The teenager who claimed his family's wealth made him unable to understand the consequences of his actions will be forced to return to the U.S. within weeks, according to CBS News. The case is infamously known for creating and implementing the "affluenza" defense.
Ethan Couch was arrested last month with his mother in Puerto Vallarta, following concerns that Couch had broken the terms of his probation and skipped a meeting with his probation officer, according to CBS News. Couch originally rose to public attention in 2013 after killing four people in a car accident while intoxicated. He recevie just 10 years probation in juvenile court because of this novel "affluenza" defense.
Couch's lawyers in Mexico have now sought to lift the injunction preventing his deportation, according to a statement released by his American attorneys. Doing so means Couch will soon be able to return to the U.S. and attend his hearing on Feb. 19, according to the New York Times.
The hearing will determine whether Couch's case will be transferred to the adult system on his 19th birthday in April, meaning that his probation would be carried out under the supervision of adult court, according to CBC News. Doing so would mean that Couch could face up to 10 years in prison per death in the accident if he were to be caught violating his probation again, according to CBC new.
"It's not a foregone conclusion this will happen, but we certainly hope it does," Tarrant County district attorney spokeswoman Samantha Jordan told reporters, according to CBC News. His mother, Tonya Couch, was extradited back to the U.S. at the beginning of the year.
Migration officials in Jalisco stated that even though the deportation fight has now been dropped, it could take another month before Couch returns, according to the New York Times.
