Random Thursday Morning Thoughts

• The prior DWI is really going to hurt Josh Brent during the punishment phase of his Intoxication Manslaughter case. I'd guess a 20% chance of probation, a 60% chance of a sentence in the 2 to 10 year range, and a 20% chance of 11 to 20 years. (But if you've ever tried to predict jury sentencing, you know there's nothing more unpredictable.)
• You'll hear "probation" and "parole" used interchangeably today. That's wrong. Probation is what you receive instead of prison. Parole is what you are on when you go to prison and are released early. 
• Because the jury in Brent's case found he used a "deadly weapon", he will have to serve at least one-half of any prison sentence before being eligible for parole. (There's an obscure provision in Texas law that actually says he will have to serve a minimum of two years even if sentenced to two or three years, but you won't hear about that.)
• "Fox News' Sean Hannity to attend State of the Union with Rep. Gohmert, may run for office in Texas." Gohmert's a nutcase so it's understandable that Hannity is attracted to him. Edit: Source.
• The Captain & Tennille are divorcing after 39 years of marriage. Why? If you can survive performing Muskrat Love all that time, can't you handle each other? (And I had forgotten that their first hit is now the ironically titled Love Will Keep Us Together.)
• My family had Captain & Tennille's first album on eight track and my mom's new car was one of the first one's to have an eight track tape player in it. I'm forever mentally scarred by how much I was forced to listen to that album as a kid. 
• Yesterday we had a motorcycle death in Benbrook and a wrong way driver in Dallas. It had been a while. 
• If there is ever a case that shatters stereotypes, the arrest of eighteen year old, clean cut, and very white Colten Jon Moore in the murder of the Garland 7-11 clerk from Ethiopia is certainly going to do it. That was one cold-hearted killing. 
• There's a hearing tomorrow in Fort Worth on whether Marlise Muñoz, brain dead and pregnant, can be taken off life support. I'm guessing the district judge, first appointed by Gov. Perry to fill a vacancy, won't do it. And I can't see an expedited appeal to the Fort Worth Court of Appeals changing anything.  The wording of the applicable law will probably play a very small role in everyone's decision. 
• Justin Bieber was arrested at 4:00 a.m. last night for drag racing (in a rented Lamborghini) and DUI in Miami. And that's the most I'll think about it for the rest of the year.