http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/27/helicopter.crash/index.html
2007-07-28 13:17:00 · 24 answers · asked by lag_time2 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
No... he had no control over the helicopters. It's their decision and control that caused the accident. I'm even almost against a driver being charged for a cop's death if he has an accident while chasing them. Some areas are having the officers not chase after a certain time, for safety's sake. It seems to me that cops get in an ego trip, where once they start chasing someone, their adrenaline goes way up, and they just HAVE to catch someone. Then they feel the need to vent their frustration for having to do that, when it seems like to me they really don't have to.
2007-07-28 13:21:31 · answer #1 · answered by merlin_steele 6 · 5⤊ 7⤋
I remember the first time I was introduced to this law in the academy. I thought the same thing as you all. How the heck is this possible? It didn't seem fair but for the above person who said if he was charged they don't have a case against him your wrong. They actually do.
(720 ILCS 5/9‑3) (from Ch. 38, par. 9‑3)
Sec. 9‑3. Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Homicide.
(a) A person who unintentionally kills an individual without lawful justification commits involuntary manslaughter if his acts whether lawful or unlawful cause the death of or is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to some individual during this act , and he performs them recklessly.
We all know the suspect did not intentionally mean to kill these individuals. He could never have predicted that outcome, however as careless as the helicopter pilots were, the suspect is responsible for creating the unsafe condition in the first place by fleeing and eluding, carjacking, and barricading himself in a home. It was documented by other choppers and police during his attempt to flee police he almost hit a number of bystanders which displayed his recklessness. It is this technicality that places blame on him for the outcome of the incident in his immediate vicinity whether it be on land or in the air.
Wild hu?
2007-07-28 13:28:36 · answer #2 · answered by A.R.G.O.S. 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
yes he should, becuse while he didnt have control over the situation they certainly wouldnt have crashed if he hadnt of done such a stupid thing as to lead the police on a dangerous chase. in fact, i can vouge for the fact that he will indeed be charged because, in having experience and knowledge in the field, i know that whenever a perpetrator is involved in a crime WHATEVEr goes down atthe scene is ALL his fault. it was on "Most Shocking" the other night: two men, one armed and the other unarmed, both walked into a gas station. the armed man pulled his gun on the clerk while his partner leaped over the counter, as a result the clerk went for his gun and shot the unarmed one in the heart while the armed man fled on foot. being as it was that the cerk was the victim and, in his right, was clearly acting in self-defense, the armed man was charged with the murder of his unarmed partner-in-crime. therefore, whatever goes down at the scene of a crime, as i stated, is entirely the perpetrator's fault becuase if he hadnt of carried his ill mis-guided deeds out that of which happened at the scene, during the event, as we know it wouldnt hav happened in the first place. so if this idiot, so to speak, didnt do such an ill-minded thing these people would NOT have died. because the "RESULT" of him doing what he did was that of several pilots being killed and the "EFFECT" (that of which he will feel for a long time) is the guilt and consequences of his actions. so it is not fair to say "he didnt have control over the helicopters" because he DID. he did have control. because if he didnt carry it out, if he didnt acknowledge what he was going to do then that of which happened as we know it just might not have happened at all. no he doesnt have COMPLETE control over the choppers but he could control the chase he led them on (therefore not doing it at all.)
and yes THEY WERE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS they werent the ones breaking the law they were killed as a result of his actions and yes they chose to pursue because it was their job and they did it well
2007-07-28 14:11:40 · answer #3 · answered by m_16 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, and they may be, here is why:
There is something called Felony Murder. This states simply if someone dies as a direct consequence of a person committing a crime, the person who committed the crime can then be charged with Felony Murder. If I remember, felony murder falls close to 2nd degree murder in it's severity.
2007-07-28 14:09:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes. It is covered under the "Felony Murder" statute. This states that if during the commission of a crime, any person that is killed, died as a result of that crime. This is no different than if the fleeing driver struck a pedestrian.
2007-07-28 15:10:03 · answer #5 · answered by Ranger473 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think he should get at least manslaughter for it. The whole thing kinda scares me though. They were chasing a power washing truck and I'm a power washer myself. And I'll be in Phoenix in a few weeks for work also. Kinda scary.
2007-07-28 20:52:04 · answer #6 · answered by vincewood30 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes - 4 counts of 1st degree murder.
2007-07-28 13:49:09 · answer #7 · answered by CGIV76 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes
2007-07-28 13:20:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Uncertain, but the courts will set a groundbreaker in law for this event.
2007-07-28 13:27:39 · answer #9 · answered by Guitarpicker 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Dude, what is wrong with you people? The guy broke some laws. For what he did he should be tried and if guilty, punished. But getting charged for murder of news crews? Come on man. Those helicopters were not innocent bystanders who happened to get harmed by him. They chose to follow him. They also had no offical reson for being there; its not like those were cops pursuing him who got hurt. The placed themselves in harm's way.
2007-07-28 13:30:27 · answer #10 · answered by colostomybag4fun1 2 · 3⤊ 8⤋