Arrest over Johnson death / released within 24 hours, investigation remains open

[Midship]

100% in support of him being arrested and held accountable. What he did was in no way a hockey move/motion and it cost a young man his life.

 

[sepHF]

Yes I have. Yes, people have had their legs go up in the air on a hit.

I will once again state for all the people quoting this "flailing leg" quote in my post:

I have not watched the video.

I will not watch the video.

I have zero opinion on the matter. I haven't from the start and I will continue to not.

I am literally reading out what the definition of manslaughter is for everyone and what a prosecutor will argue if following through with the charges. Other videos of him doing crazy leg swings on nothing hits and circus wheels on a pretty nothing hit (IMO) is just things that what the prosecutors will use. And just because it hasn't happened before with other players and there are videos of other players having their legs swing in the air on hits isn't necesarily a defense in itself. The entire argument is going to be whether he was reckless beyond a reasonable means with his body. And I'm sure the defendant's attorney will argue that it was a terrible accident on a routine play. That's where the court system can figure the rest out.

Don't understand why several of you keep quoting me and start picking apart my life/character for literally posting a definition of what "manslaughter" is and giving an example outside of hockey. Especially when I've been clear of my lack of opinion/stance on this specific subject.

Guess it's hard to see the forest through the trees at times

not arguing the definition of manslaugher just you stating that "Flailing your leg into the sky on hits when literally no other player in hockey does this" when there are dozens and dozens of youtube videos you can watch of exactly that happening

 

[KillerMillerTime]

None of the family members have said that. They want the incident investigated but from the start they acknowledged there was no intent.

Why do they want it invistigated?

 

[ORRFForever]

I watched the video 10 times and he was reckless - the reason for manslaughter and not murder. There was no intent to hit him with his skate.

I have NO idea what I'd do if I was on the jury.

2 lives / 2 families ruined over being hyper aggressive and NOT thinking. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[CJV123]

Need more details, but on the surface, that's not a good thing, arresting people for sports accidents, unless there's video of the guy intentionally kicking at Johnson.......

Many of us have seen just that.

If you are drag racing and run over an innocent pedestrian crossing the street, you can (and will) be prosecuted for manslaughter even though you were not trying to kill anyone and did not even steer towards the victim per se.

 

[crowi]

Ultimately arguing about law in HFB is hardly worth it. It's different in most countries.

Johnson died, it's f***ing sad. That's what really matters.

 

[Beerz]

I just don't know. I watched the video 10 times and he was reckless - thus manslaughter and not murder, but there was no intent.

I have NO idea what I'd do if I was on a jury.

2 lives / 2 families ruined over being hyper aggressive and NOT thinking. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

You don't need intent for manslaughter.

 

[ORRFForever]

You don't need intent for manslaughter.

Fair enough. If there was intent, I assume it would be murder.

 

[RedRocking]

I agree.

There is a video of Petgrave using his leg to make contact with a player before... Someone posted it on this forum and now it magically disappeared... Either way, thats someone choosing to be reckless which ended up causing a death.

If he does get indicted, the case will probably turn on whether that evidence gets admitted. (videos, testimony of him using his leg in a reckless manner during prior games)

I was surprised to see the headline, but I watched the video again, and his leg really does come up in an unnatural way. Hard to remember any hockey play where a hit causes one leg to go flying out like that.

Who knows what other contemporaneous evidence they have (the two in a verbal spat, or physical altercations during the game).

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I watched a video of it and... It's a terrible accident but being charged from man slaughter ehh

 

[Beerz]

Fair enough. If there was intent, I assume it would be murder.

Correct. I don't think anyone believes he did this with the intent to kill Johnson.

But (to me) he intentionally swung his leg when he realized he was going to miss the hit. Swinging your leg like that is reckless and dangerous. Johnson died because of that reckless action.
Much like a person driving 100 mph down a street missing a turn and killing the passenger in the car.

 

[Reality Czech]

Nice to see the resident HFBoards legal experts are still doing their thing. Actually, maybe nice isn't the right word. If ya'll think police would just arrest someone if they didn't have good reason to believe they are guilty, then I don't know what to tell you. Weird how invested some people are in defending this guy whose actions directly led to another man's death.

 

[Jussi]

i'm not really interested in frame-by-framing that video but i'm not seeing reason to charge

then again i don't know how things are done in the UK and i'm not sure they do either

If you've heard/read about VAR decisions in the Premier League, it's very possible that courts can interpret video evidence in a way that defies logic.

 

[robertmac43]

Why do they want it invistigated?

Information, ask questions, push for better safety in the sport this doesn't happen again? I don't know man.

Clearly you have not watched or listened to their quotes though. It's not like the family is screaming for Petgrave to end behind bars.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Such a shitty situation but I think it’s the right decision.

So then you must believe there was intent because that's the only way this makes sense

 

[Score08]

Need more details, but on the surface, that's not a good thing, arresting people for sports accidents, unless there's video of the guy intentionally kicking at Johnson.......

There is! Apparently many experts the authorities spoke to also believed this wasn’t an accident.

 

[Esq]

Killing a man was the accidental part. I don't believe kicking his leg out was an accident.

So, when you kick your leg out and someone dies accidentally from that, that''s manslaughter. Seems like an okay arrest to me.

It's not manslaughter when you assume the risk of playing at high speeds and everyone has razor blades on their feet.

 

[HabsForHire]

wow alot of people thinking him throwing his leg up like was an accident haha

 

[Shrimper]

BBC is the police? Good to know.

The name is not released and saying who it potentially is or could be before they're charged could see them in contempt of court.

 

[ORRFForever]

He watched Slap Shot one too many times and imagined flinging his body and taking two people out - a "Double Dion". It ended badly and 2 lives are ruined. You have to be smarter than that.

 

[Cup or Bust]

This looks like a blatant play to me. It looks like he was trying kick the guy with his skate. It wasn't as if he lost balance either, he lifted his leg while motioning towards the player before making contact and then falling to the ice. Accidental kicks toward the upper body typically occur when a player is falling first and then their skate comes up as a reaction to the way they are falling, no intent at all. This guy was turning towards the player and lifting his leg, then made contact, and then went down to the ice. Who the hell lifts their skate up like that when they are about to make contact with another player? I am not sure I have ever seen a play like that before. Nothing about the play looks accidental at all.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Nice to see the resident HFBoards legal experts are still doing their thing. Actually, maybe nice isn't the right word. If ya'll think police would just arrest someone if they didn't have good reason to believe they are guilty, then I don't know what to tell you. Weird how invested some people are in defending this guy whose actions directly led to another man's death.

Again, it's not weird if you remove the assumption that him sticking his leg out that high was intentional.

I'm just not going to accuse someone of murder or manslaughter based on a blurry video, especially when it contradicts statements from the victim's teammate who had a close view of what happened.

 

[Beerz]

So then you must believe there was intent because that's the only way this makes sense

Intent to kill... no. Intent to recklessly swing his leg... yes

 

[Dessloch]

Nice to see the resident HFBoards legal experts are still doing their thing. Actually, maybe nice isn't the right word. If ya'll think police would just arrest someone if they didn't have good reason to believe they are guilty, then I don't know what to tell you. Weird how invested some people are in defending this guy whose actions directly led to another man's death.

Because the next time a freak accident happens I might be the one accused on ending someones life.

Imagine if the dude had no ill intent and got ramped of the other players leg. And now he is crucified worldwide and might even go to prison!

Standing up for innocent til proven guilty should be the logical way to access this situation! Not call for blood based on guessing! The amount of people saying his leg going that high was 100% intentional is hard to grasp tbh.

 

[Statto]

Laughable. No evidence to support this whatsoever, unless they hacked his computer and found plans of him trying to seriously a player by kicking them in the head/neck area.

Did he plan this deed in 1 second, tripped with another play, exactly at the time the victim was at his lowest position.

Not even a hired killer could have planned this including the pinball move. And whats the motive here?

This will not go anywhere, and rightly so!

You’re describing murder not manslaughter