Talk About Messed Up....
anonymous
May 5 2009, 22:21:23 UTC
I think there may be more to this story that just what CNN has. However, based on what is covered in the story, a couple of things bug me.
Legally, calling someone racial epithets is not grounds for using physical force. Sorry, as ignorant and idiotic as those teenagers were for doing that, you can't start a physical altercation. I have a feeling those teens did more than throw words. There was probably something physical that prompted a fight. Especially if Ramirez was outnumbered. What sober person takes on those kinds of odds?
The teens were drinking but drunk or not, that does not excuse you from your actions. When the fight began we basically had a misdemeanor. When Ramirez was down and the fight continued, now we have a felony. The fight should have never began but definitely should have stopped when the guy hit the ground. I don't think intoxication is much of a factor because it is obvious these kids don't have much judgment to begin with. I don't see how these kids didn't get convicted of anything. Voluntary manslaughter at least? Unless the prosecutor had to choose one and hope for the best.
Finally, the multitude of eyewitnesses. Just on that basis the prosecutor probably should have tried for something lower that he could definitely nail the teens on. When you have lots of eyewitnesses, you're guaranteed to have a conflicting mess of accounts of what happened. That allows for the defense to poke a lot of holes in your case.
Legally, calling someone racial epithets is not grounds for using physical force. Sorry, as ignorant and idiotic as those teenagers were for doing that, you can't start a physical altercation. I have a feeling those teens did more than throw words. There was probably something physical that prompted a fight. Especially if Ramirez was outnumbered. What sober person takes on those kinds of odds?
The teens were drinking but drunk or not, that does not excuse you from your actions. When the fight began we basically had a misdemeanor. When Ramirez was down and the fight continued, now we have a felony. The fight should have never began but definitely should have stopped when the guy hit the ground. I don't think intoxication is much of a factor because it is obvious these kids don't have much judgment to begin with. I don't see how these kids didn't get convicted of anything. Voluntary manslaughter at least? Unless the prosecutor had to choose one and hope for the best.
Finally, the multitude of eyewitnesses. Just on that basis the prosecutor probably should have tried for something lower that he could definitely nail the teens on. When you have lots of eyewitnesses, you're guaranteed to have a conflicting mess of accounts of what happened. That allows for the defense to poke a lot of holes in your case.
Tumbleweed
Reply
Leave a comment