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Topic : 03/16 Cheerleader Scandal

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Created on : Friday, October 07, 2005, 03:42:52 pm
Author : DrPhilBoard1

(Original Air Date: 10/13/05) In a heartbeat, your entire life can change. No one knows this better than the families of Brandi and Daniel. Seventeen-year-old Brandi was a cheerleader, an excellent student and an all-American girl. She was in love with athletic 18-year old Daniel. Now he’s dead and she finds herself behind bars serving a 12-year sentence, all because of what happened in just a split second. Was it murder or simply a horrific accident? Hear members of both families describe how the tragedy unfolded, and the struggle to put together the pieces of their shattered lives. Plus, Dr. Phil visits Brandi in prison to ask some very hard questions. She has an emotional message for Daniel's mother -- and for Daniel. Talk about the show here.

 

Find out what happened on the show.

 

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October 13, 2005, 6:11 pm PDT

10/13 Cheerleader Scandal

I found Brandi's testimony confusing and unbelievable.   I believe she committed the act purposefully, however, I agree that keeping her behind bars for twelve years is counterproductive.  Both of the families have a great deal of grief  to overcome but I also believe that blaming and accusations won't do any good either.  Grief counseling for Daniel's family would obviously be helpful but I think Brandi needs to perform some community service rather than prison to give back.  And somebody, please reach out to her little brother Josh before his anger leads him to an act of violence.  What a sad, tragic show this was.... 

 
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October 13, 2005, 6:11 pm PDT

No one should point the finger at anyone!

Quote From: preraph

I agree.  You have to look at her actions as a whole, and when you do, it's possible to believe she never thought it would kill him, but it's hard to believe she is innocent, as well.  It's easiest to believe she was young and stupid and out of control AND we musn't forget deceptive, which she clearly demonstrated with the tree branch and right on the interview telling Dr. Phil she didn't know she hit anyone.  RIGHT!  With a cracked windshield.  She's a liar.  The skid mark evidence is totally damning.  Now, having said that, I do believe he was probably an obsessed entitled boyfriend who was hard to disentangle from, maybe even a stalker type, since the family said they'd had to call police (though it's not on file - police found no cause to take report, but that happens all the time - doesn't mean it didn't happen).  He may have even placed himself in the path of her vehicle.  But evidence seems to suggest she went back to where he was, not the opposite.  No brake marks, people.  And I believe that he may have been abusive,  I think they probably had a very high-drama sick relationship on both sides, and she fed his acting out by doing things like - yes, sneaking a car out and coming over to get him stirred up.  They probably both needed counseling, and I would think it was fairly apparent since it sounded like a very chaotic relationship.
 I think that no one knows the answers except for Brandi and Daniel. I think that everyone would feel the same towards Daniel if he were Brandi. The point is no one knows what really happened for sure. I don't think she should be locked up anymore if she is innocent. Why would she want to kill him? I dont believe for one moment that was ever her intention... why would she want to return her stuff? Why would she confess right away about what happened? Why would she be crying? You really believe that a 17 year old girl would want to kill a boy her age? I think if she was truly scared she would have gone to someone not KILL him!
 

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October 13, 2005, 6:14 pm PDT

I can relate too weell

Hi Everyone, 

First I wanta say I know how that family feels about losing a child.........then I wanta say to Dr Phil I was not sure why you didnt let that family talk as much and that bothered me. I would LOVE to have some way of contacting the family of Daniel as I lost a child to a hit and run driver and I dont know the person that hit and killed my son Keith 6 years ago....but I think I can help that family with some wisdom and support. Like Dr Phil said....NO ONE KNOWS but Daniel and his girlfriend and of course God that truth about what happened that night. But, I was really upset when the other family didnt get a chance to talk as much. But, her being in jail doesnt bring back her son and that what she said she really wants....there is a highter justice and court that she will have to face someday and she has to LIVE with this the rest of her life whether it was an accident or not. 

 
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October 13, 2005, 6:14 pm PDT

cheerleader

I was totally appaled at the uncaring family of the cheerleader killer.  In the girl's interview she lied several times.  Too bad they didn't take this case to court because she would have been found guilty of murder.  She had enough sense about her to go home and cover up what she had done.  She said that she "didn't know" that she had hit him, yet she said that she saw him step out in front of the car.  Obviously, by the big hole in the windshield, she knew that she had to have hit something.  You can't end up with a hole that size without hitting something.  This is one time that I thought that Dr. Phil was too lenient on the girl and her family.  I would have told them to shut up and appologize to the other family/  Nobody made her go steal the famiy car and go over there.  I think that she should be in jail for the rest of her life.  Her boo hoo tears did not impress me at all.  This show left me totally disgusted and mad.  Thank you.
 
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October 13, 2005, 6:14 pm PDT

10/13 Cheerleader Scandal

Quote From: thalie

What people dont understand about prison is that punnishment is supposed to be a detterant.    She feels guilty and has remorse and will carry this with her for the rest of her life, knowing she took someones life,  accident or not, will be with her every moment of every day for the rest of her life,  yes that is plenty of punnishment, but she SHOULD stay in jail to show OTHERS that you cant take something from someone with out being held responsable.     

  

Dont you teach your children about consequences for thier actions?  this is just on a larger scale.   Think about what would happen if every law breaker got a slap on the wrist?   You think there is chaos now?    SHe should serve life.....then others may thing more rationally before or after they have done wrong.    Mabey if she though about what happened after and went back and called the police herself things would be different.      

 Oh yes, I'm sure Brandi stopped and said, Gee, do you think I will get any prison time for this?  Have you ever done anything in the moment and realized it was a terrible mistake?  Well, that is what this is JUST ON A LARGER SCALE (to use your own words) I don't buy the deterrent thing FOR A MINUTE because people do things because they are right or wrong, and they either have a conscience or they don't.  Nobody thinks they will get caught when they are committing a crime.  You should obey the law because it's the right thing to do, not because you might get in trouble if you don't. The consequences are inside you, not external.  There is no punishment they can give Brandi than is worse than living with the memory of what she did to Daniel, her family and his family.

 

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angry
October 13, 2005, 6:15 pm PDT

Brandi is GUILTY

When asked something about why she should not be there she replied so she could be out doing things or something similar.  Her reply was very seflish and self serving and all about HER.  I have lost TWO of my  four sons to auto accidents in less then two months time.  My second son to die was the passenger, the driver only got a broken leg and he also tested positive for alcohol and THC (pot).  They REFUSED to prosecute him because after all who was my son?  Just someone I and my family loved but no one on the Highway patrol new or loved him and no one in the court system did...no attorneys would take the case cause the drive had NO insurance so nothing for them out of it...but my son is DEAD...to have to read about him being in the fetal position and then to die minutes after being air flighted just makes me sick...This girl is guilty and she needs to pay...12 years is NOT NEARLY ENOUGH
 
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October 13, 2005, 6:16 pm PDT

10/13 Cheerleader Scandal

Quote From: enomis65

As I watched today's episode, I kept thinking about how horrible Brandi's parents were acting.  They fail to forget that although Brandi's life is currently on hold for now that she will eventually be able to get back to her life unlike Daniel, whose life SHE took whether by accident or intentionally.  Personally, from the little I was able to hear about her situation, I find it hard to believe that she did it by accident.  There's no way she could have done that much damage or threw him so far going at a slow speed.  Had it been an accident she would not have pleaded and would have gone to trial.  I think she should just do her time and move on with her life. 
 Her life will NEVER be normal.
 
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October 13, 2005, 6:17 pm PDT

guilty

Quote From: splymel66

Did you watch the same show I did? She put  a tree limb in the hole to fake an accident. On Earth we cal that a deception or in easier terms a LIE.............. She also said she was going 20 or 30 no she couldn't remember when Dr Phill said 58 feet. But hey maybe you have a Mars dictionary where lies are something ugly people tell or just men...She is a KNOWN LIER by her own parents mouths......
Your son may have been innocent, but this girl was obviously guilty.  She contradicted herself several times.  The only thing that she is remorse for is that she got  caught and that she is not free.
 
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October 13, 2005, 6:19 pm PDT

Keep it up and it will fall around you

Quote From: r_jmommy

I CANT BELEVE YOU COULD SAY SUCH HURTFUL THINGS TO PEOPLE  

I WATCHED THE SHOW AND YES I DO THINK SHE SHOULD PAY TO SOME EXTENT BUT 12 YEARS FOR A CHILD MIND YOU IS A LONG TIME  

I ALSO HEARD THE PART WHERE HER FAMILY WAS SAYING YOU ALL ARE OUT FOR REVENGE NOT JUSTICE  

YOUR PROVING IT KEEP IT UP AND IT WILL FALL AROUND YOU 

 I too agree that the family of the boy who was killed are seething with anger and pain.  I t seems to me that these people only know how to lash out to deal with their grief.  This fuels the cycle of  anger rather than finding an opening to relive their pain!  Nothing in this world will bring back their percious son and until they accept his death  and let him and themselves rest, their pain will go on forever.  Hating and punishing Brandi just isn't going to help them heal unless they want to stay in the first step of the steps of greiving and that is DENIAL.  As long as they hate they will never accept his passing. They can keep the pain festering over and over again with hate.  Love is a positive step to acceptance, forgiveness and healing.  I know, because I have been there.  My father was killed in a traffic accident caused by carless foolishness.  It hurts! 
 
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October 13, 2005, 6:19 pm PDT

How Soon We Forget............

I feel so terrible for both of these families!  I certainly remember being young and in love!  How every cell in your body told you this is it! This is love.  I can remember having outragous shouting matches with my highschool sweet heart thinking I would never survive the night and waiting for his call the next morning to make up and everything being alright with the world. I think Brandy made a bad decision by going over there that night but I also believe that she NEVER meant to KILL him. That she loved him with all of her heart even though she said she tried to break up with him before. Can't we remember those 17 year old break ups?  I think things got waaaay out of hand and it ended horribly for 2 young lives. But  remembering those feelings that kept  her there through all of  the alledged abuse and name calling and  "I don't think you should be with him" (from her parents) and she kept going back, there is no way that she meant to KILL him! Do I think 12 years is not enough time? Well the justice system did, so I will have to go along with that and I think both families will have to do the same.
 
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