>after a jury in February convicted him of Murder and Vehicular Manslaughter.
In other words, manslaughter not murder. You're using the two terms interchangeably, and they're simply not such, not in any legal discussion. I also like how you get your citations all nice and pretty, got good grades for that in school, I'm guessing... but can't get the substance of your argument right (and couldn't read mine with comprehension, apparently).
Do you understand that "murder" and "manslaughter" are two different classes of crimes, and that the latter, manslaughter is pretty much always the lesser class of crime? Murder generally requires things like intent to kill, premeditation, even "depraved indifference" or callousness. No drunk driver is ever charged with murder, and if they were, it's doubtful that a judge wouldn't pimpsmack it back out of court immediately. I don't know how this can be explained more simply. Jailhouse crooks often get this, and most of them are borderline retarded.