Stupidity Aloft

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

From here...

The police chief said the suspect will likely face criminal charges for the deaths in the helicopter crash. "I think he will be held responsible for any of the deaths from this tragedy," Harris said.

Could someone 'splain to me, please, how the offending suspect, as morally corrupt and woefully retarded as he is, could POSSIBLY be responsible for the deaths of those circling the skies above him, jockeying for the best position to get their footage?

Pedestrians, yes. Other vehicle-occupants on the streets, yes. The pursuing Police officers, most definitely. All of the previous would have been in the direct line of affect by the suspect's actions... but the helicopters that chose to voluntarily occupy the airspace above the scene of the crime?

[Munkay]

I blame the helicopter maker, without them they'd never be in a crash. Or actually, the seat maker. Without seats they wouldn't fly.

When you need a scapegoat, the bad guy seems the best to pin it on.

I don't mean to make light of their deaths, may the men of both helicopters rest in peace. But charging the suspect with the crime is laughable. If they actually do go forward and convict him of the charge, it'll be yet another case in a long string of cases making a mockery of the justice system.

Cheers,

Munk

[LochnarITB]

Just a case of the police chief talking out a hole that most people normally don't. The chief might even try charging him with something regarding the news helicopters, but there is a difference between charging and getting a conviction that can stick. There really is no difference from this and from saying spectators at an air show are responsible for a crash because the plane wouldn't have crashed if nobody paid to get into the show. Sensationalism strikes again.

[Chaerophon]

Just a case of the police chief talking out a hole that most people normally don't. The chief might even try charging him with something regarding the news helicopters, but there is a difference between charging and getting a conviction that can stick.

The legal argument is that such an accident was a foreseeable consequence of the driver's actions. According to a number of law school friends of mine, there is some precedent for such rulings. E.g. bank robbers hold up a bank, police attempt to intervene and shoot an uninvolved civilian in the process - bank robber is charged with second degree murder. Most of the students I've talked to aren't sure whether this will fit the bill, but it does sound as though the district attorney is presently considering the murder charge.

Personally, I think it's ridiculous, but it's definitely not just a case of an angry police chief spouting off. From what I've heard, the possibility of a murder charge is being seriously considered as we speak.