Sorry, I don’t think that is clear at all. Neither the deviation nor the shoulder check (although some people are saying it is a push and some a shoulder check, neither is clear from the video)
Taking the line of the shadow on the path he doesn’t seem to move much one way or the other until possibly immediately before the point of impact, which seems much more in keeping with a reflexive movement when you realise impact is imminent. Seems much more likely that it was accidental and the reason he’s a callous shit is because he didn’t stop, probably because he was embarrassed about the collision in the first place.
I suspect he was on autopilot, nothing more sinister than that. Note, he is still a clumsy arsehole who endangered a woman’s life but I don’t see any need to invent psychopathic intent when simpler explanations are available.
And none of that’s inconsistent with him carelessly not paying attention, lookup up and realizing that there’s someone coming towards him at the last moment, and reacting wrongly.
The guy deserves severe condemnation and probably criminal charges for not stopping and not even looking back to see if he hurt her, but I think all of this armchair diagnosis of a deliberate malicious attack based solely on that video is groundless.
We can’t know for sure what his state of mind was, absent interviewing him - and even then, it may never be known. However, it is reasonable to use all the evidence in the video to attempt to reconstruct it.
We know two things for sure - he smacked into her and sent her flying; and he didn’t stop - or even look around - afterwards.
This is in itself evidence of his state of mind. It is unusual to say the least to knock someone flying and not react to that, at least to see what happened.
It is possible to speculate that he was just embarrassed, or simply callous. Such behavior is however more consistent with active malice.
It may not be enough to convict the guy “beyond a reasonable doubt”, but then, we aren’t sitting on the jury …
Is there a difference between the UK and the USA in how statements made immediately upon questioning or arrest are considered by the Court?
On a related note, is there a difference between the UK and the USA in how prior consistent exculpatory evidence is treated by the court? Here’s aninteresting articlefrom Ontario, Canada, (which for those not previously aware, is neither in the UK nor the USA, but has a lot in “common” with both of those countries’ legal systems).
I did before and I have again. Still not convincing. The only point at which he deviates from a straight line is at the point of contact. A last minute “oh shit!” reaction would produce the same result and I still suspect that’s the more likely reason.
Had there been no bus and no media coverage beforehand and someone posted this video as an example of not paying attention, everyone would chuckle and get on with their lives. The video is not good evidence of a violent assault, to me it is nothing more sinister than can be seen on umpteen “funny video” TV shows. The man is definitely a clumsy, rude arsehole with little or compassion, but highly unlikely to be a would-be killer.
If that video is the only evidence then short of a statement of criminal intent from the accused I can’t see any serious charges sticking even if they do find him.
…Except there WAS a bus and there IS media coverage, and someone DIDN’T post this video as an example of not paying attention. Other than that, I think you’ve perfectly grasped what went on.
Actually, I was bringing race and gender to the discussion. Race and gender are a factor in every day life because they are a factor in every day human identity.
And I was pointing out that here we have a white man, on video, shoving a woman in front of bus, and people were struggling to find excuses, like, “oh he didn’t hit her that hard or he would have sent her flying” or " maybe he didn’t see the traffic" or “you don’t know that he meant to hurt her”.
You can’t tell me that a black man would have had the same benefit of the doubt.
I don’t think you’ve understood what I’m saying. The collision, in and of itself, is not remarkable nor obviously psychopathic. Had you watched it in isolation (without the knowledge of everyone already screaming “murderer!” “psycho!” etc. )I doubt you’d think it was anything other than an accident to begin with, and an arseholish reaction afterwards.
To me, the simpler explanation is often the right one.
No. I went back and watched yet again, but it’s clear that he deviates from his line at least one full stride before impact. The problem with your theory that he was in auto pilot is that this deviation is too fast. He looks up and the woman is good step or two away from him. Yet, he us supposed to turn reflectively towards her, take one or two more steps, bring his arms up and push her hard enough to send her flying all without breaking stride.
For criminal matters, (and IANAL) intent doesn’t require weeks of planning beforehand. People are convicted of crimes based on spontaneous actions if a reasonable person would have known that an action would have injured someone.
That is your opinion, of which you are clearly in the minority.
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Had you watched it in isolation (without the knowledge of everyone already screaming “murderer!” “psycho!” etc. )I doubt you’d think it was anything other than an accident to begin with, and an arseholish reaction afterwards.
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I think you’re wrong. I actually watched it a great deal of skepticism, because of the media’s tendency to over-dramatize even the most mundane thing. I even started a parody thread awhile back because I was so annoyed by the “Your jaw will drop when you see this!” type “news” stories.
However, after watching it, I was quite surprised that it is very obvious that he actually did push her, and it was only the alertness of the bus driver that saved her life.
I often run in pedestrian traffic and I find this incident to be remarkable and frightening, even without the vehicular traffic lane and oncoming bus.
A normal runner would allow passing space between himself and oncoming pedestrian traffic, especially when it is perfectly clear to do so. The fact that the guy didn’t veer left is already odd, and the fact that he suddenly veered right and pushed her is quite remarkable. If the collision were a surprise to him, it would have altered his trajectory. The fact that he continued after the impact without changing speed or direction indicates that he was braced for it.
So no, it clearly was not an accident, and the fact that struck someone with sufficient force to knock her over and continued on without a backward glance is downright creepy.