Oh, Boo Hoo

[Dick Starbuck]

Hmmmmm.... Where did this $30,000(?) Acura come from that this 17 YEAR OLD BOY(!) apparently owned? Must come from a wealthy family!

Thunderballs, I knew some "grounded" Terbites would pipe up on this one, was getting worried there for a bit.

 

[elmo]

It's interesting that we are dealing in fiction here as no one knows yet exactly why he was running. As long as we're dealing with fiction, let's say he hit and killed a pedestrian while he was driving his Acura and running from the cops...would that change the dynamic of this debate any? Would he be any more or less worthy of death?

Seems to me that people who drive like this, regardless of the reason, pose a threat to innocent people that is unacceptable. I'm not sure if he deserved to die, but he certainely didn't deserve to drive.

 

[LancsLad]

Upside is there's one less that we will have to waste money in the juducial system over.


Wonder what the NPV of the future cost stream to society would have been.

 

[red]

It's interesting that we are dealing in fiction here as no one knows yet exactly why he was running. As long as we're dealing with fiction, let's say he hit and killed a pedestrian while he was driving his Acura and running from the cops...would that change the dynamic of this debate any? Would he be any more or less worthy of death?

Seems to me that people who drive like this, regardless of the reason, pose a threat to innocent people that is unacceptable. I'm not sure if he deserved to die, but he certainely didn't deserve to drive.

maybe he was driving his friend to the hospital.

 

[elmo]

maybe he was driving his friend to the hospital.

Shoulda taken a cab...

 

[gww]

"maybe he was driving his friend to the hospital".

if he hit someone on the way there would he stop to take them there too? or at least come back to get them later

He was speeding through city streets and while he shouldn't have to die to learn, fortunatly he was the only one. The fact he was speeding was the real problem - the cops on his ass were secondary.

 

[red]

Shoulda taken a cab...

maybe. I just wanted to point out that, as you said, none of us has any clue as to why, and therefore we can ascribe a good reason for his actions as easily as a bad one. you had asked whether the nature of the debate here would change depending on his motives. my guess is, it would.

 

[The Cunning Linguist]

I think it's an example of "natural selection"...

He had stolen plates on his car...the reason doesn't matter.

By his actions, the police noticed him, and gave chase when he refused to stop.

If he had done nothing wrong, he wouldn't have had anything to worry about.

Instead, he winds up a car to a speed that he clearly couldn't handle, without any consideration for anyone else's life.

No sympathy here.

 

[themexi]

I think it's an example of "natural selection"...

He had stolen plates on his car...the reason doesn't matter.

By his actions, the police noticed him, and gave chase when he refused to stop.

If he had done nothing wrong, he wouldn't have had anything to worry about.

Instead, he winds up a car to a speed that he clearly couldn't handle, without any consideration for anyone else's life.

No sympathy here.

Agreed

He was breaking the law.

You don't need to be older or even have a drivers lisence to Know that running from the police is not only a bad idea but dangerous to EVERYONE including yourself. He should know that.

He did not deserve to die......
He did not need to die.
He should Not have died.

His family & friends have every right to mourn & lament his passing.
His family & friends have every right to not allow themselves to come to terms with the fact that their son killed himself if it makes them feel more at peace.

But HIS actions led to it & there is NO question that HE alone is soley to blame..........It is a shame he was so foolish

 

[tboy]

I heard on the radio that the acura matched the description of a stolen vehicle and that was why the cops initially were interested in it. Then when they checked the plates they didn't match the car they were on.

As for bad cops, yes there are a few, but for the most part, they do their job well, and fairly. Now a friend of mine is black, and he told me once or twice that he gets stopped occasionally in his spanking new (or almost new) SUV. he said to me though "he doesn't mind, if it keeps criminals in check, he'll donate 10 minutes of his time..."

 

[Moraff]

maybe he was driving his friend to the hospital.

Still doesn't excuse not stopping when the cops tried to pull him over. Who can get you to a hospital faster and safer, the cop with his lights n' siren going or a guy in a regular car? I'd be betting on the cop.

 

[The Cunning Linguist]

I believe I read in today's Toronto Star (09/20/07) that this kid was out on bail, under the supervision of his parents and grandmother. One of the lines in the article was something about "not even being allowed to be in the front seat of a vehicle" without his surieties being present.

He "may" have been trying to turn his life around, but driving around with stolen plates was not the first step...

Still no sympathy, and no big loss to society IMO..