A CASE OF "AFFLUENZA" AIRING ON "20/20," FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 ON ABC

Privileged Teen Guilty of Four Counts of Intoxication Manslaughter Eludes Jail Time

Report Includes Civil Suit Deposition Tapes of Ethan Couch and His Parents - The First and Only Time They Had to Answer Tough Questions Under Oath

It was a story that made national headlines - Ethan Couch, a privileged 16 year old with a troubled past, killed four innocent people while driving drunk. Couch was barreling down a Burleson, Texas road at nearly 70 miles an hour when he lost control of his truck, swerved into a ditch and plowed into a group of people who were helping a stranded motorist. The crash killed all four people instantly and seriously injured two of the teens in Couch's truck. But it was not the accident itself that catapulted the case into the national media; rather it was the teen's defense team's argument that Couch suffered from "affluenza" and that probation and rehab were more appropriate for Couch given his condition, even though Couch pleaded guilty to four counts of intoxication manslaughter. At the sentencing, a prominent psychologist hired as part of the defense legal team retained by Couch's parents, testified that Couch was a product of profoundly dysfunctional parents, who gave their son too much and never taught him the consequences of his actions. The strategy worked, and Couch did not go to jail - sparking a national outrage over privilege and accountability. Matt Gutman's report features never-before-seen deposition tapes of Couch, his parents and several other key players in the case - the first and only time they had to answer tough questions under oath. "20/20" airs on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"20/20" is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir. David Sloan is senior executive producer.