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

[TheFinalWord]

Looked like he intended to kick him. I'm sure he didn't intend to kill him. But I have very little doubt he was attempting to 'hit' him with that motion. It wasn't natural at all.

 

[Beerz]

Yeah... Good luck proving any intent on this one, even if you believe there is.

You obviously don't know what manslaughter is

 

[nbwingsfan]

yes, he's a psychopath who happens to play hockey. Is that really that surprising to you? You think he's the first? I can find 2-3 of them just by going down to my local beer league on a Thursday night. Plenty of guys play hockey just cause they think it's a free pass to commit violence.


My office is currently suing one right now. Guy comes up to my client well after the whistle while my client and another player are just standing next to the boards talking and proceeds to violently cross check him from behind into the boards causing a severely fractured ankle requiring surgery. Guy who did it is a bender who can barely hold a stick in his hand, but he's out there playing mens league late at night so he can take runs at everyone.

plenty of psychpaths in the game of hockey.

Comparing your local beer league of guys who can barely skate to professional hockey players is truly something else.

 

[abax44]

I haven't, and won't, watch it the clip. I'd heard the other player was perhaps somewhat careless, but that it was a completely accidental play. To charge this player with manslaughter would be akin Chris Therien having been charged if the slap shot he took that struck Trent McCleary in the throat had killed him (granted it would have had Dr. Mulder not been so proactive and performed the tracheostomy in the tunnel to the locker room). This seems like an overreach to me.

You can watch the video up to the incident. Just don't watch as he gets up, if you want to avoid the blood.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Yeah... Good luck proving any intent on this one, even if you believe there is.

that would be murder.

 

[Leafs87]

I think this is very stupid. I can’t imagine there was any intent behind this.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Hopefully after he sues the shit out of the government he splits whatever settlement he gets with Johnson's family.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

It is manslaughter, there is no intent to prove.

Nonsense. You have to prove intent to kick and make contact with him, even with manslaughter.

 

[Bjorn Le]

It is not that unusual in the UK for someone to be arrested but not ultimately charged/brought to trial pending investigation. This is also why they will not name the person arrested even though his name was publicized after Johnson got cut.

Not saying no charges/no trial is what will happen here, but give the seriousness and novelty of the incident, it’s not all that surprising there was an arrest. There may be some precedent in rugby but very possible this is the first fatal hockey incident of this nature.

I believe arresting someone gives UK police more authority to investigate than had they investigated without an arrest, as well.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Yes. The police are better at judging the situation with footages than people who saw it happen in half a second.

You realize all this “arrest” is to interview him and see if there may be reason to actually bring him to trial right?

You’re assuming these players also haven’t ever watched the footage as well? I’m going to take a wild guess professional players have a better idea of what happens on the ice than UK police officers of all people

 

[KingAlfie11]

guy intentionally using his leg with a skate to kick a guy

What makes you think it was intentional? Or is it just your interpretation of the incident? Why would a player kick another player in the head with his skates? Or could it all be just freak accident. I can't imagine why anyone would want to kick another player in the head with his skates why?

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

I think this is very stupid. I can’t imagine there was any intent behind this.

If there was intent, it would be murder. If there is not intent, it is manslaughter.

I think that criminal charges are proper here. Let him present his defense at trial.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Humans are such interesting creatures. There's still those out there prepared to see what they want to see of a video of a man getting killed and absolve the perpetrator simply because some nasty things are being said. We somehow are incapable of separating the 2 things and being impartial about the facts that occurred on the ice independent from any shenanigans after that.

The irony of your post is off the charts.

You're stating your opinion on the incident as fact, giving your opinion on why you think people are seeing something different than you and also stating that as fact, all while wondering how we're incapable of being impartial about these "facts."

The answer you're looking for is right in front of you. Those aren't facts.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Ridiculous lmao. You saw it in his face after he was distraught. Legs come up far more often than you think. No video at all shows an attempted kick.

Not like that.

I have never seen someone cross body a player neck high with skates.
I have been watching hockey for 60 years. Far from outrageous for him to be charged.

 

[Edgelord]

yikes, I don't like this 1 bit. I do feel he did intentionally throw the leg but no way he intended for that result. I am more on the side of no criminal charges but a good long suspension

 

[Moose Head]

I’ve seen the video and believe it’s worth investigating by the police.

I also saw this the other day, and I’m glad there wasn’t an accidental skate to a vulnerable area, so skates up high can happen accidentally:

 

[MXD]

Is it possible to divorce what actually happened from the culture war bullshit at this point

No.

 

[613Leafer]

I think this is very stupid. I can’t imagine there was any intent behind this.

Manslaughter doesnt need intent - can be from negligence. If I'm speeding in freezing rain and cause an accident, you wouldnt say I "intended" to cause the accident, but certainly my negligent/reckless behaviour could have caused it.

Granted, in a professional full contact league, I would assume the threshold for negligence is quite high. I also don't have much interest in watching the video, though most comments suggest it does seem to be accidental rather than a crazy reckless/negligent Matt Cooke type of play.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Unless UK law is much different, arrested under suspicion is vastly different from charged. This just means the police are talking to him and haven't yet determined if a crime occurred. Given the outcome this was pretty inevitable.

I'm not sure that's right. When someone is arrested, especially if its some time after the incident, that usually means they've been formally charged with a crime and then booked (i.e fingerprinted, mugshot, given a court date).

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

that would be murder.

Yeah, except the problem is if you're arguing he unintentionally cut Johnson's throat, then this is all a tragic accident...

... That's kind of the point.

 

[Legend123]

On the following day, there was a similar incident in the NHL , I thing nyi game, in which the guy went flying with his skates in a similar fashion. Nothing happened but he can use that as proof that it does happen and it's just a freak accident that he can't be charged for.

 

[Edgelord]

we can't have this in sports, the speed and size of these guys mean on any given play the difference between life and death is less than a second and a few mm

 

[Leafs87]

If there was intent, it would be murder. If there is not intent, it is manslaughter.

I think that criminal charges are proper here. Let him present his defense at trial.

I know he got charged in Great Britain not Canada so maybe their definition is different but based on this definition below I don’t think he had intention to cause bodily harm at all.



Manslaughter is considered a homicide that was committed without the intention to cause death, although there may have been an intention to cause bodily harm.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It absolutely does happen, if you catch an edge like that. It’s a sudden shift of momentum and it definitely does throw you off balance. You don’t even have to be going at that speed, which only amplifies it.

This is what I thought probably happened before I saw a clip, an ordinary off balance falling and a skate flew into the air. The actual clip looks more like... a kick. Just my two cents.

 

[Jetsfan79]

People saying it may look like this was intentionall are now partially vindicated.

I'm.on the fence. I'm about 60 percent certain this was an " accidently on purpose " situation. The other 40 percent is 100 percent total accidentl. Not clear cut as many assumed. A knowledge of hockey, seeing the incident and hearing feedback from hockey people has helped formed my ( still somewhat fluid) opinion