Difficult Consequences: Frat Guy Dead from DWI

By akrypti | Tuesday, May 13, 2008 | 33 Comments

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22-year-old Willie Poon from Binghamton University in upstate New York died this past Saturday after his fraternity brother, 20-year-old Roy Liu drove under the influence, swerved off the road and struck a grove of trees. Both young men were active members of an Asian American fraternity, Lambda Phi Epsilon. The boys were on their way home from Slope Day at Cornell, which is in its essence a huge beer bash where college kids get wrecked.

Liu has been charged with second degree manslaughter for the death of Poon and for driving while intoxicated. Liu is now facing a possible prison sentence of anywhere from 2 to 7 years if convicted. Also, Poon hadn’t been wearing his seatbelt, according to a source. In many states, that’s also Liu’s fault. It’s been argued that Poon wasn’t required to wear his seatbelt, since he was sitting in the back; but sources also state that but for the fact he did not wear his seatbelt, he would be alive today.

An onslaught of outrage toward local authorities came from the campus communities and the Lambda Phi Epsilon brotherhood. They’re mad at the harsh treatment of Liu. It’s tragic that Willie Poon died in such an existential manner, but give me a break. Do people really think Liu should get away with this scot-free? He repents. He feels bad. His irresponsible asinine choices resulted in the death of someone he called a brother. Who wouldn’t repent and feel bad? His personal guilt doesn’t absolve him from legal consequences. He broke the law. Why does the charge of second degree manslaughter and DWI shock anyone’s conscience here? I’m sure Liu would welcome prison, the opportunity to atone for the harm he caused. If he doesn’t welcome prosecution, then he’s just another wayward youth who won’t own up to the consequences of his actions.

I’m perplexed at PressConnects, a local Binghamton news source, for watering down the culpability of Poon and Liu and anyone who knew that these boys were getting into a car with a drunk driver. The article mentions the graduation gift his fraternity got for him: a radar detector. Why would he need a radar detector? That really screams good citizen to me. A guy who needed a radar detector. It’s not clear to me what contribution Poon has made to his community. The greatest trait the author of the article could muster was “[Poon's friends] described Poon as a prankster, but also a serious student. He cared deeply about his friends.” Fine. Honor your dead; but no delusions of grandeur, please.

I’m further perplexed that nobody seems mad at Liu. I hope he gets convicted for involuntary manslaughter because not only is there a prima facie case for it against him, but kids like him — and there sure are a horde of them — need to face the difficult consequences of their recklessness.

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http://www.8asians.com John

Akrypti – nice to see you blogging again!

This is a sad story. Even sadder that this occurred because if my alma mater. I wonder how liable Cornell University is – as Slope Day is basically a condoned activity for everyone to get drunk at the end of the semester, including those not legal to drink.

Roy and Willie should have known better…
Jason

What an unfortunate name.
http://www.Popcast88.com Xxxtine

I think the circumstances are different BECAUSE they were ‘brothers’. It’s something he has to live with the rest of his life regardless of any legal action brought against him. Certainly no amount of punishment can take away the guilt. He knows he f-ed up big time – there is no point in getting angry or beating him over the head with it because it’s not going to change that he is responsible for his friend’s death.
innocent

honestly, you DIDN’T know him so DON’T JUDGE HIM.

and just to let you know, THEY FEEL GUILTY. let them be, geez.

and ps, fyi they were coming home for their flippin’ FORMALS. there’s more to this story than you really know so find out all the damn facts before you judge someone.
innocent

and one more thing, have you ever thought that maybe Willie’s parents didn’t want to press charges because they’re grieving & getting back at someone doesn’t get you anywhere?

seriously, don’t just because you don’t know.

maybe the problem is that the world is ignorant & refuses to see all the facts in front of them.
Mistake

You’ve written quite a good blog here. But the problem I see is that you’re taking it in from a technical point of view. First off, I want to talk about the seatbelt problem. It’s true that Willie was not wearing a seat belt, but it’s not by law that the passengers in the back has to wear a seat belt. In fact, I would like you to go to NYC or almost any part of NY and check how many passengers in the back actually put on their seatbelts. Second, yes Liu should own up to his mistake, but do you honestly think he had not taken responsibility for his actions? By putting him in prison does not change anything. The reason there are prisons, is to punish those that have broken the law AND so they can change and take responsibility for their wrongs. Besides the simple fact that he caused a death, it was his friend as well as his fraternity brother and that guilt is the worst he can get. Third of all, having a radar detector does not mean anything bad and a reason that these radars are actually legal is because of certain people on the police force. It is another controversial topic, so we’ll leave that off for another day. Willie has done a lot of philanthropic activities, including bone marrow drives, food donations, habitat for humanity, etc. I would like to know…Akrypti, what have YOU done for the community at the age of 22?
Akrypti

Mistake:

I’m not 22 years old.

Also, to begin with, my legal research and publications have been widely cited and appear in top tier law reviews; I’m the founder of several 501(c)(3) non-profits that have generated tens of thousands of dollars to aid feral cats, the homeless, and literary arts organizations that cater to the APA community; I mentor young college women with ambitions in law; I represent pro bono victims of sex slavery and help them obtain asylum in this country; and…that’s just the start of it.

I was hoping we didn’t have to stoop to that level of banter, but I guess we did. Good job, Mistake.
Akrypti

Innocent:

I didn’t mean to leave you out. I didn’t see your comments earlier.

For the record, I *DO* know. PERSONALLY.

Kids, take a 101 lesson in theories of criminal punishment. Please. Punishment is often imposed to dissuade others in the community from the criminal conduct at hand. If Liu is not penalized, then the criminal justice system is sending the message to other similarly situated college students that the law won’t do much to you for DWI. Denunciation is another reason we punish the criminally liable. We stigmatize the defendant to let it be known that society condemns this sort of crime.

So. Your arguments are moot. Please try again.
ancient one

Does anyone else find it ironic that the Asian frat boys went going to an event called “slope” which is a racial slur against Asians?

Akrypti: it doesn’t surprise me that they wouldn’t want to prosecute. A couple factors in this. First, there is the “circle the wagons” kind of thinking – let’s protect one of our own. I am reminded by an incident here in Silicon Valley where kids from an elite school were caught throwing chemical bombs, one of which hit a girl in the face (http://www.sanjoseinside.com/sji/blog/entries/when_does_a_prank_become_a_crime/). Cries of “don’t prosecute, they are good kids from good families” went out. One has to ask – if the Willie Poon were killed by a drunk driver who was a poor black kid, would his family be as forgiving?

Other factors are grief, resignation, and having to relive the pain over again at a trial. When I was in high school, a friend of mine was killed by a drunk driver in a hit and run while he was helping someone change a tire. I mentioned to a mutual friend that the police had caught the person and were charging her, she sadly replied, “what good would that do? It won’t bring him back.” While I understand her sadness and the fact it wouldn’t bring him back, it might save others. Perhaps some jail time would discourage others from making the same bad judgment. Perhaps community service, particularly a community service oriented toward lecturing high school and college kids about the hazards of drinking, might save others too.

Finally, forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t press charges. In 2006, Tongan royalty were killed by a teenager who was racing. Their family said that they forgive the girl, but they didn’t plan on asking for charges to be dropped (http://cbs5.com/local/2.444816.html). `Forgiveness does not close one’s eye to justice,” Princess Siu’ilikutapu said.“No one is above the law.” The Tongan Royals later filed a civil suit (http://www.bayareaislander.com/TonganRoyals.html)
websurfer

hi akrypti- i’m glad you’re back! i missed reading your insights while you were gone.
offended

akrypti…you’re a horrible writer/reporter/whatever. this is the most offensive thing i have read concerning the accident. it’s sad that you’re over 22 and still so narrow minded. have some tact for the people who actually knew and loved willie. we are not having “delusions of grandeur” about willie. he really was a great man and will be missed dearly.
first time reader

i graduated from syosset high with roy and was in a few classes with him as well. he was pretty quiet and a nice, average kid. the situation he landed himself in sucks, but i think it’s bogus that there’s a possibility that he’ll walk out of this legally untouched. the fact that they were “brothers” in some bullshit asian fraternity shouldn’t excuse him. he broke a law and it’s not for the victim’s parents to decide what happens to him it’s for the state to decide.
offended. i don’t know will and no disrespect but i hardly consider someone who chases younger students around with garbage bags a great man.
brother of victim

I am very offended by what you wrote concerning about my brother. I do hope that you enjoyed yourself writing this article. Reading this pains me and clearly reaffirms my conviction that some people will just write about anything to get a response. Please note next time when writing about such a serious matter that a CLOSE FAMILY RELATIVE may just happen to stumble across it. You do not know the extent of what my parents had to go through and I can only imagine their reaction if I decided to show them this article. My brother was a great person and I do not need other people to tell me otherwise.

Note that this is not an argument so please do not respond to this statement with more of your grandeur delusions of saving the world by being some sort of super legal star.
Innocent

But the problem is, you DON’T know them.

You can do so much good in the world to make a god damn “good citizen.” Yet to have the nerve to criticize people you don’t know at all – now that’s really damn foolish.

In the end, it doesn’t matter how much good in the world you do – you can list everything that you’ve done. But it’s not going to matter because YOU’RE the god damn problem – you keep your mind closed and you stereotype people.

Now THAT’S SAD.
James

Innocent, Offended, and Victim’s Brother:

First of all. Victim? How the heck was he a victim? He brought it upon himself. As Akrypti put it, the kid wasn’t victimized, he just got the butt end of a difficult consequence.

Just as much as you kids accuse Akrypti of being presumptuous, so are you. She answers your question head on and then you spit out “so you think you’re a superstar”? Mature.

Attitudes displayed here are so typical of Asian fraternity affiliates – complete lack of self-analysis, quick to jump on the defense against any criticism at all, even constructive criticism, and quick to accuse others of being, ironically, exactly what you are.

If dissenting viewpoints “offend” you, then for chrissakes stop googling up your brother’s name.

More irony — the idiocy of the comments by the referenced kids’ friends and family further strengthen Akrypti’s piece rather than take away from it or change other readers’ minds. If you kids really wanted to make waves and help a brother out, you would have gone with a different more constructive approach. Good job. Akrypti wins.
james youre an idiot

maybe all of you guys really need to STOP JUDGING OTHERS.

and as for akrypti, i’m sure if it was your family – you’d say differently. maybe you need to see things on the other perspective.
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