PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

[Double Eights]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

The thing with the Helicopters is, they had nothing to do with the chase. They got into the ordeal on their own.

If it had been a crash with cars on the ground, yes charge the runaway driver. If it was on the ground, then he would have brought the crime onto them. These news pilots chose to go to the crime and video tape it.

The criminal should not face any punishment based on what happened with the helicopters.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

The thing with the Helicopters is, they had nothing to do with the chase. They got into the ordeal on their own.

If it had been a crash with cars on the ground, yes charge the runaway driver. If it was on the ground, then he would have brought the crime onto them. These news pilots chose to go to the crime and video tape it.

The criminal should not face any punishment based on what happened with the helicopters.

Well the city of Phoenix can add this to prosecute the felon. It's called the Felony Murder Doctrine. The newscasters served a purpose not only for police officers insisiting other police helicopters but to also inform the public of a police pursuit to warn the public of dangerous activity in the area. So as far as what you call choice, they were doing their job in broadcasting dangerous activity in the middle of downtown Phoenix.

If you are involved in an inherently dangerous crime - theft, armed robbery, fleeing from the police - and someone dies even though you yourself did not inflict the harm (heart attack from shock, someone rushing out into traffic to avoid you, police car crashes into another car while chasing you) then you can be charged with murder. I don't know if it would apply here, but this guy might be charged with their deaths.

[MassNole]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

Well the city of Phoenix can add this to prosecute the felon. It's called the Felony Murder Doctrine. The newscasters served a purpose not only for police officers insisiting other police helicopters but to also inform the public of a police pursuit to warn the public of dangerous activity in the area. So as far as what you call choice, they were doing their job in broadcasting dangerous activity in the middle of downtown Phoenix.

If you are involved in an inherently dangerous crime - theft, armed robbery, fleeing from the police - and someone dies even though you yourself did not inflict the harm (heart attack from shock, someone rushing out into traffic to avoid you, police car crashes into another car while chasing you) then you can be charged with murder. I don't know if it would apply here, but this guy might be charged with their deaths.

Does Arizona still have the felony murder rule though? I know in legal theory it works, but this is a stretch and I don't think a jury of people who most likely didn't go to law school would get that.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

Does Arizona still have the felony murder rule though? I know in legal theory it works, but this is a stretch and I don't think a jury of people who most likely didn't go to law school would get that.

I have no idea, I'll have to look it up. Yeah I agree it's a stretch but still a possibility especially these guys are well known in Arizona and have done a lot of charity work. They were a part of the media family so you could imagine how much of the media is going to influence this.

EDIT: It looks like prosecuters are going to try but like you said will be very hard to prove that the Felon was responsible:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/94105

[Double Eights]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

If you are involved in an inherently dangerous crime - theft, armed robbery, fleeing from the police - and someone dies even though you yourself did not inflict the harm (heart attack from shock, someone rushing out into traffic to avoid you, police car crashes into another car while chasing you) then you can be charged with murder. I don't know if it would apply here, but this guy might be charged with their deaths.

I know about the Felony Murder Doctrine. If the crash would have been on the ground, involving cars in his path, then yes he would be charged. I just don't see why he could be the cause of a plane crash that took place no where near where he was committing the crime.

There is no need for two helicopters to cover the chase. If you want to let the public know, have one helicopter follow it. Letting the public know, is not a valid excuse for the cops to put the blame of his tragedy on the guy who committed the original crime.

[daflyboys]

Re: PHOENIX - Helicopters crash while covering police pursuit

I saw on the news they are considering charging the runaway for a part in the deaths. Can't say I would be alright with that....quite ridiculous for their to be helicopters chasing this sort of thing anyway.

I saw that too. It's either an angry response, a way to fill 24-hour news station air time or both. How would you PROVE responsibility on the suspect's part? That would be like saying some guy in the next county heard about the story, jumped in his private plane and on take off, a bird got sucked into the engine making the plane unstable and caused a crash landing, killing the pilot. So is the suspect responsible for that too? Regardless, it's a horrible tragedy and it will hopefully make news outfits communicate about how they will handle future situations.