RIP Adam Johnson

[santiclaws]

I don't think I'll ever watch the video of this incident. Just typing skate blade and neck makes me sick to my stomach. This was something I always figured would happen eventually. It's extremely unlikely but if there are thousands of hockey games happening every single day all across the globe, the law of averages says that there will be some freak accidents.

I'm sure this has happened before, just not to anyone prominent. If a beer leaguer dies, it's not going to make international news.

 

[Statue4Deano]

WHL making neck guards mandatory this week.

WHL to make neck guard protection mandatory

The Western Hockey League is making neck guard protection mandatory for all players, the league announced.

www.espn.com

 

[G Desjardins]

I'm old enough to remember when fans complained about goalie masks. Then it was helmets. Then it was visors. Change comes slowly in the hockey world. Maybe the time for neck guards has finally come. I'm sure there will be complaints about "wokeness", "political correctness", and "they're soft, it's like ballet out there." Some players will grouse that they are uncomfortable and don't look cool.
Still, maybe this time, after Malarchuk and Zednik, and now this, it will be enough to make it happen.
P.S.: The YouTube mob is clamoring for Pelgrave to be charged with murder. "Straight up murder!"

 

[jammer06]

I for one am happy to never watch that video part one. Part two, I have no idea how the justice/inquiry system works in the UK, so anything that happens there I'm willing to wait until its concluded to really understand what they think of it. All I know for sure is when you're dealing with someone elses system, patience is the key.

 

[patton]

Police make arrest on suspicion of manslaughter

 

[HTK]

Wow. Looks like I was not the only one who thought this looked purposeful.

 

[HTK]

Although they don’t say who was arrested. Assuming was the guy who hit him?

 

[HTK]

You think that it’s strange that a guy knocked off his skates tried to regain his balance while attempting to brace himself at the same time in an instant while in mid-air?

The only intentional act in that collision was Petgrave intentionally and awkwardly bracing himself for a fall. Suggesting anything otherwise is sharing common cause with some of the most vile hate merchants on social media.

Any thoughts on this after there has been an arrest?

 

[Jerram]

On one hand, no charges yet just brought in for questioning. On the other hand, the more I look at the video it sure looks like his foot is already off the ice and kicking before any possible contact with Johnsons teammate.

Lets assume for a moment, he was trying to trip him with his leg and then either contact with the other player or just off balance caused his leg to go much higher than intended, is that enough to qualify for manslaughter ? Should it be ? Not sure where I'm at atm, I think most if not all cases where police have charged people in professional leagues has been for conduct after the whistle not during play up till now so this is new ground and there's a famous saying "Hard cases make bad law"

 

[patton]

Murder vs Manslaughter - Murder is the intentional killing of another person, while manslaughter is the unintentional killing of another. I haven't watched the video, but I think it's safe to assume that it was unintentional.

 

[HTK]

Murder vs Manslaughter - Murder is the intentional killing of another person, while manslaughter is the unintentional killing of another. I haven't watched the video, but I think it's safe to assume that it was unintentional.

Charging manslaughter in cases of accidental death acknowledges that someone's actions, even if unintentional, resulted in loss of life. The US legal system aims to hold individuals accountable for negligent or reckless behavior, even if the outcome was unintended. I have no clue about UK law. It distinguishes between intentional harm and unintended consequences to ensure justice is served and to deter similar actions in the future.

 

[Jerram]

Here's where it gets dicey, from a legal standpoint recklessness requires "a person deliberately and unjustifiably pursues a course of action while consciously disregarding any risks flowing from such action." More importantly that risks must be one that a reasonable person should have foreseen. If I'm a defense attorney I can argue that a trip occurs multiple times a night during Hockey season without death so no reasonable person could have foreseen that as a consequence.