Here's the article:
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregio...ry/367265.html
This situation is certainly tragic. That being said, I cannot see how they can possibly charge this Mejak kid with two counts of criminally negligent homicide.
He had nothing to do with the deaths of Harhigh, the other driver, and Page, his passenger. Harhigh lost control of his Mustang. How can anyone reasonably argue that Mejak caused Harhigh to lose control of the car?
It's a perversion of the law, but not unexpected considering Frank Clark is involved.
"I won't live by rules that make no sense to me." - Evan Tanner 1971-2008
Transfixus sed non Mortuus
Ya know what? I'm as compassionate as the next guy (probably more so on this board.) This poor soul had already been warned, it appears, about street racing and it's illegality. While I'm not sure a long hitch in "crime school" (jail) is the answer, there should be a price to pay. Apparently his predilection towards it was not a mystery to himself and/or local law enforcement. Two people are dead. He shouldn't pay with his future, but there is a lesson he should learn. IMHO.
One beautiful thing about having a government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations is that every disaster is measured in terms of economic loss. It's sort of like getting your arm sheared off in a car accident and thinking, "Damn, now it'll take longer to fold the laundry" as blood spurts from your arteries. - The Rude Pundit
So, if you had previously been cited for failure to maintain your lane and ended up in a fatal head-on crash, (your fault, or not,) there should be "a price to pay" for you as well?Originally Posted by raoul duke
Yes, Mejak should be charged appropriately for his actions, and should not be allowed to get away with this. I just don't think criminally negligent homicide is the appropriate charge.
I think the charges of criminally negligent homicide are a poor attempt to bring attention to the subject of street racing. It takes two independent minds to decide to race. Each driver has control over his own actions. I cannot make someone race me down the street. I cannot put my foot on anyone's gas pedal but my own. I cannot control anyone's steering but my own. Another driver has to willfully decide to race.
If something is done willfully and leads to death, isn't that more like criminally negligent suicide, if there is such a thing? Shouldn't the driver of the car in which the passenger dies in be charged with criminally negligent homicide? I know you cannot charge a dead person, but the driver of the car is responsible for those that are in their car, not the passengers of another car.
This is a very sad and very tragic situation. There are two mothers out there that lost their child. My heart hurts for them in their grief and pain.
First Amendment rights are like muscles, if you don't exercise them they will atrophy.
Because 2 people died because of stupidity, the guy that didn't die should be thrown in jail? I've had problems with this criminal prosecution since I first heard about it, and I'm glad that other people feel the same.
If the Erie County DA had a track record of charging all participants caught road racing with reckless endangerment or some other crime, then I could see them going after this guy, but it takes 2 drivers to race, and, as far as I know, no evidence proving that Mejak was the instigator of the race. Even if he was, the other driver didn't have to take the dare.
I think that the criminally negligent homicide charge is part of the "somebody should pay" syndrome that permeates our society. Whatever happened to personal responsibility for our own actions?
Your right to buy a military weapon without hindrance, delay or training cannot trump Daniel Barden’s right to see his eighth birthday. -- Jim Himes
That about sums it up.
"I won't live by rules that make no sense to me." - Evan Tanner 1971-2008
Transfixus sed non Mortuus
I do agree that each person needs to be responsible for their own actions; however, if this person had chosen to not participate in the race, the other 2 may still be alive. He had a part in the accident. He had a prior record of the same reckless behavior. So yes, I do believe he has some responsibility.
Well, throwing the book at him may or may not deter other kids from street racing...Agreed, there should be some fines / penalties, what they should be I dunno, more than a slap on the wrist, but manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges are awfully steep...for god's sake, the kid is actually working toward a future and this could put him in the no-job-for-life fast track...
Maybe his punishment is never to have a drivers license? He can go Metro!
While racing down the street at 100mph? Yes.So, if you had previously been cited for failure to maintain your lane and ended up in a fatal head-on crash, (your fault, or not,) there should be "a price to pay" for you as well?
One beautiful thing about having a government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations is that every disaster is measured in terms of economic loss. It's sort of like getting your arm sheared off in a car accident and thinking, "Damn, now it'll take longer to fold the laundry" as blood spurts from your arteries. - The Rude Pundit
If their charging that kid with manslaughter then why don't they charge all:
Drug manufacturers/dealers with manslaughter.
Gun manufacturers/dealers with manslaughter.
Automobile manufacturers/dealers with manslaughter.
Parents with manslaughter (hey it's the parent's fault they died, if they didn't give them life in the first place they'd never have to die.)
It's funny, we've gone from a society that holds the individual responsible for their actions to everyone but.
The difference between taxes and robbery is the mode of coercion.
I see. 99mph would be justified, but 100mph would be manslaughter.
Since Mejak didn't cause the other driver to lose control of his vehicle, I don't see how he can be charged with manslaughter. I think that he could be charged with reckless endangerment, but then Frank Clark better charge every person who gets caught road racing with reckless endangerment.
I'm sorry if this sounds hard-hearted but both of these guys -- and every other road racer -- is just asking for disaster. You get the short end of the straw, you might end up dead. That doesn't mean that the guy who didn't crash deserves to be the fall guy for what was gross, deadly stupidity on the part of both of the participants just because Frank Clark wants to be remembered for something besides stonewalling on the Capozzi and DeJac cases.
Your right to buy a military weapon without hindrance, delay or training cannot trump Daniel Barden’s right to see his eighth birthday. -- Jim Himes
Um, this is manslaughter. He was doing an illegal activity with another person, and the other person died. It's his fault, and too bad.
He deserves it. I guess in the future you shouldn't be so stupid to do something that will get you or someone else killed.
Besides that, you put potential pedestrians and other drivers in danger.
He could also be charged with attempted manslaughter.
Reckless endangerment? Um, wow. Did the other guy live or die? I think he died, therefore, he wasn't endangered, he was KILLED.
You told me to get a clue in an earlier post...wow, Linda...get a clue!
http://www.buffaloreuse.org/~kool aid free zone~
It would be manslaughter if the people that died were in the car that HE was driving and had control of. There in lies the clue
First Amendment rights are like muscles, if you don't exercise them they will atrophy.
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