CDZ Woman charged with boyfriend's suicide

[ChrisL]

If she killed him, then you would be right, but she didn't kill him. He killed himself.

As an aside, it's pretty ironic how many of you I've seen post about how it's just "words on a screen" and that people need to get a thicker skin and other such things.

Okay, I think there's a major difference between conversations on a message board (where you always have the option of putting me on ignore) and knowingly goading a mentally unstable 17 year old into killing himself.

In fact, I'm reasonably sure that if I did start goading another member into suicide, I would probably get the old ban-hammer put down on me.

If you did tell someone to kill him or herself, and that person did, should you be held criminally liable for that person's suicide, especially if that person is, as you would say, a "right wing nut job?"

 

[DarkFury]

If she killed him, then you would be right, but she didn't kill him. He killed himself.

As an aside, it's pretty ironic how many of you I've seen post about how it's just "words on a screen" and that people need to get a thicker skin and other such things.

Okay, I think there's a major difference between conversations on a message board (where you always have the option of putting me on ignore) and knowingly goading a mentally unstable 17 year old into killing himself.

In fact, I'm reasonably sure that if I did start goading another member into suicide, I would probably get the old ban-hammer put down on me.

Aww, condemning someone else for the same behavior at a different venue. How convenient. Liberal hypocrisy at it's finest.

And the fellow with the phone had the ability to moderate!

 

[Auld Phart]

I don't know, since I don't know what her mental state was at the time. Maybe she really did feel he would be better off? Who knows what goes through the mind of a 17-year-old girl who is under that kind of pressure? If she was 30? Then I would be much more harsh on her.

again, we send 17 years olds of color to prison all the time, and we used to execute them. But since this girl is white and pretty, we are supposed to give her a pass? I don't think so.

It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the fact that she didn't kill him. She said some bad things to him, yes. She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel. We all know that.

She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel.

old enough to be responsible for her actions.

 

[ChrisL]

I don't know, since I don't know what her mental state was at the time. Maybe she really did feel he would be better off? Who knows what goes through the mind of a 17-year-old girl who is under that kind of pressure? If she was 30? Then I would be much more harsh on her.

again, we send 17 years olds of color to prison all the time, and we used to execute them. But since this girl is white and pretty, we are supposed to give her a pass? I don't think so.

It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the fact that she didn't kill him. She said some bad things to him, yes. She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel. We all know that.

She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel.

old enough to be responsible for her actions.

And what were her actions? Texting?

Let me ask you the question, should people be held criminally responsible for not being compassionate enough?

 

[Auld Phart]

Why are you invoking color? What part of the OP is that?

It's always about color in this country. Welcome to another episode of "White Girls in Peril!!!"

no, not always.

having worked that system, I've seen quite a number of teenagers in it.

color didn't put them there, their actions did

 

[JoeB131]

Aww, condemning someone else for the same behavior at a different venue. How convenient. Liberal hypocrisy at it's finest.

Please point out where I goaded someone into killing themselves.

Thanks.

Now, if there is someone dumb enough to kill themselves because I contradicted their point, that's on them.

When someone says they are depressed, and she says, "Kill yourself now while everyone's asleep!" (which is what she did according to the article you posted) that crosses a pretty clear line.

 

[ChrisL]

Don't get me wrong. I think it is terrible what she did. I just question the appropriateness of manslaughter charges for just talking, basically. What if, in HER mind, she thought she was helping him in some way?

 

[Auld Phart]

I don't know, since I don't know what her mental state was at the time. Maybe she really did feel he would be better off? Who knows what goes through the mind of a 17-year-old girl who is under that kind of pressure? If she was 30? Then I would be much more harsh on her.

again, we send 17 years olds of color to prison all the time, and we used to execute them. But since this girl is white and pretty, we are supposed to give her a pass? I don't think so.

It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with the fact that she didn't kill him. She said some bad things to him, yes. She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel. We all know that.

She was only 17 years old at the time, and kids can be cruel.

old enough to be responsible for her actions.

And what were her actions? Texting?

Let me ask you the question, should people be held criminally responsible for not being compassionate enough?

Big difference between not being compassionate enough, and inciting

 

[Bruce_T_Laney]

If she killed him, then you would be right, but she didn't kill him. He killed himself.

As an aside, it's pretty ironic how many of you I've seen post about how it's just "words on a screen" and that people need to get a thicker skin and other such things.

Okay, I think there's a major difference between conversations on a message board (where you always have the option of putting me on ignore) and knowingly goading a mentally unstable 17 year old into killing himself.

In fact, I'm reasonably sure that if I did start goading another member into suicide, I would probably get the old ban-hammer put down on me.

If you did tell someone to kill him or herself, and that person did, should you be held criminally liable for that person's suicide, especially if that person is, as you would say, a "right wing nut job?"

No.

Should the girl face time in prison?

No.

Do I believe the State is going too far?

Yes.

 

[Penelope]

She played with his mind like Jim Jones. She should of called his parents, or she may of. She encouraged him to commit suicide instead of trying to talk him out of it. Some of the people who knew her said she was looking for sympathy of others. Kind of like Munchausen syndrome which is sickness of itself. She does not need 20 years.
Also I have only read a couple articles about it. A normal person would do all they could to prevent someone's suicide, exp when one is so young. So yes some prison time and counseling.

 

[DarkFury]

Aww, condemning someone else for the same behavior at a different venue. How convenient. Liberal hypocrisy at it's finest.

Please point out where I goaded someone into killing themselves.

Thanks.

Now, if there is someone dumb enough to kill themselves because I contradicted their point, that's on them.

When someone says they are depressed, and she says, "Kill yourself now while everyone's asleep!" (which is what she did according to the article you posted) that crosses a pretty clear line.

Whose line? Yours? What line? Your morality? I never agreed to let you set that line! So where did you get the authorized?

 

[JoeB131]

If you did tell someone to kill him or herself, and that person did, should you be held criminally liable for that person's suicide, especially if that person is, as you would say, a "right wing nut job?"

That would depend on a lot of factors.

First, I wouldn't tell anyone to do that.

Second, considering that there's usually a history of animus between myself and the collective Right Wingers here, I don't think anything I said would have much weight with them to start with, as opposed to a girlfriend who turned to me for support.

Third, when I give someone detailed instructions on the best way to do it, then I am facilitiating the suicide.

So not even comparable...

 

[ChrisL]

Aww, condemning someone else for the same behavior at a different venue. How convenient. Liberal hypocrisy at it's finest.

Please point out where I goaded someone into killing themselves.

Thanks.

Now, if there is someone dumb enough to kill themselves because I contradicted their point, that's on them.

When someone says they are depressed, and she says, "Kill yourself now while everyone's asleep!" (which is what she did according to the article you posted) that crosses a pretty clear line.

I didn't say you did. I said you are excusing the same behavior because it is at a different venue, which is what you did.

I agree that she crossed a line of common decency, but should people be charged criminally for those types of things? I lean towards no. If she didn't actually harm him, then she shouldn't be charged criminally for saying words in a text. I just can't abide by that.

 

[BULLDOG]

Maybe she drove him nuts and he couldn't take it anymore.

Should she face charges given the peculiar circumstances of this case? That was the question I was asking in the OP.

I would think it would hinge on whether a reasonable person could have expected her remarks to result in his death. If she knew her actions could result in his death, I could see a case for criminal negligence.

So should people be criminally charged for not being compassionate enough?

Criminal negligence goes further than just lack of compassion. I'm guessing it's more along the lines of failure to stop and render aid. I don't know if a judge would agree, but that's how it looks to me.

 

[JoeB131]

Whose line? Yours? What line? Your morality? I never agreed to let you set that line! So where did you get the authorized?

The fact that this girl is being charged proves that there is a line. She crossed it.

 

[JoeMoma]

I believe the charge us correct in this case. If the information in the article is correct, then she conspired with her boyfriend to convince him go kill himself. Conspire is my word. If she had talked her boyfriend into killing someone else in a similar way as she talked him into committing suicide, there would be no question in charging her with murder or conspiracy to murder. She would be an accessory to murder. The difference is that her boyfriend committed suicide, so he murdered himself rather than someone else.

 

[Disir]

If age didn't matter, then we wouldn't have a different set of "juvenile" laws. While, yes, kids know right from wrong, they do not always understand the permanent consequences that their actions can sometimes have. They have very little life experience on which to base their decisions and because of hormonal changes and other factors, they tend to be bad decision makers, which is why children require parents or guardians to make their important decisions for them.

The only different set of criminal laws are status offenses which are those you won't get charged as an adult with like runaway etc. She is being tried as a juvenile as she was a juvenile at the time.

 

[DarkFury]

Whose line? Yours? What line? Your morality? I never agreed to let you set that line! So where did you get the authorized?

The fact that this girl is being charged proves that there is a line. She crossed it.

If she is convicted there is a line and she crossed it. No conviction means no lines were crossed.

 

[ChrisL]

If you did tell someone to kill him or herself, and that person did, should you be held criminally liable for that person's suicide, especially if that person is, as you would say, a "right wing nut job?"

That would depend on a lot of factors.

First, I wouldn't tell anyone to do that.

Second, considering that there's usually a history of animus between myself and the collective Right Wingers here, I don't think anything I said would have much weight with them to start with, as opposed to a girlfriend who turned to me for support.

Third, when I give someone detailed instructions on the best way to do it, then I am facilitiating the suicide.

So not even comparable...

It doesn't matter how you feel about the people when it comes to the LAW. The law is applied equally, even if you FEEL that the person is a "right wing nutjob." Let's clear that up right away.

So you think the judicial system should take into account the relationship between the people when it comes to charging a person criminally for saying bad things to someone?

So it's okay if you don't really know the person then?

 

[ChrisL]

I believe the charge us correct in this case. If the information in the article is correct, then she conspired with her boyfriend to convince him go kill himself. Conspire is my word. If she had talked her boyfriend into killing someone else in a similar way as she talked him into committing suicide, there would be no question in charging her with murder or conspiracy to murder. She would be an accessory to murder. The difference is that her boyfriend committed suicide, so he murdered himself rather than someone else.

So do you also feel that if a person tries to commit suicide and fails that the person should be charged with attempted murder?