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DVD-Watching Driver Charged with Murder
joke-boy writes "CNN reports that a driver in Alaska is being charged with second-degree murder for allegedly causing a fatality accident by driving while watching the movie 'Road Trip' in an in-dash DVD player. The driver contends he was just listening to music. Alaska has no laws prohibiting drivers from watching DVDs, although many other states do."
Have you seen the roads in Alaska? There is NOTHING to look at for hundreds of miles.
Just like driving through Eastern Montana. If he didn't wreck due to watching a DVD, he would have fell asleep at the wheel due to terminal boredom.
"Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
I installed a computer in my car about a year ago with a touchscreen interface, gps navigation, DVD, etc...
Well last week, I'm following a friend to his home. Roads are empty and I know where my friend and I are going. I start messing around with the mp3 player and I'm not paying attention to the road.
He decides to make a turn I'm not expecting and take a different route. I smashed right into him at about 30mph. I didn't even know I was going to hit him until a split second before I hit him.
Fortunately, we weren't hurt, but I caused about $5000 in damages to our cars.
Well, I learned my lesson. The computer is coming out after the repairs are complete. There is no need for this luxury while operating a vehicle.
Finish Him..... FATALITY!
Why can I not mod a message to crap?!?
I've posted the relevant links to the US Criminal Code that sets out the law in another response.
It states that involuntary manslaughter is the correct charge when a death is the result of an act that, while lawful, results in the death of someone. Watching DVDs is lawful in the jurisdiction where the accident happened. The driver was committing no crime before the accident.
It makes the distinction between killing someone while you are committing another crime, and at other times.
Hope this explains things :-)