# What if Andrew Luster hadn't absconded?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-andrew-luster-hadnt-absconded/608388>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 4, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-andrew-luster-hadnt-absconded/608388 "2012-01-04T16:49:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-andrew-luster-hadnt-absconded/608388/1 "2012-01-04T16:49:06Z")

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Could things have gone differently for Andrew Luster if he hadn’t voluntarily absented himself in the middle of his trial? If nothing else getting a sentence that allowed for parole some day instead of leaving prison in a box? Granted there were a lot of bad facts in his case, but jumping bond probably hurt his defense’s efforts, most definately looked terrible to the jury, and wound up being ruled as a forfeit of his right to appeal.

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-andrew-luster-hadnt-absconded/608388/2 "2012-01-04T16:51:32Z")

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It clearly didn’t help him. I mean, it’s likely he still would have been convicted even if he didn’t flee, but like you said, fleeing looked bad to the jury and forfeited his right to appeal.