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U.S. Marine DUI, Manslaughter Case Sparks Romanian Blogger Protest

Some 20 Romanian bloggers met Thursday around 16.00 local time in Bucharest’s Universitatii Square to express their dismay for the ruling in the trial where an American marine killed Romanian bass player Teo Peter in a car crash three years ago.
U.S. Marine DUI, Manslaughter Case Sparks Romanian Blogger Protest
03 apr. 2008, 19:54, English

"For you, Teo Peter = 16.000; For us = Priceless", "No statistics! Just dead persons!", "We don`t need money! We need Justice!", "Fighting together? Why kill us than?" or "VanGoethem, Need a new car?!," were the messages printed on the white t-shirts worn by some 10 bloggers in the protest, as they expressed their outrage for the manner in which the Americans addressed the case where Romanian band Compact bass player Teo Peter was killed in a traffic accident involving American marine Christopher VanGoethem.

The protesters – reunited for a flash mob – “froze” in various positions for several minutes, pointing towards the messages that were mainly based on the idea that a person, in American eyes, "is worth as much as a new Dacia Logan," namely $16,000.

Even though they feel that the money is too little, barely enough for Peter’s funeral, the bloggers say they did not rally for money, but for the injustice of the fact that a drunk driver can kill another human being and get away scot-free.