History YMMV / LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnitS8E18Responsible

* DesignatedVillain: The teens are depicted as a bunch of troublemakers who ''should'' have been locked up in juvie with a bunch of violent criminals due to the part they played in Melanie Tamkin's death and their overall disregard for the law, and the only reason they avoided prison was due to the judge being too soft on them. The problem is, NOTHING they did (in context, at least) was worthy of a prison sentence. First there is the main crime, Negligent Homicide, e.i. the thing that led to Melanie Tamkin's death and the main reason why they were taken to court. Thing is, they actually ''did'' try to help her stay alive, and even hoped she would get better. The only wrong thing they did as not call 911 due to fear of getting into trouble, but that's less to do with malice and more to do with poor judgement, caused by several factors, such as their young age, the fact that they were drinking and the sudden unanticipated shock at seeing someone fall sick. Their next "villainous deed" was disobeying the judges court order not to drink, problem is, the only reason the drinking ban was imposed on them was due to them being convicted of a trumped up "Criminal Trespass" charge (in reality, attending a party their friends invited them too without making sure it was okay with the homeowner). Their only "real" crime was underaged drinking, which by its very nature, is not an imprisonable offence, both morally and legally.

* DesignatedVillain: The teens are depicted as a bunch of troublemakers who ''should'' have been locked up in juvie with a bunch of violent criminals due to the part they played in Melanie Tamkin's death and their overall disregard for the law, and the only reason they avoided prison was due to the judge being too soft on them. The problem is, NOTHING they did (in context, at least) was worthy of a prison sentence. First there is the main crime, Negligent Homicide, e.i. the thing that led to Melanie Tamkin's death and the main reason why they were taken to court. Thing is, they actually ''did'' try to help her stay alive, and even hoped she would get better. The only wrong thing they did as not call 911 due to fear of getting into trouble, but that's less to do with malice and more to do with poor judgement, caused by several factors, such as their young age, the fact that they were drinking and the sudden unanticipated shock at seeing someone fall sick. Thier next "villainous deed" was disobeying the judges court order not to drink, problem is, the only reason the drinking ban was imposed on them was due to them being convicted of a trumped up "Criminal Trespass" charge (in reality, attending a party their friends invited them too without making sure it was okay with the homeowner). Their only "real" crime was underaged drinking, which by its very nature, is not an imprisonable offence, both morally and legally.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Melanie Tamkin's father. When Stabler tells him that his daughter died at a party three other teenagers threw, he cries "They murdered my little girl". Except they really didn't. The girl drank too much and choked on her own vomit. When the judge doesn't throw the book at them he screams "YOU CALL THIS JUSTICE. YOU'RE LETTING KILLERS WALK FREE." then screams at the kids "MURDERERS! YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER". The show tries to portray him as a victim being disregarded by a callous system, and he [[JerkassHasAPoint may have had a point in saying that they should have called an ambulance,]] but he just comes off as a pathetic man trying to make his daughter's death anyone else's fault because he thinks his grief entitles him to a pound of flesh.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Melanie Tamkin's father. When Stabler tells him that his daughter died at a party three other teenagers threw, he cries "They murdered my little girl". Except they really didn't. The girl drank too much and choked on her own vomit. When the judge doesn't throw the book at them he screams "YOU CALL THIS JUSTICE. YOU'RE LETTING KILLERS WALK FREE." then screams at the kids "MURDERERS! YOU KILLED MY DAUGHTER". The show tries to portray him as a victim being disregarded by a callous system, but he just comes off as a pathetic man trying to make his daughter's death anyone else's fault because he thinks his grief entitles him to a pound of flesh.