Quote:
Originally Posted by Damien
Does no one ever think that they could be accidentally responsible for someone else's death then? They have never gone above the speed limit, nor been distracted while driving?
Manslaughter exists because it's unfair to equate deliberate murder with the death that arises from recklessness/criminal actions but ones in which a death was not intended. Now this guy was way above the speed limit but the law is the same.
Imagine your late for work, an important meeting, and on a road which looks clear, straight and safe but is 30 miles an hour. Your in a rush, 30mph seems stupidly slow so you speed up to 40. Then bam, you hit someone. Do you really deserve 20 years in prison, and all your money taken from you?
It's doesn't make it ok, it's not an excuse. However surely the punishment should be proportionate to the situation. It was an accident which occurred because you broke another law, you certainly did not intend to kill someone.
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I pointed out occassions when its an accident ie brakes failing. You say about speeding . If you kill someone whilst speeding and knowinging speeding then that is a contribution to the "accident" you make the decision to speed its no accident that you are speeding so how are the results an accident?
I nearly killed someone speeding so I do have experience of this. I was speeding on a motorcycle and hit a moped nearly killing the woman riding it.
Was it an accident? NO it was my fault as I chose to go to fast. Do I feel guilty ? YES do I drive now because of my feelings of guilt NO.
So there you go. Its only an accident if the cause is something you have no control over imo