Polo Mogul John Goodman Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It's been more than two years since Scott Wilson was killed on his way home to Wellington by polo magnate John Goodman. Friday, Goodman was sentenced to 16 years in prison for DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Goodman was convicted by a West Palm Beach jury of the charges for the death of Wilson in the accident that happened in February 2010. Prosecutors said Goodman was drunk when his Bentley slammed into Wilson's car which sent Wilson's car into the canal where he drowned.
Prosecutors had asked for a 20 year sentence. During his sentencing Friday, the judge in the case, Palm Beach Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath, heard from Wilson's parents, his sister, and other family and friends.
The sentencing has been clouded after a juror, Michael St. John, accused fellow jurors of misconduct. St. John said other jurors made up their minds before deliberations began and he felt pressure to render a guilty verdict. Judge Colbath rejected St. John's claim.
But, as jurors were being questioned, another juror, Dennis DeMartin, said he had conducted an experiment on himself to see what the effects of the amount of alcohol Goodman consumed that night did to him. Judge Colbath will rule on that issue separately.
Investigators said Goodman left the scene and waited nearly one hour before calling 911. Goodman's defense team argued he didn't realize he had hit the vehicle and then left the scene to get treatment for his injuries.
A blood sample taken nearly three hours after the crash showed Goodman had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.
Goodman's attorney tried to counter the DUI accusation with another theory. His expert testified that the millionaire left the scene because he may have suffered a concussion and did not behave as you'd expect someone to if they were just in an accident.
Goodman admitted on the stand that he had four drinks over the course of the evening. Goodman said the last thing he remembered before the accident was that the brakes seemed odd.
Goodman faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
