Yes, the American justice system is strange. We've all seen everything from Life to no time for manslaughter.

While I personally think 6 years is very light in this case, I do think it's cultural and things change slowly. It wasn't that long ago that many states had open container laws. I don't mean the open container laws of today, I mean the ones that ALLOWED drinking 3.2 beer while driving down the highway.

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. H. L. Mencken