She Was Going To Do It So Why Blame Someone Else?

[cassa333]

This girl was ready and waiting to jump off a humongous bridge. Had a count down, stalled and got ready to try again.

Her friend then gave her a shove. Result... broken bones and crucially a ruined summer vacation.

She now says her friend (I’m assuming ex friend now) should be sent to prison for shoving her off the bridge.

At the moment I am leaning towards no because she was going to do it herself and may well have ended up with the same injuries (and resultant ruined summer vacation). I think it is all about health insurance payments and unless you can find someone to blame you have to cough up yourself.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45211945

[bhg481]

I think there's a huge difference between choosing to jump from a high place, when you have control and can opt to go feet-first, and being pushed, when you have no control over your fall. On top of that, she could have chosen not to go at all.

[ummmm]

Completely agree with bhg.

[snags]

^ What he said.

[hereIam]

She may not have actually jumped, she had it taken out of her hands and the 'friend' should not have pushed her imo ...

[Cloverjo]

She might have hoping someone would talk her out of it. What a terrible thing for her 'friend' to do.

[cassa333]

I wonder if anyone else had done it. There was quit a crowd.

[-Talbot-]

When the drop is 60 feet you have to hit the water right or it is going to hurt. She had no chance of that once she was pushed.

Jailing him would be a bit much though.

[cassa333]

Hi yes I get the being prepared and getting the angles right but I still think prison is a bit harsh though.

[snags]

''Jailing him would be a bit much though''

Would you be thinking that if she had been your daughter and ended up with those - or worse - injuries?

[ummmm]

Hitting the water wrong even from small heights is painful.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't think jail is the answer but it was definitely wrong to push her.

[Cloverjo]

I should have read the link before answering. I thought she was threatening suicide, and her friend helped her on her way.

I think prison would be rather harsh.

[Old_Geezer]

The law should be clear. Either it's always a crime to push, whether asked or not, or you get the, "I was only doing as asked", defence.

[jennyjoan]

If it is the same article I read last week it was a girl who "shoved" her - it was quite a forceful shove. Nasty.

[Deskdiary]

"Would you be thinking that if she had been your daughter and ended up with those - or worse - injuries?"

I hate this type of argument with an all encompassing passion.

Thankfully the law doesn't operate in a 'what if it was your child' capacity, it acts objectively - which is the only way it can operate.

If it was my child I'd want to stab the person who pushed my child squarely in the face - but this is a subjective reaction. And it isn't helpful.

Looking at this objectively, it was a rash, stupid, spur of the moment action, with no malice intended, by a friend to a friend.

Personally I do not think it warrants a jail sentence.

[rowanwitch]

Just stupid.... you shouldn't be imprisoned for stupidity.

[-Talbot-]

snags
''Jailing him would be a bit much though''

Would you be thinking that if she had been your daughter and ended up with those - or worse - injuries?



Probably.
But impossible to say for certain.

[ummmm]

I agree there seems to be no malice intended. People just don't realise what hitting water from a height is like. We can't be harshly punished for being ignorant about things we've never been told about.

[rowanwitch]

At that height it could easily have been manslaughter or whatever their equivalent charge would be.

[woofgang]

I think its important that she asked her friend to push her AND counted down to the push. I think the jumper is a complete idiot and the pusher is a partial idiot.