# Boyfriend dies in Youtube prank/stunt video, girlfriend charged with manslaughter **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080 "2017-06-28T19:33:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/61 "2017-06-29T00:42:01Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I think there should certainly be a court case but that any reasonable judge would be minded to minimise the custodial sentence. On the contrary. If you’re not going to try and prevent this kind of thing by having minimally effective gun control laws that at least keep guns out of the hands of congenital idiots, then the fallback strategy has to be to try and deter it with sentences of medieval severity. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/62 "2017-06-29T00:50:44Z")
They have to investigate this couple because what if she hated/was jealous of him? She could have taken advantage of his fame-whorishness and was given a perfect opportunity to get away with murder. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/63 "2017-06-29T00:51:17Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I think people are getting too hung up on the gun thing. Quite simply she did something involving someone else that they both believed to be safe but wasn’t. > > Were they both very stupid? Yes, but that isn’t usually a crime. > > You miss the point. It’s wilfulness about causing death, not wilfulness about the specific actions taken. You’re in Australia; I’m in Canada. Incarceration is different in our countries. There’s no way in hell this woman would be going to jail in Canada. What would that acheive? “Let this be a lesson to all you other people who choose to fire a bullet into a book held in front of another person who asked you to do it in the first place. We shan’t put up with that nonsense.” Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/64 "2017-06-29T00:53:34Z")
Didn’t know paging someone was a crime. mmm ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/65 "2017-06-29T00:55:35Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > You’re in Australia; I’m in Canada. > Incarceration is different in our countries. > There’s no way in hell this woman would be going to jail in Canada. What would that acheive? > “Let this be a lesson to all you other people who choose to fire a bullet into a book held in front of another person who asked you to do it in the first place. We shan’t put up with that nonsense.” > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk How can you say that until you know the actual facts of the case? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/66 "2017-06-29T00:59:00Z")
Do we even know that the bullet actually went through the book? A gun that big might well have kicked upward when she fired, right? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/67 "2017-06-29T01:05:04Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Do we even know that the bullet actually went through the book? A gun that big might well have kicked upward when she fired, right? If only there was a video of the incident…! ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/68 "2017-06-29T01:11:03Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > What book was it? The Holey Bible ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/69 "2017-06-29T01:18:34Z")
> [@Trancephalic](#): > > The Holey Bible Bada boom TISSHHH! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/70 "2017-06-29T01:20:06Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > How can you say that until you know the actual facts of the case? What facts am I missing? The fucking thing was recorded? Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/71 "2017-06-29T01:26:12Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > What facts am I missing? The fucking thing was recorded? > > Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk We need to know more about the dynamics of the relationship. We need to find out if she is an opportunist and took advantage of the situation to murder her bf. This is highly suspicious. Is this an act a reasonable person would commit? Nope. Is this an act of a person who had any consideration for the life of the other person? Nope. Is this an act with any possible mitigating factors? Nope. We need more info before we talk about possible punishment for the young lady. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/72 "2017-06-29T01:32:12Z")
> [@Sefton](#): > > The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the bullet is mightier than the book. ^ Thread winner. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/73 "2017-06-29T01:34:40Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Do we even know that the bullet actually went through the book? A gun that big might well have kicked upward when she fired, right? The bullet is well out of the gun [before recoil takes effect.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y9apnbI6GA) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/74 "2017-06-29T01:37:50Z")
Recklessness–the intent usually necessary for manslaughter–requires consciously disregarding a risk. It’s a subjective inquiry, examining what she actually thought, not an objective one involving what a reasonable person would have done. Maybe she did that, but that’s not clear from the facts. If you’re assuming she didn’t understand guns and she believed her boyfriend (he must have been pretty confident!), then I don’t think you can get to recklessness. Minnesota doesn’t seem to have a criminally negligent homicide crime, or an involuntary manslaughter crime. The closest charge is manslaughter in the second degree, but it requires proof that she “\*consciously \*[took] chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another,” which as above, may or may not be the case from the facts. I think that’s the correct result. We shouldn’t send people to prison unless they have bad intent, even if they are very stupid or naive. Naturally, if they prove that she knew there was a big risk, that’s a different story. I, for one, hope she can recover and move on from that and that the kids’ trauma is as minimal as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/75 "2017-06-29T01:38:05Z")
Whatever happens, she has suffered enough; she will have to live with this for the rest of her life; she has learnt her lesson; she will never do this exact thing in the future. We have all learnt something here & if it saves one life by acting as a warning, it will have been worthwhile. This must never happen again. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/76 "2017-06-29T01:42:02Z")
Was this like a shotgun effect, where the bullet didn’t have to enter the man’s body to kill him - the shock wave rippling through his body from the bullet hitting the book would have been enough? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/77 "2017-06-29T01:43:08Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Recklessness–the intent usually necessary for manslaughter–requires consciously disregarding a risk. It’s a subjective inquiry, examining what she actually thought, not an objective one involving what a reasonable person would have done. Maybe she did that, but that’s not clear from the facts. If you’re assuming she didn’t understand guns and she believed her boyfriend (he must have been pretty confident!), then I don’t think you can get to recklessness. > > Minnesota doesn’t seem to have a criminally negligent homicide crime, or an involuntary manslaughter crime. The closest charge is manslaughter in the second degree, but it requires proof that she “\*consciously \*[took] chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another,” which as above, may or may not be the case from the facts. > > I think that’s the correct result. We shouldn’t send people to prison unless they have bad intent, even if they are very stupid or naive. Naturally, if they prove that she knew there was a big risk, that’s a different story. I, for one, hope she can recover and move on from that and that the kids’ trauma is as minimal as possible. What if it turns out there is a large life insurance policy on his life? Or he had been cheating on her and she knew? This is why we need more info before coming to a conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/78 "2017-06-29T01:44:50Z")
Having actually read the article, I see that she acknowledged the significant danger before shooting. So they may well be able to prove recklessness. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/79 "2017-06-29T01:49:46Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > What book was it? Cliffs notes on firearm safety. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080/80 "2017-06-29T01:51:06Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Having actually read the article, I see that she acknowledged the significant danger before shooting. So they may well be able to prove recklessness. Who wouldn’t know? This isn’t like reckless driving gone wrong. Pointing a gun at a person is reckless; pulling the trigger is worse. There is no way to write this off as an accident. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boyfriend-dies-in-youtube-prank-stunt-video-girlfriend-charged-with-manslaughter/790080.md?page=5)