3-year old kills self playing with gun, parents blame Wii

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People who leave loaded guns where their children can get at them deserve to be removed from society;
What about people that leave medicine high up under the idea that the kids can't get to them, but the kids find a way?! They obviously didn't do a good enough job hiding the medicine which lead to a dangerous situation...
 
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crono1224

People who leave loaded guns where their children can get at them deserve to be removed from society;
What about people that leave medicine high up under the idea that the kids can't get to them, but the kids find a way?! They obviously didn't do a good enough job hiding the medicine which lead to a dangerous situation...[/QUOTE]

This has to be the worst statement i have ever read. First of all i am willing to bet the medicine is necessary or at least mostly, so unless the person is a police officer or I guess in the military the gun is probably not. Second of all your statement and reading of his are huge hyperboles, mostly due to the fact that in this story the gun was on a counter ready to go.

Third the gun can be separated from its ammo and thus not be deadly, i.e. another further step can be taken to reducing the chance of death.

This is although completely in agreeing that removed from society is a hugely exaggerative statement as people make mistakes, tiredness I would even venture being a huge cause of stupid things.
 
No, i'm pretty sure they where just giving it to him as a precaution... they even stopped giving it to him after.

And you can also lock it somewhere or do other things that make it harder for the kid to get to it... i don't see how the minutia of how you make on or the other safer matters.

But the point was that if the law did punish in this case then it would need to in all cases where the object was left somewhere reachable by a kid...
 
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crono1224

No, i'm pretty sure they where just giving it to him as a precaution... they even stopped giving it to him after.

And you can also lock it somewhere or do other things that make it harder for the kid to get to it... i don't see how the minutia of how you make on or the other safer matters.

But the point was that if the law did punish in this case then it would need to in all cases where the object was left somewhere reachable by a kid...
Fair enough, his wording was probably poor, but like I said the distinction between guns and medicine must be made. Because then you can just as easily state scissors as a possibility, my point was merely that guns are a killing device, unlike medicine or other household items.

Though I agree that punishment in this case would probably be fruitless and only cause more harm than good.
 
EDIT: Oh, so it's the chinese's fault... good to know.

Still, how much bad luck you need to have to shoot yourself instead of the TV or something...

No, i'm pretty sure they where just giving it to him as a precaution... they even stopped giving it to him after.

And you can also lock it somewhere or do other things that make it harder for the kid to get to it... i don't see how the minutia of how you make on or the other safer matters.

But the point was that if the law did punish in this case then it would need to in all cases where the object was left somewhere reachable by a kid...
Fair enough, his wording was probably poor, but like I said the distinction between guns and medicine must be made. Because then you can just as easily state scissors as a possibility, my point was merely that guns are a killing device, unlike medicine or other household items.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, scissors work too, that's the point. Knives are hunting/killing tools too, even if the have other uses, singling out guns because their use is more limited seems too arbitrary to me... gets closer to gun control then negligence imo.
 
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crono1224

EDIT: Oh, so it's the chinese's fault... good to know.

Still, how much bad luck you need to have to shoot yourself instead of the TV or something...

No, i'm pretty sure they where just giving it to him as a precaution... they even stopped giving it to him after.

And you can also lock it somewhere or do other things that make it harder for the kid to get to it... i don't see how the minutia of how you make on or the other safer matters.

But the point was that if the law did punish in this case then it would need to in all cases where the object was left somewhere reachable by a kid...
Fair enough, his wording was probably poor, but like I said the distinction between guns and medicine must be made. Because then you can just as easily state scissors as a possibility, my point was merely that guns are a killing device, unlike medicine or other household items.
Yeah, scissors work too, that's the point. Knives are hunting/killing tools too, even if the have other uses, singling out guns because their use is more limited seems too arbitrary to me... gets closer to gun control then negligence imo.[/QUOTE]

True, but maybe some are for gun control :p. Also I was merely pointing out facts that guns have no other uses other than killing.
 
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Chibibar

EDIT: Oh, so it's the chinese's fault... good to know.

Still, how much bad luck you need to have to shoot yourself instead of the TV or something...

No, i'm pretty sure they where just giving it to him as a precaution... they even stopped giving it to him after.

And you can also lock it somewhere or do other things that make it harder for the kid to get to it... i don't see how the minutia of how you make on or the other safer matters.

But the point was that if the law did punish in this case then it would need to in all cases where the object was left somewhere reachable by a kid...
Fair enough, his wording was probably poor, but like I said the distinction between guns and medicine must be made. Because then you can just as easily state scissors as a possibility, my point was merely that guns are a killing device, unlike medicine or other household items.
Yeah, scissors work too, that's the point. Knives are hunting/killing tools too, even if the have other uses, singling out guns because their use is more limited seems too arbitrary to me... gets closer to gun control then negligence imo.[/QUOTE]

No, It is the parents' fault according to kotaku. Even if it is realistic looking, the parents should have been more careful with a real gun in the house with a child (in this case 3 year old) but what was interesting is that it say about "shooting dogs" then it became intruder but our forum shows it was intruder to begin with.

So............. it could be that the reporter report it wrong (saying it was dogs originally and correct with intruder) OR the parents are changing their stories.
 
True, but maybe some are for gun control
Which has what to do with prosecution for negligence?! ;)

Also I was merely pointing out facts that guns have no other uses other than killing.
Or inspiring replicas in the gas lighter, bottle and video game controller industries... don't forget that.

---------- Post added at 01:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:12 PM ----------

No, It is the parents' fault according to kotaku. Even if it is realistic looking, the parents should have been more careful with a real gun in the house with a child (in this case 3 year old) but what was interesting is that it say about "shooting dogs" then it became intruder but our forum shows it was intruder to begin with.
Oh no, i agree that the father was responsible for the kids death by being an idiot, i was just arguing against that making him liable for manslaughter charges... at most take away his gun license...

BTW, why has no one suggested that yet?!
 
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Chibibar

http://crime.about.com/od/gunlawsbystate/a/gunlaws_tn.htm

I am not sure how accurate is this (since laws DO change a lot) but you can buy one without a permit. So you could possess one without a permit. you are not allow to carry it around your home (i.e. wearing it if nothing is going on) so...... taking away his license wouldn't change much in this situation if he keeps the gun lock away and only use it when intruder around.
 
Then what the hell are the NRA bitching about?!

But i bet there are laws against former criminals and the insane being allowed to own guns, so you could take it away somehow...
 
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Chibibar

Then what the hell are the NRA bitching about?!

But i bet there are laws against former criminals and the insane being allowed to own guns, so you could take it away somehow...
my response was to this
Oh no, i agree that the father was responsible for the kids death by being an idiot, i was just arguing against that making him liable for manslaughter charges... at most take away his gun license...

BTW, why has no one suggested that yet?!
That is maybe why no one suggest that yet (taking away his license) cause it won't solves anything or teach other lesson. Punishment to an individual works two ways. It punish the actual individual and act as deterrent for OTHER people. Drug laws (the most I have read about) are design like this. to let other knows that this is a bad bad thing and you will be punish and hopefully people will be more careful.
 
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Chazwozel

Well it's pretty obvious that because the damn Wii controller looks like a real damn gun, the logical conclusion is that the girl picked up the real gun thinking it was a Wii controller. JUST LIKE THE ARTICLE UNBIASEDLY REPORTED HER FATHER SAYING!
 
We all do Dave, wejust derailed the thread from that a while back.


Well it's pretty obvious that because the damn Wii controller looks like a real damn gun, the logical conclusion is that the girl picked up the real gun thinking it was a Wii controller. JUST LIKE THE ARTICLE UNBIASEDLY REPORTED HER FATHER SAYING!
Someone needs to ask him "Yeah, so?!"


It punish the actual individual and act as deterrent for OTHER people. Drug laws (the most I have read about) are design like this. to let other knows that this is a bad bad thing and you will be punish and hopefully people will be more careful.
Isn't the war on drugs going badly?!

And taking away his right to a gun (with arrest if he gets one) is just a good idea based on the fact that he's obviously not fit to have one, but actually charging him is too much...
 

figmentPez

Staff member
Even if it is realistic looking, the parents should have been more careful with a real gun in the house with a child
I'd modify that statement a little. Precisely because it is realistic, the parents should have been even more careful with a real gun in the house... When I was a kid my parents gave me firearm lectures just about every time I played with any sort of gun shaped object. Squirt guns (both realistic and Super Soaker), cap guns, nerf guns, sticks held like guns while I said "bang", etc. They warned me repeatedly about the danger of real guns, and there weren't even any guns in the house. In fact, I don't think I even saw a real gun until I shot a .22 rife at Boy Scout camp. My friends didn't even have BB guns.

Putting medicine, inside a child-resistant container, in a medicine cabinet is normal behavior. Generally, by the time a child has the manual dexterity to open a container like that, (and medicine should not be stored in easy-open containers if a child is going to be in the house), they're old enough to have been taught that medicine is not candy. (If that is not the case, and a parent should be keeping track of their child's development, then locking the medicine cabinet is advisable) However, setting a loaded gun on a table and leaving it unattended is never acceptable behavior, period. It doesn't even matter if there is a child in the house. You don't run a space heater underneath curtains, you don't park a car on a hill without putting on the parking break, you don't mix bleach and ammonia, you don't mess around with Jim, and you don't let a loaded firearm out of your reach (and certainly not out of your sight).
 
Let's be honest, who's to blame here? The Wii or parents leaving a gun around? Or perhaps parents using the Wii as a tool to be left alone in peace and being used as a parent to an inbecile child? I feel bad to what happened but there's no one else to blame than deplorable parenting.

But hey, WE DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTECT OURSELVES MAN!
 
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Chibibar

Let's be honest, who's to blame here? The Wii or parents leaving a gun around? Or perhaps parents using the Wii as a tool to be left alone in peace and being used as a parent to an inbecile child? I feel bad to what happened but there's no one else to blame than deplorable parenting.

But hey, WE DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTECT OURSELVES MAN!
Parents are to blame in my book.

I think most of us agree on that, it the part on "should parent be charge with some degree of murder/homicide?" that is the question. (I say yes)
 
Putting medicine, inside a child-resistant container, in a medicine cabinet is normal behavior. Generally, by the time a child has the manual dexterity to open a container like that, (and medicine should not be stored in easy-open containers if a child is going to be in the house), they're old enough to have been taught that medicine is not candy. (If that is not the case, and a parent should be keeping track of their child's development, then locking the medicine cabinet is advisable) However, setting a loaded gun on a table and leaving it unattended is never acceptable behavior, period. It doesn't even matter if there is a child in the house. You don't run a space heater underneath curtains, you don't park a car on a hill without putting on the parking break, you don't mix bleach and ammonia, you don't mess around with Jim, and you don't let a loaded firearm out of your reach (and certainly not out of your sight).
Don't think we even had child-resistant containers back then.

And like i said, that was an example against manslaughter charges... of course leaving a loaded gun around the house is way more retarded then medicine...
 
Have you guys seen their Wii controller? Second picture in the flash slideshow. http://www.wsmv.com/slideshow/news/22775502/detail.html

I can REALLY see how this happened.
I'm surprised it's not illegal or something to sell a black toy gun. I've only ever seen white Wii gun controllers.[/QUOTE]

It isn't legal. It's why nerf/toy guns are always neon or have some brightly coloured crap on them. There's no way that accessory was technically legal.
 
In response to charging the guy, insofar as GEORGIA is concerned, I can say that the only charge that would fit in this situation would be OCGA 16-5-60: Recklessly causing harm or endangering safety. The charge usually gets applied to people who are knowingly HIV infected and share needles or participate in unprotected sex. It also applies to inmates who hurl bodily excretions on correctional or police officers. However, the pertinent section of the code reads:
(b) A person who causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his act or omission will cause harm or endanger the safety of the other person and the disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation is guilty of a misdemeanor.

In Georgia, a misdemeanor is punishable by up to 12 months imprisonment.

Do I think he should? Would I have? I honestly don't know. In a situation like that, I might hand the report to the district attorney and have them contact Department of Family and Children Services, to see if they wanted to take out a warrant. He has shown himself to be socially incompetent by failing to exercise due care and regard for a deadly weapon. But I wouldn't, in good conscience, place the handcuffs on him myself without a GOOD bit of due process taking place first.

Maybe I'm weak, I don't know.
 
M

makare

I don't think that's weak. I really respect that. One of the downsides to being in law school is I see so many cases where cops use improper procedure that you kind of develop this distrust for police. I like to see someone who uses, what I consider to be, better judgment and proper procedure.
 
I've never seen anyone hauled in for the accidental discharge of a weapon. The normal procedure would be for the DA/Grand Jury/etc. to make the call on whether to issue the warrant for the owner's arrest.

It does not make sense to pull the grieving husband away from the grieving mother.
 

Dave

Staff member
This dad is going through hell right now. And he always will. Nothing the law could do to him can ever feel as bad as he does right now.
 
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