DMK said:
Money and material things are not more important to me than those who are close to me.
There is no doubt in my mind that you truly mean what you say--now.
Consider the friendships lost when two pals start a company and go into business together. And that's just cash, not injury or the taking of human life.
Being tied to a crime might end in more losses than just cash and your good name. You could do jail time, wind up a felon and lose many of your freedoms under law. And as always, the civil suit will follow.
If you're the roommate who has all of the money for toys, you are probably also the roommate with "deep pockets."
So, let's look at your life after the dust settles.
I doubt that you would do serious time behind bars, but if a life is taken you might. So let's figure the jury saw you as a "nice guy" and decided to give you a break.
Doing 18 months at a country club with 5 years probation sounds about right. Maybe your boss will keep your job open. Maybe some of your old co-workers will even want you back. Try not to be too offended if someone smirks and asks you if you met "anyone special" while you were locked up.
About fifteen years ago Ayoob said that defending yourself in court--even for a good shooting--would cost 25,000 dollars. Working with many attorneys over the years leads me to believe that was a lowball rate even then. With a loss of life, my associates would bill you 100,000 to 200,000 dollars. And there would be a huge retainer paid up front.
One big reason is that a good attorney would try to get you tried separate and distinct from your roommate. After all, how does the court and the DA know, believe or understand
you weren't a willing participant?
Why that's an easy answer. They try your butt in court.
So, you do the 18 on your head, your parents take out a second mortgage to cover the attorney's fees and you find a cushy job at the Jiffy-Lube to support yourself. Well, there goes college, and your ability to own firearms, and your right to vote, and the luxury to travel without calling your PO, or run for office...
Just about the time that you actually enjoy cat food on pumpernickel, the dead guy's bereft family sues you in civil court for damages. With your luck, they are a townie family, and one of the sisters sues you for loss of consortium.
Okay, you weather that storm and get the attachments paid off in 30 years. You are now a minimum wage, totally broke ex-con, starting over at the age of 57 years old.
You run into your old roomie at a Starbucks on your daily pilgrimage for day-old bread. Oh, BTW, his dad knew a senator who got his charges kicked. He spent one year "red shirted" off of the rowing team before he and Buffy bought a home in The Hamptons.
I'd like to be there when you hug your long lost pal in the spirit of fellowship and human understanding. What a beautiful, albeit, tearful reunion that's going to be.
At least make him use his own!