As reported by Kingfish and the Clarion-Ledger, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Tommie Green sentenced Gulfport native and Jackson resident Karen Irby to 18 years in prison today for vehicular homicide (I am not sure of the exact charge). The sentences run concurrently, meaning that with good behavior she will serve less than 18 years.

Prosecutors say Karen Irby was speeding and had alcohol in her system above the legal limit when the fiery Feb. 11, 2009, crash occurred, killing Dr. Mark Pogue and Dr. Lisa Dedousis, Pogue’s fiancee.

The sentence should surprise no one. From reading about sentences in other vehicular homicide cases over the past few years, it looks like If you kill someone driving while you are impaired you are going to be sentenced to around ten years per death. It doesn’t matter who you are.

State courts have applied similar sentences to college students, blue collar workers and now someone from one of the most prominent families in Mississippi. There was no reason to believe that Judge Green would do anything different, and she didn’t.

In the federal court system, Wendell Blount of Calhoun City awaits sentencing after being convicted of running over and killing Dutch cyclist Esther Hageman on the Nathcez Trace in 2009 while impaired on Morphine. Blount faces up to 33 years in prison.