Your article about D.A. Kathleen Rice pushing for "tougher" punishments for drunk drivers is, unfortunately, belied by the fact that State Senator Charles Fuschillo's bill, which she is supporting is not tough at all. It asks for only five days in jail for second-time (caught) drunk drivers.

In other words, the message is that it is okay to drive drunk the first time; and even if you happen to get caught and then do it again, you'll soon be free after only five days in jail, to drink and drive all you want.

I understand that the five days is better than nothing, our current law provides first-time offenders (Since when is everyone's first crime supposed to be "free" ?), but it still stinks. Nobody can ever claim that they don't know drunk driving is against the law as well as "wrong", and a first such offense is inexcusable. If it meant people would go to jail for at least a year, and lose their driving privileges for life, a lot less people would ever do it.

So, unless D.A. Rice gets a lot tougher (all the way to truly "tough"), we'll continue reading about more "Katie Flynn"-type tragedies here on Long Island.