Kentucky man kills pedophile with a single punch.

[WVU]

[link:http://www.kentucky.com/2013/07/03/2702806/grand-jury-to-decide-charge-against.html|
[link:http://www.kentucky.com/2013/07/03/2702806/grand-jury-to-decide-charge-against.html]
http://www.kentucky.com/2013/07/03/2702806/grand-jury-to-decide-charge-against.html


Go easy on me, it's my first thread.

Basically, this guy one-shot TKOs/kills the pedophile, who was engaged in what appears to be another attempt to victimize a child.

Thoughts on this?

Vigilantism at it's finest?

A public service?

Murder?

Manslaughter?



By the book, I'm pretty sure it's aggravated assault/manslaughter. Would you convict, though? Why or Why not?

[MADem]

1. Do you have a link, or is this a hypothetical? nt

[WVU]

3. Fixed it.

Had trouble with the link.

[upaloopa]

2. Is there a link to the story?

[cali]

4. Manslaughter seems an appropriate charge. We don't know enough

to say he should be convicted. That's what trials and juries are for.

You did just fine with your first op.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

12. If we don't know enough, then isn't a manslaughter charge (or any charge) inappropriate?

If there is no evidence of any probable cause, doesn't our rule of law require that no charges be filed?

There are many accidental deaths in the U.S. every day. Citizens are allowed to make citizen's arrests when crimes have been committed.

Prosecutions are supposed to be based upon evidence, not upon speculation.

If there is no evidence of any probable cause, why shouldn't the grand jury dismiss this?

[cali]

14. No. There's enough information about what transpired (assuming the article is accurate)

to see that a manslaughter charge is appropriate.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

20. If so, the prosecutor would have already filed such charges. He is punting it to the grand

jury because there is not enough information at the present.

He didn't need to pass it to the grand jury. He's going to be conducting the grand jury proceedings and asking more questions of witnesses.

[Kurovski]

13. +1

The first OP is a nerve-wracking thing sometimes.

A fine job.

[MADem]

5. If I am on the jury, and these are the facts of the case....

Morton is accused of punching David Bailey, 51, a sex offender who was not compliant with registration rules, on June 22 after Bailey talked to children in a car on Denny Avenue, police and court records say.

Bailey was told by someone in the house to leave the area after he stopped to talk to the children, police Sgt. Tom Beall testified Wednesday. Morton approached and started yelling.

When Bailey lifted his hands in a shrug of sorts, Morton punched him in the face once, Beall said. Bailey fell, hitting his head on the pavement.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/07/03/2702806/grand-jury-to-decide-charge-against.html#storylink=cpy

I'm voting involuntary manslaughter, one year probation, go and sin no more.

What did it for me was first, the stopping to bother the children, and second, the "shrug." The guy should have taken off running and not come back. He had no healthy fear. The guy who belted him only intended to mess him up, not kill him.

[bike man]

11. If these are the facts of the case and I was a juror

When Bailey lifted his hands in a shrug of sorts, Morton punched him in the face once, Beall said. Bailey fell, hitting his head on the pavement

Morton took the hand motions to be an attack of some sort and merely defended himself.

[NoGOPZone]

25. Witnesses say the motions were not agressive. nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

6. I think that he was trying to make a citizen's arrest and that the killing was accidental.

[WVU]

7. True enough.

Cops do far worse to far better before putting on cuffs.

[kentuck]

8. You would have to know the circumstances.

Did he kill him later at the bar, after a couple of six-packs, and what makes anyone the lawyer, judge and the jury?

If he was caught in the act, I'm sure it would be difficult to find a really revengeful jury in the state of Kentucky. But they would do their best to be fair. He would probably be convicted of involuntary manslaughter?

[NaturalHigh]

9. If Bailey's criminal record comes out...

I kind of doubt that a jury will convict. This really doesn't seem like murder anyway. Just my thought.

I don't condone killing anyone, but I can understand Morton throwing a punch in this case. Pedophiles represent the absolute worst of humanity.

[Comrade Grumpy]

18. Morton didn't know who the guy was. He just assaulted some stranger.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

26. According to the reporter. Reporters have been wrong before. Also, this reporter wasn't under oath.

[MrSlayer]

10. Free mutton for life.

This is what that Penn State coach should have done when he walked in on Sandusky raping the kid in the shower.

Of course these circumstances were not the same but I'll err on the side of caution against a pedophile every single time.

[premium]

15. Does he have a history of this heinous crime?

Has he served time for it? Was he actually in the process of molesting a child?

If so, then I would have a hard time convicting the person who rid this world of this particular vermin.

[dballance]

16. Manslaughter

Story says he didn't know the guy was a pedofile. Also says the pedofile was already walking away. Witnesses say the pedofile was not acting aggressive.

If all that is accurate I'd have to vote to convict.

[Shrike47]

17. The killer did not know the victim was a sex offender. The offender was not in the act of offending

The offender stopped talking to the children when confronted. The killer hit the offender for talking to children. Manslaughter and some prison time would be appropriate. Given the lack of real provocation this time, I bet the killer has a history of assaults.

[JI7]

24. i didn't go to the link but he OP made it sound like the person was sexually molesting a child when

they punched him.

but if what you say is true they should be charged.

[DLevine]

27. I agree. And yes, evidently the killer had a prior domestic assault conviction. nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

19. Gee, I hope whoever I assault and kill turns out to be a bad apple.

Then maybe I can get away with it.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

22. If you assault someone, I hope so too.

[bowens43]

21. manslaughter at a minimum

[AnotherMcIntosh]

23. That's the minimum? How about disturbing the peace?