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I say there is no crime unless they can prove criminal intent. And, by saying this, I am being more impartial than usual, but I also do a fair amount of growing each year. I've learned to look at the facts unemotionally and if done so in this case, we either have horseplay or murder:horseplay if the dumb teen was just being a dumb teen (it comes so natural)and murder if he knew the baby would probably die if he threw that football. I think the latter may be pretty difficult to prove considering stupidity is far more common among teens than outright malice.

So we all know that teenagers can be stupid...its actually scary how stupid some teenagers can be and its also scary how ignorant some adults can be..so i can't discount the "stupid teenager being stupid" alliby...but then in this day and age...u have to be PRETTY stupid to do what this kid did....so unless they can prove that this kid is mentally retarded, i would find the kid guilty of homicide. Anyone over the age of 6 knows right from wrong and n e one in high school should know the consequences of hittin a pregnant woman in the belly. So in short...i say this kid knew what he was doing and should be treated accordingly.

GuiltyGear, you don't need intent for there to be a crime.

From http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/a-z/manslaughter_involuntary.html

"Involuntary manslaughter usually refers to an unintentional killing that results from recklessness or criminal negligence, or from an unlawful act that is a misdemeanor or low-level felony (such as DUI). The usual distinction from voluntary manslaughter is that involuntary manslaughter (sometimes called "criminally negligent homicide") is a crime in which the victim's death is unintended."

first off the kid should be charged as a juvenille, he's only 15. after that I think it comes down to the law in the state where he is charged. he can definitely be charged with assault for hitting the mother. homicide charges are difficult because the fetus was not yet a human being (and I know people will disagree with this but its true) then you have to prove intent and for murder you are going to have to prove at least knowledge. so you would have to prove that he either purposely or knowingly killed the baby. The kid obviously did something wrong and he knew the girl was pregnant, but I doubt he "knew" he could kill the baby. If he was an adult its one thing but he is a kid depending on the court.

I think the kid deserves to be punished but I dont think 20 years in prison is the way to go about it

square jaw: I think he was talking about homicide which is also what my analysis was geared at as well. manslaughter or negligent homicide or reckless endangerment will be more likely charges then homicide if you ask me

Thankyou, Chungo, I was referring to a charge of murder in the first, there must be criminal intent. And, nysexy (lol, we keep butting heads)....the moral state of the country not withstanding, pregnant girls are not a permanent fixture in highschools. Infact, in my town, pregnant girls go to a special school away from the public school population. Therefore, I don't agree that the stupid teenager should know how to show care around a pregnant woman.He's a stupid teenager, nysexy, not a cold blooded killer, agree?

This kid threw a football not once but twice at this girls stomach when he knew she was pregnant.

Manslaughter for sure. Come on!

This is beyond innocent horseplay.

CRAZY!

Teenagers have changed since you and I was one. And, as they have, I think the definitions for their behavior should change and adapt with them. I've SEEN them horseplay and a football to the gut twice sounds pretty tame compared to what i've seen.
And, since i'm already playing devil's advocate, why aren't we discussing the mother's role in this. Why did she put herself in a position like this? Sounds to me like she was in a place at a time where kids are playing, emphasis on the word "kids"...this doesn't even sound like manslaugther to me...it sounds like kids being irresponsible and it sounds like an accident.

He should be charged as a juvenile...a really stupid juvenile. What the hell was he thinking about? Throwing a football at the womb of a pregnant girl!

But it will be interesting to see how this might affect abortion arguments. I supposed that one could use the fact that it wasnt the mother's (the girl's) decision to end her pregnancy.

this is going to sound really cras but he probably did her a favor. the future of a teenage mother does not usually look very bright. i also find it interesting that she waited so long to report this. sounds like someone might be looking to cash in on the civil suit

Did her a favor???? ... ... What about the baby? ...

Boy's a dumbass, girl's stupid

I think the article was vague.

Wildboy....WOOF!
Chungo, no he didn't do her a favor. When you say that you are assuming she will learn from this experience, straigthen up, study up, and graduate, right? Wrong, my cousin was a teen mother and at sixteen after she saw how hard it was, we just knew she'd get a clue and straigthen up. Wrong,at seventeen she got knocked up again by the same boy who is now in jail for robbing an elderly woman in her home at 12am. And, i'm not sure...I think I got the time line messed up;all I know is she just had another kid. I think she's 21 now..and she did graduate from highschool and is about to graduate beauty school, way to go, KiKi!
See they eventually learn, but rarely at that age.

Just based on the article, he seems guilty. Based on logic, and the understanding of how journalists work, it gets a little fuzzy. The girl told the boy he was pregnant, but does she have a history of lying or sarcasm? I know at least three girls I went to highschool with who claimed to be pregnant but weren't. Also, how hard did he hit her with the ball? Again, we don't know anything about her character, this could be an unrelated incident taht she's blowing out of proportion. He's the scapegoat for her baby's death. Possibly.

funny that many here would agree it's some Involuntary "man"slaughter in this case.
Yet voluntary manslaughter like abortion is acceptable.

crazy world we live in.

I agree, too vague. Teens ARE retarded though.

with the facts given, i can't state beyond the shadow of a doubt that malice was intended. i would set him free.