Okay here's the situation today in Phoenix two news helicopters were covering a police chase when they crashed. All 4 people on board died. Now something was passed that anyone causing the chase could be charged with any deaths that happen because of the chase.
Personally I think it's a good thing considering what's happened in the past and today. Just wanted to know what you guys thought about it.
2007-07-27 13:37:52 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I think he should pay for his actions and be held accountable for what he has done. If he wouldn't have stolen the car the news teams wouldn't have been out there in the first place recording the idiot...right? Right. Yes. I think people should be held accountable for their own actions. That's called being responsible!!
2007-07-27 13:42:35 · answer #1 · answered by jacicat 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I feel sorry for those who perished in the crash. But looking at it from a legal standpoint, the guy the police were chasing cannot be held responsible for the crash of the choppers. He will be liable only if the deaths were directly caused by him, like hitting them with his car, or driving another car off the road that causes a crash, or hitting a pedestrian. If a police car giving chase gets into an accident, the guy they are chasing can also be held liable as this could be directly attributed to the fact that the police had to perform a civic duty of trying to apprehend the guy. As for the helicopters covering the chase, they were under no obligation to cover the chase. They were doing that out of their own prerogative. Imagine this - if you were there watching the chase, and you tripped because you were not looking at where you were walking, fell on the pavement, hit your head, sustained a bad wound - would you blame the guy for your injuries?
2007-07-27 13:51:42 · answer #2 · answered by Mister A 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Personally, I think that if the news helicopters crash, it's not the fault of the criminal. It's the helicopter pilots not communicating with each other and not watching what they are doing. Each new chopper wants to get the "best" photos, and that is what led to the crash. The pilots should be charged with the accident and not the criminal on the ground. Some of the manuvers the pilots use are really unsafe, and I'm surprised there aren't more crashes.
2007-07-27 13:52:32 · answer #3 · answered by Debra S 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, I don't think it would be a good thing to have such a law. The pilots assumed the risk of flying the helicopters. There must a limit on who can sue the driver. Allowing the pilots' families to sue in such a case is the reason why lawyers have such a bad rap.
2007-07-27 13:44:44 · answer #4 · answered by theWord 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm sure there is a cool legal term for this, but the answer is no.
If a police car pursuing him had a fatal accident, I think he might be charged with contributory homicide or manslaughter, since that is a foreseeable consequence of his illegal actions.
But as much as we might like to assign blame, he can't be accountable for inept piloting of news helicopters.
2007-07-27 13:43:46 · answer #5 · answered by billwey 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, sorry I don't think so. Although they wouldn't have been up there if he hadn't run, quite frankly that does NOT relieve the pilots of their burden of care. The pilots should have paid a lot more attention. This only encourages pilots to disregard their own safety AND the safety of others.
2007-07-27 13:47:20 · answer #6 · answered by cyanne2ak 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No.that could extend to someone having a heart attack watching it on TV. or a women saw the chase and miscarried. its called LIFE little girl
theirs to many darn laws as it is.
a Southerner with common sense.
2007-07-27 13:43:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
regardless of what happened because of him stealing the car, that crash was his fault only by technicality, it was the driver/passengers carelessness or bad luck or whatever that caused the to crash. the thief didn't physically go and make them crash, so I think he shouldn't be held accountable for those deaths. but that is just my opinion
2007-07-27 13:48:11 · answer #8 · answered by diziPPP 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, definitely
2007-07-27 13:45:33 · answer #9 · answered by tomcatjak 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No he shouldn't.
2007-07-27 13:46:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋