"Morgan Stanley financial adviser escapes felony charges for hit-and-run 'because it could jeopardise his job'" »

Martin Joel Erzinger, 52, was set to face felony charges for running over a doctor who he hit from behind in his 2010 Mercedes Benz, and then speeding off.

But now he will simply face two misdemeanour traffic charges from the July 3 incident in Eagle, Colorado.

This is appalling.  I can’t believe how many chances the criminal justice system will throw at people if they’re privileged enough.  This doesn’t just apply to prosecutors, either, or the way they decide to charge crimes (which is the reason for the egregious difference in the charged offenses here).  The entire criminal justice system is stacked against those who are unfortunate enough to either be working class, or without a college degree, or of color, or any combination of the above.

“Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger’s profession, and that entered into it,” [] said [the prosecutor].

How is this something that can impact your decision?  Doesn’t the criminal justice system currently labor under the legal fiction that there are direct and indirect (read as: civil) consequences, only the latter of which can be held to affect a criminal charge?

It’d be great if prosecutors would put more thought into whether charging and convicting someone with a felony could negatively impact their employment options, but that sort of calculus doesn’t seem to enter the equation when you’re dealing with a guy that cleans bathrooms at McDonald’s and has financial dependents.

You can’t have it both ways!  ahhhh so much outrage.