Republican National Convention '08

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

No - I see a big oaf who murdered a woman. Evil? No. Guilty of negligent homicide? Yes.

If I'm not mistaken, negligent homicide isn't the same thing as murder. Laura Bush ran a stop sign when she was younger and killed a pedestrian. I don't think anyone would say that she murdered someone though. And in both cases, it was clearly an accident. Of course, Kennedy exercised extremely poor judgment in not immediately reporting it, but that doesn't make him a murderer.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Motorboat Cruiser

If I'm not mistaken, negligent homicide isn't the same thing as murder. Laura Bush ran a stop sign when she was younger and killed a pedestrian. I don't think anyone would say that she murdered someone though. And in both cases, it was clearly an accident. Of course, Kennedy exercised extremely poor judgment in not immediately reporting it, but that doesn't make him a murderer.

You are correct as far as the distinction. However, the man was presumably drunk and was primarily concerned with covering it up....I would say that goes a bit beyond "poor judgment".

If he was sober and had reported it immediately, case closed. Accidents happen indeed. It wasn't the accident, it was what followed it that makes him reprehensible to me. I don't know the entire Laura Bush story, but did she flee the scene?

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

You are correct as far as the distinction. However, the man was presumably drunk and was primarily concerned with covering it up....I would say that goes a bit beyond "poor judgment".

Isn't presumption 9/10th of the law?