Re: Dead Vermont cyclist

On 3/13/2025 9:41 PM, John B. wrote:

On Thu, 13 Mar 2025 18:42:21 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:
 

On Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:53:04 -0400, Catrike Ryder
<Soloman@old.bikers.org> wrote:
>

On Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:42:13 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:
>

On Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:18:58 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>

On 3/13/2025 2:11 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Thu, 13 Mar 2025 04:50:30 -0400, Catrike Ryder
<Soloman@old.bikers.org> wrote:
>

On Wed, 12 Mar 2025 19:55:56 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14490079/Vermont-police-crash-cyclist-Kapitanski-Sean-Hayes.html

>
Cop cars laptops can show him Youtube? Can he also tune in "Dancing
with the Stars?" and "Howard Stern?" That's likely the kind of garbage
that moron would watch.

>
If he had a smartphone with internet connectivity he could run a web
browser on the smartphone and watch any kind of streaming content
including YouTube.  If he had a tablet with a built in LTE cellular
modem, he could also use the tablet for watching YouTube.
>
"Public safety smartphones and tablets"
<https://www.samsung.com/us/business/solutions/industries/public-safety/smartphones-tablets/>
>
Whether the phone or tablet was issued by the police department or was
owned by the officer for personal use is unknown.

>
Semi truck drivers are convicted regularly after watching
videos on a telephone or more frequently tapping out texts.
When things go badly, that is construed as criminal
negligence. As well it should be.

>
It would be nice if the court would suspend his drivers license and
give him a desk job.  Have him drive to work on a bicycle and see how
long he survives.  If that's too harsh, maybe put him on a freeway
debris cleanup crew.  The punishment should fit the crime.

>
He killed a guy. Put him in prison.

>
Yep.  That would be involuntary manslaughter.  In California, that's
good for 4 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.  I couldn't find
the numbers for Vermont.
>
The problem is that incarceration is not cheap.  It costs about
$134,000/year to incarcerate someone in Vermont:
<https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cost-per-prisoner-in-us-states/>
The 4 year maximum penalty will cost the state of Vermont:
  4 x $134,000 = $536,000
I suspect Vermont taxpayers can find something better on which to
spend their money.
>
Instead, lets go back to bad olde days of "blood money".
<https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blood%20money>
The perpetrator pays the family of the deceased.  It's considered
standard practice in the middle east and I think in parts of SE Asia.
Here's a typical rate schedule for Saudi Arabia.
<https://jeddahpcg.dfa.gov.ph/qisas-and-diyya-or-blood-money>
One Saudi Riyal is currently $0.27 US.
>
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_money_in_Islam>
"While Saudi judges have the last say in any settlement, as of 2011,
diya price for a Muslim man, in Saudi Arabia, was SR300,000 ($80,000)
for an accidental death and SR400,000 ($106,666) in premeditated
murder.  The price was raised that year due to a rise in the price of
camels."
>
For the current situation, I suspect having the officer contribute 1/3
of his income to the family for some number of years would be fair to
all involved, except perhaps those who believe that begging for money
on GoFundMe.com is a fair solution.  That's certainly better than
burning half a million dollars to feed and house the perpetrator while
allowing the victims family to descend into poverty.
>
Simple solutions don't work.

 I don't know about Saudi but in some SEA countries there is a bit more
to your easy-peasy "It's considered standard practice.....
The family has to agree to accept the money in lieu of execution.

Here in Wisconsin, "Homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle"
https://wilawlibrary.gov/elements/elements-940.html#10-1
Can bring up to ten years (which is normally five plus 5 on parole) and a fine may be added up to $25,000:
https://legalclarity.org/negligent-homicide-in-wisconsin-laws-penalties-and-defenses/
--
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971