Until September 3, 2013, not too many people knew about Matthew Cordle outside of his family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. However, on that day, the young man released a videotaped confession in which he admitted to driving drunk and killing a man on June 22.
What is notable about this confession is that it is not some court-ordered public service announcement. It was recorded and published to YouTube prior to charges being filed against him. Cordle released the video with the help of Alex Sheen of because i said i would, a website devoted to helping people keep their promises and stay accountable to their word.
In the video, Cordle admits to drinking with friends and then driving, ultimately causing the DUI accident that killed Vincent Canzani. He says that he consulted attorneys who assured him that they could get the evidence against him thrown out, if only he would lie. Cordle, however, says that he wants to accept full responsibility for his actions.
As of this writing, his video confession has reached nearly two million views on YouTube. Many people praise Cordle for his accountability, but others are not so supportive. Many claim that his video is simply a ploy for fame or favor in the courts. While his attorneys deny that he published the video in an effort to achieve a lenient sentence, they do say that levying a harsh sentence might show others that taking responsibility for one's actions is not the right thing to do.
Cordle says that the video is simply an attempt to take ownership and responsibility for his actions. He says that he understands that his confession will do nothing to bring back his victim nor to alleviate the sorrow of the grieving family. He says, however, that telling his story allows him to encourage others to be responsible and to never drink and drive. Cordle says that it is too late for him to save Vincent Canzani, but he tells viewers that it is not too late to "save your victim." Since the release of the video, #saveyourvictim has become a trending hashtag on Twitter and other social networks.
Within six days of releasing his confession, Cordle was charged with aggravated vehicular manslaughter, a felony, and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a misdemeanor. His defense lawyers say that he plans to plead guilty as soon as possible, but that he must initially plead not guilty in order to trigger the process that selects a judge at random. Once that happens, they say, he will plead guilty at the first opportunity.
Cordle faces 2 to 8-1/2 years in prison, a price he seems willing to pay for the decision that claimed the life of another man. At the end of his video, he holds up a because i said i would card, a card that symbolizes a willingness to keep one's word. The card reads: "I will take full responsibility for what I've done . . . because I said I would."
