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June 7th, 2012
08:38 PM ET
DUI doctor cleared in hit and run death
A community just outside Buffalo, New York, is still reeling from a stunning verdict in the case of a doctor charged with a drunken hit-and-run accident that left a teenage girl dead.
Dr. James Corasanti was driving drunk and texting while driving late at night when he struck and killed an 18-year-old girl on a skateboard. He was charged with five felony counts – including second degree manslaughter – but was acquitted last week on everything except a misdemeanor DWI, which means he could end up serving less than a year in jail.
The family of the victim is now seeking justice in a civil trial. CNN's Deb Feyerick is OutFront with more on this story.
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If it was my daughter and Doc got off - I would hunt him down and kill him - our court system is sick– the jury should be hung allong with the judge
This guy was drunk and texting while driving his car and hits something. The damage to the hood in a video is fairly substantial and he keeps on driving. He should be rotting in jail.
"I didn't know" is the excuse we all used on our parents ... and it rarely got us out of our trouble with them. I am ashamed for our community that this excuse caused reasonable doubt to all counts of any meaning in bringing this man to justice for the wrong that he committed. I suppose he also didn't know that drinking and driving is against the law and that it kills.
It shows the system does not ALWAYS work in this country. If he killed "someone" when drunk, he should be hanged, end of story..
Just don't understand, if he was convicted of the OWI then shouldn't he also be held responsible for the vehicular homicide?
He drove home drunk, killed someone, and because he wasn't sober enough to realize he didn't hurt a person he therefore isn't really responsible because it wouldn't be reasonable for a person to stop...
He was DRUNK, so this whole reasonable or not stuff shouldn't even apply to him. I am really shocked that he was acquitted; really scary. Sorry for the victims family.
Goes to show if you have enough money you can buy your way out of the legal system.
There has been several young men, between the age of 18 and 25 charged with hit and run dealths while texting. They are being sent to prision for 3 to 5 years. HERE, we have Dr. James Corasanti of N.Y. charged with DRUNK & TEXTING HIT & RUN death of a 18 years old girl.....and, he has been acquitted !!!!! WHAT'S going on here ???? Where is the JUSTICE. Where is the OUTCRY. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE.....WHERE IS THE JUSTICE !!!!!
Dear Erin, obviously your research staff isn't that out front, there was an identical case with a very different outcome in Fla. It would have been worth contrasting with your Dr. Corasanti piece, his name was John Goodman
Although he was drunk one has to realize this was really the girl's fault. Riding on a skateboard late at night with no lights etc. Who does that? She made a stupid mistake and paid for it with her life. Good thing she didn't cause an accident and kill someone else with her stupidity.
Yes, it was at night. Cars are equipped with headlights and there were street lights. The doctor chose to drink, drive and text that night. That was the recklessness that caused Alix's death. If you are driving and paying attention, crouched or not, you should have seen her. Accident.....baloney!
The jury is nuts. The criminal recklessness began when he got behind the wheel drunk. His car would have never been on that road at all with him behind the wheel if he followed the law. He was 100 percent illegal from the get-go
Proof that money buys a verdict – this guy should be locked up