2 ms·

This case seems similar to me to, for example, a flower pot falling off a balcony [1]. Does anyone know what the sentence would be for something like that? [1]

by twiss 10y ago

This case seems similar to me to, for example, a flower pot falling off a balcony [1]. Does anyone know what the sentence would be for something like that? [1]: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/woman-fights-for-life-after-paddington-pub-flower-pot-falls-on-her-head-6525094.html http://www.standard.co.uk/news/woman-fights-for-life-after-p...

rubidium 10y ago
There's a difference between accidents and recklessness (similar situations arise in driving). This was charged as reckless. The flower pot is different in that regard.
- Confusion 10y ago
  In general? I would expect that if you e.g. put a free-standing flower pot on the edge of your balcony fence, it would still be considered reckless.
  - masklinn 10y ago
    I would expect that as well, and if you throw a flower pot back and forth between two balconies.
  - squarefoot 10y ago
    The problem here is IMO the search for someone responsible to punish at any cost. I'm not saying the guy shouldn't be punished, but like the flower pot example... what if I put a table tennis ball in a similar place and it falls hitting someones nose? The ball is totally innocuous but the surprise makes the poor chap fall and get a fatal injury on the head. Would a court send me to jail for murder?
    - Confusion 10y ago
      Probably not, because you could not reasonably expect the table tennis ball to lead to injury. But if we change it to a basketball ball, I would again expect you would be punished, though not with jailtime. And of course things depend on the height of balcony, whether the accused seems regretful or thinks he did nothing wrong, etc. And being held responsible for the medical costs is probably enough of a punishment.
pc86 10y ago
Except you don't intentionally fly a flower pot above peoples' heads, then hit a building and disable it because you have no idea what you're doing. Had the woman's boyfriend not caught her she could have been hurt much worse or even killed depending on how she landed. I'm not sure how I feel about the jail sentence, but the $500 fine and 100% restitution for medical bills (percentage hasn't been determined yet) seems on the lower end of appropriate.
- choward 10y ago
  > Except you don't intentionally fly a flower pot above peoples' heads, then hit a building and disable it because you have no idea what you're doing. They did intentionally place a planter in a dangerous spot. They obviously made a mistake so it fell. Or you could say "they had no idea what they were doing" so it fell. The drone pilot made a mistake and hit a building and made his drone fall. How is this any different?

by twiss 10y ago

rubidium 10y ago

There's a difference between accidents and recklessness (similar situations arise in driving). This was charged as reckless. The flower pot is different in that regard.

Confusion 10y ago
In general? I would expect that if you e.g. put a free-standing flower pot on the edge of your balcony fence, it would still be considered reckless.
- masklinn 10y ago
  I would expect that as well, and if you throw a flower pot back and forth between two balconies.
- squarefoot 10y ago
  The problem here is IMO the search for someone responsible to punish at any cost. I'm not saying the guy shouldn't be punished, but like the flower pot example... what if I put a table tennis ball in a similar place and it falls hitting someones nose? The ball is totally innocuous but the surprise makes the poor chap fall and get a fatal injury on the head. Would a court send me to jail for murder?
  - Confusion 10y ago
    Probably not, because you could not reasonably expect the table tennis ball to lead to injury. But if we change it to a basketball ball, I would again expect you would be punished, though not with jailtime. And of course things depend on the height of balcony, whether the accused seems regretful or thinks he did nothing wrong, etc. And being held responsible for the medical costs is probably enough of a punishment.

pc86 10y ago

Except you don't intentionally fly a flower pot above peoples' heads, then hit a building and disable it because you have no idea what you're doing. Had the woman's boyfriend not caught her she could have been hurt much worse or even killed depending on how she landed. I'm not sure how I feel about the jail sentence, but the $500 fine and 100% restitution for medical bills (percentage hasn't been determined yet) seems on the lower end of appropriate.

choward 10y ago
> Except you don't intentionally fly a flower pot above peoples' heads, then hit a building and disable it because you have no idea what you're doing. They did intentionally place a planter in a dangerous spot. They obviously made a mistake so it fell. Or you could say "they had no idea what they were doing" so it fell. The drone pilot made a mistake and hit a building and made his drone fall. How is this any different?