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Lannis Waters / AP file
John Goodman, left, and his attorneys Mark Shapiro, Guy Fronstin, and Roy Black react as the verdict is announced at the Palm Beach County, Fla., courthouse when the jury reached a verdict in March.
Updated at 4:30 p.m. ET: A Florida judge on Friday sentenced Polo Club founder John Goodman to 16 years in prison on DUI murder charges, after rejecting a bid to have the guilty verdict thrown out due to a juror’s at-home drinking experiment during the trial.
“He left to try and save himself,” West Palm Beach Judge Jeffrey Colbath said of the 48-year-old Goodman’s decision to flee after causing the February 2010 crash that killed 23-year-old Scott Wilson.
Colbath acknowledged that Goodman was “extremely intoxicated at the time,” but said that he should have known better than to leave the crash scene without rendering aid to Wilson, who drowned after his vehicle was hurled by the force of the crash into a canal.
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Goodman, who also was fined $10,000, had faced up to 30 years behind bars. Under terms of the sentence, Goodman will be required to serve a minimum of four years behind bars.
He made headlines in February when he adopted his 42-year-old girlfriend in an effort to protect his fortune from being seized in the Wilsons' lawsuit against him. But last month, he was ordered to pay $46 million to Wilson's family.
Goodman's attorneys are appealing the guilty verdict and asked the judge to allow him to remain free on a $7 million bond. Colbath agreed, but ordered him held until the paperwork is completed, which could take until the middle of next week.
Earlier, Colbath rejected the defense bid to overturn the verdict based on juror Dennis DeMartin's claim that he conducted a drinking experiment the night before he and his fellow jurors convicted Goodman. DeMartin said that he drank the same amount Goodman allegedly drank the night of the crash to test the mogul's state of mind. DeMartin made the allegations in a self-published book, "Believing in the Truth," which was released last week.
Goodman's attorney, Roy Black, had asked Colbath to throw out the conviction based on DeMartin's actions, which he said were a clear case of juror misconduct.
"Is that misconduct? I think that it is," Colbath said. But "I don't think it's material. I don't think it's prejudicial."
In addition to DeMartin's claims, juror Michael St. John said he had felt pressure into convicting Goodman and said he wasn't sure he was guilty.
M. Alex Johnson and Mike Brunker of msnbc.com and Brian Hamacher of NBCMiami.com contributed to this report.
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This man did it. He lied. He only got 16 years. If this doesn't show you how the God almighty buck can save your A**. I don't know what does or can. Such a sad, sad story. I am so sorry for the kids family. I know he paid them but no amount in the world will ever make the hurt stop hurting. RIP KID RIP . Rot in hell John, excuse me JAIL!
Well said.
There may be justice yet. While he's in jail, his girlfriend (who he married so she wouldn't have to testify against him) will be out and about with his checkbook.
4 years
the judge is going to grant bail pending an appeal- wanna bet he hightails before he has to serve time?
Yeah, He's Bad People; BUT Eventually Goodman wILL meet justice; "One way or anotha' A'hm gonna gitcha!!!" Look at OJ in the double murder he did, and his arrogance: The Judge: "Mr.Simpson I was confused as to whether You were Arrogant or Stupid. Now I realize You are both....Same thing with Goodman............OJ is doing 9 to 33 years.....in Nevada
This whole case was so messed up. Yes, he is scum BUT there WAS evidence of jury misconduct, judicial misconduct and should have had a new trial, now its open for appeal!
But last month, he was ordered to pay $46 million to Wilson's family.
so if you or I did this, would WE be ordered to pay 46 million or were they taking advantage of his wealth?
The judgement would be based on a person's financial worth, wouldn't it? How is that taking advantage of one's wealth?
Too bad all that money didn't buy this @sshole some brains and decency. I hope some thug in prison treats him like the b!tch he is.
like this guy will never serve any time in jail, most likely. His high priced lawyers will see to that. Don't you know? jail is only for po' peoples....
Sentencing for a vehicular manslaughter charge will be determined by numerous factors. The court will examine the criminal history of the person being charged. If they have had prior or similar convictions for DUI manslaughter, or if they were on probation or parole at the time of their newest charge, their sentence can be more severe. For more information on DUI manslaughter read this article by Yale Galanter—an experienced and hardworking Miami criminal defense attorney—now.
Sentencing for a vehicular manslaughter charge will be determined by numerous factors. The court will examine the criminal history of the person being charged. If they have had prior or similar convictions for DUI manslaughter, or if they were on probation or parole at the time of their newest charge, their sentence can be more severe. For more information on DUI manslaughter read this article by Yale Galanter—an experienced and hardworking Miami criminal defense attorney—now.
I can't imagine the nerve it takes to sit there, everyone knowing you killed an innocent person and say, "hey, i shouldn't go to jail. c'monnnn." I just don't get it. What a slimey murdering bastard.
A dishonorable, wretched excuse for a human. Selfish, self-obsessed, narcissistic, money-grubbing, elitest piece of dog turd.
It says he has to serve at least four years but will be out in a week because of the appeal. He murdered that innocent man. Plain and simple. Sixteen years is no where near enough let alone four. He probably won't end up serving any time at all to amount to anything. No justice for that young man or his family. It seems some people are getting away with murder. What a shame.
C'mon, does anyone really think he'll serve anything near 16 years??? He's got the money and it will help buy his freedom; THAT is the American justice system.
He should pay the family blood money and go free.
Money talks, a convict walks!!
He'll do the mandatory four years, fight tooth and nail to avoid paying the family a dime, and never show an ounce of remorse for what he did. Justice may be blind, but she sure can smell money.
I don't know anything about this guy, or this case, but, I wonder, in today's age of "mega-trillionth of a second" computers, why would his paperwork take till "until the middle of next week?"
This reminds me of the typical "show of force," SWAT team comes out, 19 guys, camo-fatigues, Military type weapons, for a guy standing on the corner threatening to kill himself with a pocket knife.
How does this remind you of a SWAT teams tactics? Got an ax to grind?
Lying sack of %hit Goodman is
The rich and infamous get preferential treatment. What is the point of a 16 year sentence and only serving four years? Doesn't sound right to me. A young innocent man was killed by this rich dude's stupidity. He should get the full 30 year sentence. DUI drivers in Virginia have gotten 25 years for manslaughter. But then, they didn't have millions of dollars. This was NOT justice for the young man who was killed by a rich play boy who could care less. The judicial in Florida has again proven itself to be a joke!
Something is wrong with the justice system in Florida. Goodman kills a young man and gets a 16 year sentence but will probably only serve 4 years. The woman who shot a gun into a wall gets 20 years. . .no one was hurt.
The thing that pisses me of is this piece if dung will be out in 2 years.
I guess this guy's connections weren't as good as Ted Kennedy's after the Chappaquiddick incident.
4 years and a pittance of 46 million to the family, a drop in the bucket to this guy, for killing a man and the woman who fired a warning shot got 20 years.. FL law needs someone to take control of their law makers and Judges and start making common sense judgements.
Yep, Floridians have soaked up a few too many sun rays..... How can the woman get 20 yrs for defending herselfwith a gun shot that hurt no one, and yet this rich pryck gets only four yrs for out right murder? I used to think I wanted to live in Florida, now I just pity those that do.
@!$%# i got money Better go hunting LOl
Goodman, who also was fined $10,000 lol I can kill someone for 4 years and 10,000 LOL cool
lets have a toast to the drunk that almost got away with murder bet he will be out with good behavier to drink again very soon!
My only question is: Who is responsible - Bush or Obama????????
The important lessons here are if you want to kill someone when driving drunk to make sure your are a government official, make sure you kill a motorcyclist, and make sure you appointed the judge (probably the most important lesson). If you do all of the above, then you get to walk away with "time served" (ie you get away with murder).
My bet is that he gets to serve his time in a minimum security prison, so he won't even get the a** f*cking he really deserves. Then again, he'll probably beat the rap on appeal.