Helicopter Crash Chase Suspect to be charged?

[MannyIsGod]

This is just the police chief runing his mouth and I suspect speaking out of his ass because I doubt there is are any legal grounds for this to happen without taking some extreme liberty in interpretation of the situation but I find it to be complete bull either way.

Those news crews were not innocent bystanders but people who put themselves in a dangerous situation they did not have to be in.

Suspect in police pursuit booked into jail
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Associated Press - July 28, 2007 2:14 AM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - Four people died today when two TV news helicopters collided while covering a police pursuit in central Phoenix.

Now, the man arrested in connection with the police pursuit has been identified and booked into jail.

Police say 23-year-old Christopher Jones has has a criminal record and is on parole.

Jones was booked into jail late tonight on two counts of vehicle theft, four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer and one count of resisting arrest with police saying other charges are expected to be filed later.

Earlier today, Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris suggested that the suspect could be held responsible for any of the deaths from this helicopter crash.

The helicopters from KNXV (Channel 15) and KTVK (Channel 3) were covering the police pursuit of a work truck around noon today.

Just before the collision, the driver had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck.

The man later identified as Jones was taken into custody by a SWAT team after barricading himself inside a house.

[Wild Cobra]

This is just the police chief runing his mouth and I suspect speaking out of his ass because I doubt there is are any legal grounds for this to happen without taking some extreme liberty in interpretation of the situation but I find it to be complete bull either way.

Those news crews were not innocent bystanders but people who put themselves in a dangerous situation they did not have to be in.

I agree, and I suspect there was pilot error. Watching the scene rather than his flight path.

Now imagine is they do get away with charging the accused for the accident. That would set a precedent that distractions can be deemed at fault. Now picture this. An auto accident happens because some guy is looking as some girl in a short skirt with nice legs while driving.

The girl gets charged for the accident!

How ridiculous is that. With modern lawyer techniques, and if such a precedent is set... Watch out...

[DarkReign]

I agree, and I suspect there was pilot error. Watching the scene rather than his flight path.

Now imagine is they do get away with charging the accused for the accident. That would set a precedent that distractions can be deemed at fault. Now picture this. An auto accident happens because some guy is looking as some girl in a short skirt with nice legs while driving.

The girl gets charged for the accident!

How ridiculous is that. With modern lawyer techniques, and if such a precedent is set... Watch out...

Excelllent analogy. It had better turn out to be some schmuck cop running his mouth.

[boutons_]

"I suspect there was pilot error"

I'm totally blinded by your brilliance.

[PixelPusher]

So if I crash into the car in front of me, because I wasn't watching the road and was gawking at a police pursuit on the other side of the highway...can I sue the guy fleeing the cops for that too?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Yeah, this is going to be very bad precedent if this guy is charged for the deaths of those journos.

It was an unfortunate accident to those trying to do their jobs. I actually read a brief note today calling for news organizations to ground their helicopters and invest that money in more journalists.

Also, there was another news helicopter accident in Grand Prairie, but nobody on that flight was hurt badly.

[boutons_]

"trying to do their jobs."

They're ing assholes, making a buck off chasing police chases, as s my as lawyers chasing ambulances.

[MannyIsGod]

"trying to do their jobs."

They're ing assholes, making a buck off chasing police chases, as s my as lawyers chasing ambulances.

I gotta agree. I respect journalism but using a video camera from a helicopter to show police chases isn't journalism; its entertainment.

[xrayzebra]

I gotta agree. I respect journalism but using a video camera from a helicopter to show police chases isn't journalism; its entertainment.

You are so right. But , every news network, Fox included,
shows them. Right along with all the latest Celeb gossip.
It must sell or they wouldn't do it. I am just surprised
there hasn't been more of these crashes. Even here in
good old SA.

I can almost understand the cable news networks tho.
24/7 broadcast of "news" they got to have something
on there that is "almost" news.

The one thing I dislike is the the cotton pickin tape
loops on breaking news. How many times did they
show the car at the airport in Scotland? Why they
cant take the scroll off and the rest of the graphics
and just put the talking head on. Some of those
talking heads are pretty good looking on Fox........
and you gotta love the short skirts when they pull
away for the long shot.........

[Yonivore]

If people will consume it, they'll sell it.

[FromWayDowntown]

I can't imagine any way that the suspect could be criminally liable for the deaths of those in the helicopters. Even the most lax standard for charging someone with homicide -- criminally negligent homicide in most jurisdictions -- requires proof that the defendant was aware of the risk that his conduct would injure others in a foreseeable way. I can't see how that could be proven here.

I could sooner imagine a suit seeking to impose civil liability of some sort, sounding in negligence. I still think there would be some major difficulties in proving the elements of a negligence claim in this cir stance; the defendant would have the plaintiffs' decedent's own negligence as a defense; and even if the plaintiffs' could establish negligence, this defendant is likely judgment proof.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

"trying to do their jobs."

They're ing assholes, making a buck off chasing police chases, as s my as lawyers chasing ambulances.

They give the ignorant public (people such as yourself) what they want, can't fault them for that.

[boutons_]

So you support and condone commercial helicopters chasing suspects?

typical less twerp.