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22-year-old woman's punch kills man.

So if a drunk driver plows into another car and kills everyone inside, do you consider those deaths "accidental" and not worthy of charges since the drunk driver didn't mean to kill anyone?

The driving while drunk is the illegal part of your scenario. That act is what caused the death of the people in the other car and the driver is charged with drunk driving which resulted in death.

There are plenty of car accidents that happen where nobody is drunk, and someone dies, and it's ruled an accident with no charges filed.
 
. . . Well, maybe some PSA money should be spent informing people of the dangers of beating each other up for fun.
"The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You DO NOT talk about Fight Club!"
 
I don't see any functional difference between this and 2 people agreeing to engage in a fight of any sort.

You certainly don't need a license to spar with someone at the gym or at your home, or even engage in full contact fighting, so I don't see why this should be punishable.
 
There are plenty of car accidents that happen where nobody is drunk, and someone dies, and it's ruled an accident with no charges filed.
If speeding or reckless driving is a factor, the offending driver can be charged with vehicular manslaughter, even if no alcohol or drugs were involved.

This incident was just a dare that went sour. The woman's been charged with reckless conduct and battery. My guess is that she won't do any jail time for this.

But then, I'm not a lawyer and I don't play one on television.
 
One could say that punching someone is wrong or illegal, regardless of consent. I'm not sure, though

Other than in self-defense, punching people is generally illegal. Boxing and wrestling promotions get away with it because they are properly licensed and bonded and meet certain safety requirements. Someone offering to be your punching bag for $5 a pop at a party? Most likely illegal, although I'm sure there are some lax jurisdictions that tolerate it.
 
There are plenty of car accidents that happen where nobody is drunk, and someone dies, and it's ruled an accident with no charges filed.
If speeding or reckless driving is a factor, the offending driver can be charged with vehicular manslaughter, even if no alcohol or drugs were involved.

Not to get all Bill Clinton on you here, but I did write 'and it's ruled an accident' meaning that upon investigation, if the police determined that the wreck was not caused by someone breaking the law, then the accident was an... accident.

To illustrate, we had the story here in town a few weeks ago where a woman was backing out of her driveway and a neighbor kid got behind her car and she backed over him. The police found no wrong doing on the woman's part, and there were no charges filed against her.
 
Negligent Homicide is when your negligence to do, or realize, something causes a death. For example, say a mechanic works on my car and forgets to reconnect my brake lines, afterwards I get in an accident and die. That's negligent homicide, the mechanic's negligence (to check his work/re connect the brakes) lead to my death.

Punching someone isn't negligence. That's a willful act. In this case I'd say the worst the woman would be looking at would be involuntary manslaughter. (She killed a man, but didn't do so through any voluntary action/intent to kill.)
 
Negligent Homicide is when your negligence to do, or realize, something causes a death. For example, say a mechanic works on my car and forgets to reconnect my brake lines, afterwards I get in an accident and die. That's negligent homicide, the mechanic's negligence (to check his work/re connect the brakes) lead to my death.

Punching someone isn't negligence. That's a willful act. In this case I'd say the worst the woman would be looking at would be involuntary manslaughter. (She killed a man, but didn't do so through any voluntary action/intent to kill.)

Unlawful act manslaughter with intent to cause bodily harm.

Confirmed by a solicitor.
 
The guy's mother is upset. I can understand the emotion, but she's got to simmer down. The woman did not "get away with murder" and, what's more, even if she was found guilty and sent to a maximum if a few years in jail, that would not bring her son back, nor would justice be done by having this young woman lose all that time. So that's why I would say to his mother: "this is why we have judges"
 
Yeah it is understandable that she is upset, but to call it murder is ridiculous, he invited the situation upon himself.
 
The judge made the right decision. Damaging or destroying this young woman's life over a tragic but incredibly unlikely and unpredictable incident doesn't bring the young man back or serve justice or the public interest in any way. The guilt this girl will likely carry over this incident for a very long time is punishment enough.
 
I can't really find fault with this. I would've been okay with a misdemeanor, a fine, and community service, just to impress upon her what a dumb thing she did, but she probably feels bad enough already. The media attention is likely much more of a punishment than anything else.
 
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