative Brandi’s comments…while Brittany’s friends should hold SOME responsibility, Brittany is the one who got behind the wheel drunk off her ass. Brittany is the one who drove that car, and killed someone…BRITTANY is the one who had a previous DUI.
Did the bleach soak into her brain and render her stupid of common knowledge? I think not.
While alcoholism is a serious disease (some would like to argue that, but it is an addiction, just like drugs), you don’t claim the person’s total innocence of their wrongful actions.
She. Broke. The. Law. And. Someone. Died.
You, too, Brittany’s little fan club…GET THE FUCK OVER IT.
Can any of you run the first Amendment by me again?
oooooh yeeeeaaaah…Freedom of speech.
Don’t like what other’s opinions are of your idiotic loved ones are?
Close the page. Don’t come back. GET THE FUCK OVER IT.
After all…it’s just the internet. ;)
ooooh noo…let’s not bring God into this mix.
There are times when we and we alone can prevent someone from dying.
That accident shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Fuck fate. Fuck God’s will.
If you want to defend the fact that April is dead and that people need to move on, well let me say this…Brittany play God that night when she got behind the wheel, because she CHOSE to drive and slam into another car.
April wouldn’t have died if she weren’t in that wreck at all. Period.
well if its just internet that why do people think they can be hard asses. common really, PEOPLE DIE, SHIT HAPPENS. and i do see value on human life, im just not going to sit here while life passes me by bcuz some girl died.
Yeah, but not by crime like drunk driving or murder.
let’s see if you say that after you lose your child in a wreck caused by a drunk driver…
I’m pretty sure you’d be screaming for justice if they got a punishment like Brittany here.
yeah i would be pissed.
i lost my child at 3 months from an abusive father.
but you don’t see me going crazy.
shit happens, you can’t stop life in the moment of depression.
and for people to know, i am white.
English is my first language.
Then make us understand what you mean by “Get a life” and “Stupidity of words”. I don’t believe English is your first language. You’ve clearly demonstrated that Heartless Asshole is your first language.
Your child died at 3 months at the hands of an abusive father, and you only had a moment of depression? You didn’t go crazy at all? You didn’t pause your life for more than a ‘moment’ to mourn and scream and be anything but ‘pissed’? ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE? Sometimes I think certain people deserved to be smacked really hard all the time. You, J.Nicole are one of those people.
Please go kill yourself. You’re beyond help, you’re completely stupid and you’re an asshole, so why would anyone want to help you?
Who asked whether you’re white? What possible difference does that make?
your child died at the hands of an abusive father…and all you can say is shit happens?
Wow.
Had that of happened to one of my children, I’d be screaming in the streets for justice, and made damn sure he never forgot what he had done.
Shit doesn’t happen.
People who know the difference of right from wrong, but choose to go the wrong way do.
You can’t just disregard someone else’s life because you feel pity for the perpetrator. They made their bed, now they get to lie in it, negative reactions from society and all.
Put yourself in April’s mother’s shoes.
Would you want people defending the girl who took your daughter away from you, or the people who are defending your daughter?
Wait…I’ll do one better…would you want your baby’s father to be treated as if he didn’t cause your child’s life to end, because he made a ‘mistake’?
Please do not tell me you feel sorry for him..because that would be wrong on so many levels.
The three month old graced this earth for less time than the father, I’m sure.
Mam please remind me to stay on your good side. I am with you on this.
Not a mother but a father. Different? yes it is. I am the protector of my daughter. I would kill or die for her. If someone was to hurt her he/she would suffer more pain than they thought possiable. I see my daughter as the greatest gift I could give this world. Through her I will live many years after I pass. Just as my parents live on through my brother and me.
You don’t have to be a parent to feel that way about a child. If I saw someone abusing your daughter, even if it was you, I’d get involved even if I ended up with blood on my hands. We have a society that turns a blind eye even when the crime is right in front of them. “I didn’t want to get involved.” By knowing a situation exists you are already involved, so what do you have to lose?
I don’t know how some people can sleep at night with this ‘not my problem’ and ‘whatever’ attitude. If you’re that emotionless, just die already.
Hmmmmm. Shit happens? Get over it? Guess I’m just a little out of the loop, or maybe just not “cool” enough to understand the lingo.
You know what? Yes, life sucks, shit happens and reality bites.
HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean we have to accept it. Change will never occur if we just roll along like some fat piece of human-like blob, spouting platitudes and catchy sayings. Sites like this are positive rays of light in a sea of negativity. So, as for your command to “get over it”, here’s a flaming clue as to why this site is so popular: THIS IS HOW WE GET OVER IT. It is a wonderful experience to spout off with others and rant about the injustices we see so often in life. It is a human experience, something you might be new to. If you weren’t so busy trying to excuse/explain away the actions of assholes, then you would have realized this by now.
You sound like you want people to think you’re a hard-ass realist, but that just makes you a pathetic ‘wannabe’. You obviously don’t realize that the majority of people here on this site ARE realists; they don’t need you to come along and tell them to ‘get a life’ or ‘get over it’. You are the internet equivalent of a drive-by shooter trying to crap all over people you could never reach through a real attempt at establishing a dialogue.
Oh, and you lost a child, your child, your flesh and blood, to a man? A real father wouldn’t have killed his offspring, so let’s just forget the semantics here.
So your penis/man murdered your child and you…. got over it?
Wow, you’re so cool. Hope I get to manage my finer feelings that way some day…NOT! It is apparent that your child is no big loss to you, so I don’t think you had a lot to get over now, did you? I mean, so what? You can always have another, right? You must go through cats and/or dogs at a phenomenal rate.
“what an idiotically stupid retard” yes I am quoting from my son who actually when to school with Brittany until her sophomore year in high school. my son knew Brittany in school (yes private Christian school) until she left (by choice or ?????) and he is appalled by her behavior. we have been praying for April’s family as this is an atrocity that should never have happened. what bother’s us the most is that Brittany, after the verdict went down, turned around to her mother and said “I’m sorry” (as reported by the OC Register).
shouldn’t that have been directed to April’s family? What bothers me the most about this whole thing is this – where have Brittany’s family been? she was convicted of drunk driving in 2007 at the age of what 17? or 18? still well under the legal age of drinking. did they not think that perhaps their daughter or sister had an alcohol problem and/or other problems as well? as a parent are we just supposed to sit back and let them “work it out?” Brittany obviously has many demons to overcome and perhaps if her family had stepped up to the plate and demanded she get help (other than the court ordered stuff for her first offense) this tragedy may have never happened. an innocent young lady has been brutally murdered for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. ultimately this falls on Brittany – she is the one who chose to drive drunk. whatever the court gives her at her sentencing – whether it is 15 years or life in prison – it will never bring back the life she took away.
hope she gets life, is all i can say. RIP April. you deserved more than to be murdered by a stupid b****
Today, Schuetz was sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by California Law for a 2nd Degree Murder.
15 Years to Life.
Its finally done. Thanks for writing this article.
Congratulations to you and all of April’s friends and family, as bittersweet as it is. Thank you for posting this wonderful news!
I am truly sorry for your loss, and I would like to thank you too for letting us know justice has been served. I don’t think 15 years is long enough, but it is what it is. May April R.I.P.
Bless your heart Thomas. Thank you for posting this fantastic news for us. I hope you and the Whang family can finally try and move on with your lives.
And thanks for confirming that what we do here at PYSIH actually means something to folks like you. I can’t think of a higher compliment.
Max The Cat
Editor, PYSIH
Thank you Thomas.
Thank you poptart.
Thanks Max and Admin.
Sorry to hear that Thomas. Condolences.
You people make me sick.
I would call Brittany a friend before I would ever speak to any of you judgemental fools.
You are definetly in the right place. I hope you stay here.
How about a nice can of Shut The Fuck Up!
Oh no. bones doesn’t like us. Our lives are meaningless.
Bones thinks his or her life is meaningful, when it is not. Bones has no life and has to come here and attack PYSIH. What does it tell you?
bones, do you have a record of drunk driving? I ask only because I can’t imagine any other kind of person thinking we’re sick in this instance. Obviously this thread strikes a nerve in you. Care to enlighten us, or do you prefer to continue sounding like a drunk on a street corner?
In all probabilities Bones does have a record. It struck a nerve with him or her.
Unfortunately, according to the D.A. chances are she’ll only serve 7-8 years of that sentence.
link? 15 without parole means 15 before she is eligible for any sort of parole.