Laughing jailhouse phone call gets woman tough sentence.
TUCSON, Arizona (AP) -- A judge sentenced a woman to nearly the
maximum prison term for negligent homicide after hearing a recorded
jail conversation in which she made light of the bicyclist she
killed.
Melissa Arrington, 27, was convicted two months ago of negligent
homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI in connection with the
December 2006 death of Paul L'Ecuyer.
She could have gotten as few as four years behind bars, but Superior
Court Judge Michael Cruikshank sentenced her Tuesday to 10½ years --
one year shy of the maximum.
Cruikshank said he found a telephone conversation between Arrington
and an unknown male friend, a week after L'Ecuyer was killed, to be
"breathtaking in its inhumanity."
During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance
believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had "taken
out" a "tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one
shot."
Arrington laughed. When the man said he knew it was a terrible thing
to say, she responded, "No, it's not."
Assistant Public Defender Michael Rosenbluth told the judge his client
has never been "cold, callous or flippant" about L'Ecuyer's death and
has always felt remorseful.
Arrington said words couldn't express how she feels, and that once
she's out of prison, she hopes to share her story with Mothers Against
Drunk Driving.
L'Ecuyer, 45, was riding his bike the night of December 1, 2006 when
Arrington swerved off the road, hit him and then continued for 800
feet before stopping, according to Deputy Pima County Attorney
Jonathan Mosher.
Arrington's blood-alcohol content was .156 percent, nearly double
Arizona's .08 legal limit. She had been driving on a suspended
license.