Purposely exposing others to virus...murder?

[Lamb]

When the protests were happening by business owners who wanted to open up their businesses was going on there were many wanting to have murder charges thrown at them if they were found to have the Coronavirus. I'm curious now if they'll still want the same murder charges against those protesting today because of George Floyd's death? In one state there was a man who was caught and admitted he had the virus exposing not only the police but anyone else around him.

 

[tango]

It's the same double standard we see all around us.

A peaceful protest to allow people to reopen business (note - allow - nobody is forced to reopen and nobody is forced to patronise businesses that reopen) is reckless and irresponsible and spreads the virus.

On the other hand a violent riot that destroys the property of others apparently is not reckless or irresponsible because, well, the businesses probably deserved it. And of course we all know the virus doesn't spread when people protest something the left supports. Just like the virus can't cross the threshold of Walmart but becomes especially deadly if people are in church.

 

[NerdGirl123]

It's blatant hypocrisy, and a double standard, like Tango said. It's very obviously not deserving of a murder charge, though.

 

[tango]

Technically under Minnesota law it could be considered third degree murder. I was discussing the George Floyd issue with a friend and we weren't sure about the different degrees of murder, so I looked it up. This comes from mn.gov:

Whoever, without intent to effect the death of any person, causes the death of another by perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life, is guilty of murder in the third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than 25 years

It's a bit of a stretch but I can see how going into a crowd knowing you have the virus could be considered to be "an act eminently dangerous to others" and "without regard for human life" although whether you'd be able to demonstrate a "depraved mind" is debatable and, given the stats on the virus (e.g. the 99.97% survival rate among the under-50s) you might struggle to even argue that a lack of regard for human life had been shown.

 

[NewCreation435]

exposing others to the virus if you have it knowingly is wrong, but it is not murder. The percentage of people who die from the virus is fairly low. It may be another crime other than murder though

 

[JRT]

In Canada there is a charge on the books called "reckless endangerment". That would seem to be a reasonable charge.

 

[tango]

In Canada there is a charge on the books called "reckless endangerment". That would seem to be a reasonable charge.

I guess it would depend on whether you were just in the general vicinity of someone, or coughing right in their face.

 

[Lord Saru]

Well, no matter what Trump thinks, if the assembly of these individuals, for whatever matter it is, were against the law that prevailed at that time, then they should be punished.

People should take on to the more adaptive forms of protest like petitioning, judicial challenges and things like that.

Double standards, unfortunately.