Protesters Blocking Traffic? Just Mow 'Em Down.
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And here I thought I'd built up an immunity to being shocked by this state and it's legislators.
https://www.ksl.com/article/50050905/proposed-utah-bill-would-give-defen...
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill proposed by a Utah lawmaker would make it possible for motorists to be absolved of liability if they injure or kill someone rioting in a street narrowly passed a state interim committee Tuesday.
Hawkins' bill, as it was presented Tuesday, would make obstruction of traffic during a riot a third-degree felony. In addition, it would absolve motorists from criminal responsibility if the motorist struck a person in the street during a riot if "the motor vehicle driver is under a reasonable belief that fleeing is necessary to protect the motor vehicle driver from serious injury or death; and the motor vehicle driver was exercising due care at the time of the death or injury."
The state statute defines a riot as two or more people simultaneously "knowingly or recklessly" engaging in "tumultuous or violent conduct that creates a substantial risk of causing public alarm," assemblies "with the purpose of engaging, soon thereafter, in tumultuous or violent conduct" or "committing an offense against a person or property of another who supposes to be guilty of a violation of law."
A riot is only a third-degree felony if someone suffers bodily injury, if there is "substantial" property damage, arson is committed, or if a person is armed with a dangerous weapon during a riot. Otherwise, it's a class B misdemeanor. The current law on riots does not mention roadways.
Later in the article -
The bill posed another concern for prosecutors. Carlson referenced the murder of Heather Heyer during a 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, protest as a possible issue with the vehicular aspect of the bill.
The driver of the vehicle that struck and killed her had originally stated he was trying to avoid being injured. It was ultimately discovered it was an intentional act and the driver was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
"This is going to complicate prosecutions similar to what occurred in Charlottesville," Carlson argued. "So in addition to creating felonious activity, we create an affirmative (defense) that other individuals who disagree — or may disagree with the protest — and complicate those prosecutions."
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
It'll be interesting to see
It'll be interesting to see this move up the chain to the SCOTUS.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
It's not all that simple to
It's not all that simple to run over rioters or random Deer, Elk, etc, blocking the Road.
Besides the laws in Utah, that stuff can really damage your vehicle.
Although I tend to stop for pedestrians, sometimes a Deer just runs across the road when you're traveling 50 - 55 mph and you have to deal with that in a second or two. Traffic behind your vehicle, or the oncoming lane is a Huge factor -- "If I hit the brakes hard, how many other drivers will be affected?"
Last one I hit (deer) just wandered across a 50 mph 2-lane road and I grazed it, damaging the plastic grille on a 3/4 - ton pickup truck. I did not have the reaction time to stop and there were vehicles behind me, and coming the other way.
That deer might have survived; it wasn't a total Splat. I really could not stop in that traffic situation without creating danger for other vehicles and drivers.
Lucky for me the radiator was not damaged, nor the headlights.
Felt sorry for the Deer, but it probably survived enough weeks / months to get whacked by some hunter.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Frank3
stu
stu
you are a fucking idiot
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
f3 -- Yer mom agrees.
f3 --
Yer mom agrees.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
I'm not aware of any hit and
I'm not aware of any hit and kill bills that have actually survived a legislative session or ballot measure anywhere, but they're sure trying like hell.
The language in that article at least, makes Utah's bill seem prohibitively complicated and a very legal high bar to meet.
Extractive indu$trie$ have been very $ucce$$ful in the past few years lobbying states to enact very heavy-handed penalties for attempting to stifle pipeline or other drilling/mining construction, and disco stu is still a mouth breather.
you can actually follow the movement of this type of legislation nationwide here:
https://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/?location=41&status=&issue=&dat...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jeff
disco stu has to turned into
disco stu has to turned into a cancer on viva.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: 2 Room Shack
so this would apply to
so this would apply to trumpster dumpster rallies as well?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
License to kill. I have
License to kill. I have seen asshole drivers being aggressive with protesters on several occasions and recently had to jump out of the way of a huge bubba truck that attempted to plow into a crowd of protesters after someone ripped a Trump flag off of it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jeff
toxic masculinity at its
toxic masculinity at its finest. goatees and wrap around sunglasses probably too.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nevermind
This seems flawed in a few
This seems flawed in a few ways. "Reasonable belief that fleeing is necessary" will be difficult to determine, and "the motor vehicle driver was exercising due care at the time of the death or injury" seems contradictory; if a driver is exercising "due care", he or she probably wouldn't find it necessary to hit someone for blocking the road.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
It's written that way
It's written that way intentionally. The language creates and extends the exact same ambiguity as qualified immunity and stand your ground laws do. Its not intended to say "you can't ____", it simply constructs a gray area that didn't previously exist. It's a permission slip to fash.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
I'd hope it would be a tough
I'd hope it would be a tough case to make that one was fearing for their life because of a few BLM protesters, when they are in a locked and jacked up F-350.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
I should clarify qualified
I should clarify qualified immunity is judge created doctrine, not actual law.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: joy
I thought Florida already did
I thought Florida already did this
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: GDTRFB
The moron FL Governor is
The moron FL Governor is pushing a similar bill onto the (more than willing) legislature there too.....but UT refuses to be "out-righted".
It remains sorta sketchy in UT (and FL et al) when too many trigger-happies with questionable motives and judgement take advantage of "stand your ground" BS as well.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Zzzzzz
Like this....only different.
Like this....only different.
Video here:
https://www.tmz.com/2020/11/17/parking-spot-brawl-nyc-violent-road-rage-...
New Yorkers...amiright?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic
The dude's fair game.
The dude's fair game.
But the window's a foul.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Racketinmyhead
(No subject)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb
is utah like a beautiful
is utah like a beautiful kansas or something?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
The great Pat Bagley in today
The great Pat Bagley in today's SL Tribune.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Blue Rose Task Force
Um Racket, wtf is that photo
Um Racket, wtf is that photo about?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic
I believe that's Reginald
I believe that's Reginald Denny (see Rodney King)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
Yep, Reginald Denny, the
Yep, Reginald Denny, the truck driver who got the shit beat out of him during the Rodney King LA Uprising in 1992:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Reginald_Denny
I guess the moral of posting the picture is that if you don't empower drivers to run down protesters, you might end up like Reginald Denny and get a concrete block to the head.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Thumbkinetic
Ain't it just like The Right
Ain't it just like The Right to pretend that a protest is a riot.
[Apologies to Zimmy]
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Blue Rose Task Force
I didn't have TV back in
I didn't have TV back in those days, Thank You for the information.