# Probable punishment for Mr. Bieber? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 24, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581 "2014-01-24T02:25:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Armored\_Diplomacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@Armored\_Diplomacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armored_Diplomacy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/41 "2014-01-26T09:21:57Z")
A lot of this depends on his plea. If he takes a plea bargain, he’ll probably escape jail time and will get away with paying a fine that would strain the pockets of an average person but would be nothing to him, and some community service. If he pleads not guilty and the case goes to trial, it’s a guaranteed guilty verdict. The police have sufficient evidence for a conviction, no matter how good his lawyers are, and this is partly thanks to Bieber himself. Rather than using his right to remain silent and waiting until his lawyer arrived before talking, he opened his mouth and outright admitted criminal behavior to the cops. That sealed his fate, if nothing else did. If it goes to trial and he’s found guilty, he could wind up doing a short stint in prison, in addition to the fine and community service. Either way, regardless of what he pleads, there is now a very realistic chance that his work visa will be revoked and that he’ll be banned from the USA. Keep in mind that if any normal person in a foreign country on a work visa committed a criminal offense, deportation would be a virtual guarantee. If Justin Bieber’s work visa is revoked and he is banned from the USA, this means that his career is probably over. The US accounts for a large percentage of his income and fan base, in fact probably most of it, and his manager and record label are American. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/42 "2014-01-26T15:54:55Z")
It’s pretty rare anywhere in the US for first offense non-violent dumbassery where nobody gets hurt to result in anything but the most modest of jail terms (e.g. 24-72 hours). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/43 "2014-01-26T16:21:21Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > It’s pretty rare anywhere in the US for first offense non-violent dumbassery where nobody gets hurt to result in anything but the most modest of jail terms (e.g. 24-72 hours). I would prefer that someone put him over their knee and give him a good spanking. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/44 "2014-01-26T17:16:34Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I would prefer that someone put him over their knee and give him a good spanking. 😃 And I suspect that some teenbopper girls fantasize about being the one to do it. [Did I hear right](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2545194/Justin-Bieber-ar-claims-mother-Pattie-Mallette-provided-anti-anxiety-medication.html) that his dad had taken him out drinking and that his mother gave him her oxcontin? Will this be a case proving the aphorism that the family that is sleaze together, pleas together? ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/45 "2014-01-26T20:30:27Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > _My object all sublime > I shall achieve in time > To let the punishment fit the crime > The punishment fit the crime._ > > Mr Bieber’s driving license should be revoked for the period of one year. During that period he is to be driven for one hour each day at high speeds around the roads of his estate by chauffeurs who are to have precisely the levels of drink and drugs in their systems that he had when he was arrested. The drivers would be richly rewarded for the high risk they run (from Bieber’s pocket, of course) and I’m sure there would be no problem finding candidates as there’s never a shortage of idiots who imagine they can drive just fine whilst high. Robot cars would play the part of traffic. Accidents involving mortalities or severe injuries would result in cancellation of the remainder of the sentence. Other accidents would not. > > Should Justin survive he may think twice before getting behind a wheel drunk again. I think WE HAVE A WINNER HERE ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/46 "2014-01-26T20:44:32Z")
what is with people now days that post pucture of them self drinking or doing drugs and get in car and drive off.Do they not know it is no different than calling 911 and saying I have been drinking or doing drugs and now driving !! Talk to any attorney they will say do not set you self up. Cops don’t just sit by the radio all day they check the internet too. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/47 "2014-01-26T22:24:55Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > [Even very famous people](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon#Deportation_attempt) have ended up in deportation proceedings over minor drug issues. (A much more entertaining version of the story can be found [here.](http://www.wildeslaw.com/index.php/events-and-outreach/655-not-just-any-immigration-case)) That was before Lennon got his green card. I was told by an INS officer that deportation proceedings couldn’t be begun for an I-551 holder except for a very limited number of federal crimes. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/48 "2014-01-26T23:14:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That was before Lennon got his green card. I was told by an INS officer that deportation proceedings couldn’t be begun for an I-551 holder except for a very limited number of federal crimes. And that was almost certainly more political than drug-related at the bottom of it. I doubt the current president has as much interest in getting rid of Justin Bieber as Nixon did in getting rid of John Lennon (although I suppose Obama’s daughters _are_ still at ages where he might have a motive). His lawyer will almost certainly ensure that he comes out of this with no more than a fine and perhaps community service. Rehab would probably be an excellent thing for him, but this incident alone isn’t likely to trigger it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/49 "2014-01-26T23:29:06Z")
Canada’s laws on impaired driving are much stricter than the US. Foreigners with DUIs who’ve served over a couple of days of jail time can’t even enter Canada without going through long involved procedures to get waivers. I wonder if Bieber will have any repercussions back home from this. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/50 "2014-01-26T23:48:40Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That was before Lennon got his green card. I was told by an INS officer that deportation proceedings couldn’t be begun for an I-551 holder except for a very limited number of federal crimes. You might be be surprised what qualifies. And you might be surprised (or maybe you wouldn’t) at how little many INS (now USCIS) officers know about the law. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581/51 "2014-01-27T06:17:59Z")
_People_ Magazine should name him and Lindsay Lohan as Sorry Role Models of the Decade. Any Decade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probable-punishment-for-mr-bieber/679581.md?page=2)