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RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy

Premium Member

Punishment for Calling in a Bomb Threat

Last week a bomb threat was called into Suddenlink's local office in Rocky Mount, NC.

A man had a heart attack presumably brought on by the stress of trying to help others evacuate and looking for the bomb himself. He is now dead and has left behind a wife and 7 children.

My question is, The police think they know who called in the threat. Should the person be charged with involuntary manslaughter or some other similar charge? What is your opinion?

»www.rockymounttelegram.c ··· 682.html
PrntRhd
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA

PrntRhd

Premium Member

Making threats leading to a death should be actionable.

CurtesyFlush
Bababooey, fafafooey, tatatoothy.
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join:2002-08-23
Fontana, CA

1 recommendation

CurtesyFlush to RVAguy

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to RVAguy
If you maliciously yell "FIRE" in a theater and people are trampled to death, you're responsible for their deaths. This is no different.

dcurrey
Premium Member
join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

dcurrey

Premium Member

You would think you would. Along with a few other charges.

Mchart
First There.
join:2004-01-21
Kaneohe, HI

Mchart to RVAguy

Member

to RVAguy
Not enough info is available to make a sound decision. That news article doesn't tell nearly enough.

dcurrey
Premium Member
join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

dcurrey to CurtesyFlush

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to CurtesyFlush
Where did yelling FIRE in a theater come from. I was thinking along those lines myself. Surly must be some origin to it.

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger to RVAguy

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to RVAguy
Yes he should be charged with some thing.

RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy to Mchart

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to Mchart
Yeah, the local newspaper failed to report the death - there is a short blurb on another story saying police aren't looking at it as a crime... The family and friends want answers and the NC police are clueless as usual...

stevek1949
We're not in Kansas anymore
Premium Member
join:2002-11-13
Virginia Beach, VA

1 edit

stevek1949 to RVAguy

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to RVAguy

Death is not linked to threat

»www.rockymounttelegram.c ··· 4=group1

Police say death not related to bomb threat

From Staff Reports

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Rocky Mount police were on scene Wednesday investigating an alleged bomb threat at Suddenlink Communications on West Mount Drive, but nothing was found.

In an unrelated incident, police said, a person was found dead in the vicinity of the investigation. Police would not share any other details, other than to say there is no criminal investigation related to the incident, and no charges will be filed.

The building was evacuated for more than an hour as investigators looked into the report. Nothing suspicious was found on the premises, officials said.

Police said no further investigation is planned.
tcope
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT

tcope to RVAguy

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to RVAguy

Re: Punishment for Calling in a Bomb Threat

If in the commision of a crime there is a death, that person can be held responsible for that death even if they did not intent or know that it would happen.

I know this as I've seen every Law and Order episode.

dcurrey
Premium Member
join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

1 edit

dcurrey to stevek1949

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Re: Death is not linked to threat

So the police think they know who did this and death was involved related or not doesn't really matter. A crime has been committed. They should charge the person that called in the threat and then determine if some additional charges should be filed relating to the death.. Fact that they are dropping it leads me to believe it was someone of importance or related to someone of importance in the community.
JerryTimes
join:2002-01-09
Clinton Township, MI

JerryTimes to RVAguy

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Re: Punishment for Calling in a Bomb Threat

It should be involuntary manslaughter.

AbBaZaBbA
Premium Member
join:2002-07-10
Wildomar, CA

AbBaZaBbA to RVAguy

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There is a bit of a difference between being trampled exiting a theater and having a heart attack due to "stress".

If he had been laid off and that stress had given him a heart attack would his employer be charged? Or if someone was giving him a hard time at work?

It would be very hard to know/prove that the additional stress from evacuating the school was what actually triggered the heart attack.

RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy

Premium Member

Thats a good point, however leave that to the DA decide, not the police deciding not to investigate. Also, put it to a jury to see. But not doing anything shouldn't be an option...

TearAbite
D'oh
join:2001-07-25
Rancho Cucamonga, CA

TearAbite to RVAguy

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to RVAguy
If he was charged with the man's death, i'm sure his attorney would argue that if the stress of evacuating a building could kill the guy, then had the bomb-threat not happened, he probably would have died next weekend mowing his lawn..

RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy

Premium Member

Yes, however the evacuation itself left no others in the building to help or call for help until police found him after he had died. There is a possibility he could have been saved. Again, I don't disagree with opposing arguments, however not even putting up for a grand jury to hear is wreckless on the police/DA side...

fatness
subtle

join:2000-11-17
fishing

1 edit

fatness to RVAguy

to RVAguy
said by RVAguy:

Last week a bomb threat was called into Suddenlink's local office in Rocky Mount, NC.

A man had a heart attack presumably brought on by the stress of trying to help others evacuate and looking for the bomb himself. He is now dead and has left behind a wife and 7 children.
From the same newspaper, a day later: Police say death not related to bomb threat
Rocky Mount police were on scene Wednesday investigating an alleged bomb threat at Suddenlink Communications on West Mount Drive, but nothing was found.

In an unrelated incident, police said, a person was found dead in the vicinity of the investigation. Police would not share any other details, other than to say there is no criminal investigation related to the incident, and no charges will be filed.
edit: oops, this was already posted here: »Death is not linked to threat
fatness

fatness to RVAguy

to RVAguy
Maybe the police don't know who called in the bomb threat, since they're investigating 2 other ones. The article in the same paper mentions the Suddenlink bomb threat: »www.rockymounttelegram.c ··· 217.html
"As with any bomb threat, we’re still going to follow up on any information that comes in and follow up on who made the phone calls," she said.

The Suddenlink Communications office on West Mount Drive was evacuated for about an hour July 15 after a bomb threat was made against it, but nothing suspicious was found on the premises.

Rook008
Miles To Go
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join:2002-02-05
Far Rockaway, NY

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to tcope
said by tcope:

If in the commision of a crime there is a death, that person can be held responsible for that death even if they did not intent or know that it would happen.

I know this as I've seen every Law and Order episode.
I think you're talking about the Felony Murder Rule. I used to watch Law & Order too.

Radio Active
My pappy's a pistol
Premium Member
join:2003-01-31
Fullerton, CA

3 recommendations

Radio Active to CurtesyFlush

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to CurtesyFlush
said by CurtesyFlush:

If you maliciously yell "FIRE" in a theater and people are trampled to death, you're responsible for their deaths. This is no different.
I got my ass kicked for yelling "THEATER!!!" in a crowded firehouse.

I agree with you, Courtesy.

lagged9
join:2001-10-30
Narberth, PA

lagged9 to RVAguy

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to RVAguy
It probably was obesity or heart disease that caused the heart attack.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

KrK to RVAguy

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to RVAguy
7 kids? I think I know why he was stressed....

fatness
subtle

join:2000-11-17
fishing

fatness

If the guy who died was a Suddenlink exec, I believe he had 9 kids: »www.wheelerandwoodlief.c ··· w&id=526

pokesph
It Is Almost Fast
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join:2001-06-25
Sacramento, CA

pokesph to RVAguy

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since this IS Suddenlink and, well, we all know its the worse ISP ever, why didn't the bomb go off? That would have been a much better story IMO.

Sorry about the guy who had a heart attack though, shouldn't have happened.

Ryokucha
join:2000-10-20
Ormond Beach, FL

Ryokucha to RVAguy

Member

to RVAguy
(D) The scenario did not give enough information to reach a conclusion.

It would take more detailed reporting to even see how a DA would file that. On top of that the police are not even treating it as a criminal investigation. He was found one hour later, but where? Was he already dead before the bomb threat and just no one noticed him? If that is the case, can you then hold Suddenlink responsible also then for not accounting for their employees during evacuations?

From what info is given one can assume almost nothing, but if the bomb threat is directly related to his death, such as having to run out of the building in a state of panic, then yes I think at least some involuntary charge should apply.

RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy to fatness

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to fatness
Yep, you are correct - it is 9 kids - about 4 still live at home.

Steve
I know your IP address

join:2001-03-10
Tustin, CA

Steve to dcurrey

to dcurrey
said by dcurrey:

Where did yelling FIRE in a theater come from. I was thinking along those lines myself. Surly must be some origin to it.
Oliver Wendell Holmes - classic example of speech not protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

fatness
subtle

join:2000-11-17
fishing

fatness to RVAguy

to RVAguy
said by RVAguy:

A man had a heart attack presumably brought on by the stress of trying to help others evacuate and looking for the bomb himself.
If you don't mind me asking, who presumes that the stress of evacuating was what killed him?

Did people actually see this happen (him helping people evacuate, then having the heart attack)? Or is it just guessing, couple with natural grief or anger?

Also, none of the articles suggest the police know who called in the threats. What source is saying that they do know?

Thanks.
Lazlow
join:2006-08-07
Saint Louis, MO

Lazlow to RVAguy

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Whoever did this is pretty lucky he did not do it a year ago. This type of thing easily fits into the category of terrorism, which makes it a federal offense. Terrorism is included in the federal definition of the felony murder rule. So the local cops and DA MAY have nothing to say about how this is handled.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fe ··· der_rule

RVAguy
Premium Member
join:2006-01-05
Richmond, VA

RVAguy to fatness

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to fatness
The family is the source for this info. Witnesses at suddenlink state he was helping with the evacuation and even reports of looking for the bomb. Again, this is all 3rd party info, so I cannot say for sure this is true.