Driver charged with murder after dashboard DVD player found in car after accident
posted Jul 28th 2004 9:54AM
A man in Alaska went on trial last week on charges of second-degree murder after police found a dashboard DVD player
in his car after a fatal accident where he struck and killed two people in another car. It's not illegal to operate a
DVD player in view of a driver in the state of Alaska (though it is in plenty of other places), so prosecutors are
arguing that he "knowingly engaged in conduct showing extreme indifference to human life" when he decided to watch the
movie Road Trip in his car rather than pay full attention to the road (though you could probably argue that
the producers showed similar indifference when making the film). The driver, not surprisingly, denies having the DVD
player on in the first place or that he was using the PlayStation 2 he also had in the car.
[Thanks, Hideki]
That no one is sueing the company that manufactured the DVD player the driver used that caused the wreck in the first place. We have certainly seen examples of that kind of law suit before!
I read this story earlier this week, and I was confused as to the details. Just because he has a dvd player in his car doesn't mean that it was actually in USE. If it was actually playing at the time that police came and found the accident site, then we might have more grounds for this case... Their "proof" that it was on is pretty sparse: '"We know it was," she said. "It was wired so that the screen was in the open position when the ignition key was turned out."'
Yes, so the guy wires it up to do a fancy screen-pop-out thing when he turns on the truck, and that means that EVERY TIME HE DRIVES, he is watching a movie. Here's an idea, maybe he just liked the idea of the screen popping out whenever he turned on the car?
look at some of the other stories, it would seem HE WAS watching the DVD while driving:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5499892/
But troopers would later say Petterson was distracted by more than just a soda can. They say he was watching a DVD. Assistant District Attorney June Stein said his passenger even admitted it to his ex-wife.
"Jonathon Douglas called his ex-wife from the hospital and she'll tell you Jonathon Douglas told her the accident happened, 'We were zoned out, we were watching the DVD,'" Stein told the jury.
More detailed story here:
http://www.anchoragepress.com/newarchives/coverstoryvol12ed44.html
Although Petterson has denied the DVD player was playing, troopers say they pieced together a conflicting account from Douglas, his passenger, who spoke to his ex-wife shortly after the accident. According to troopers, Marty Zoda, Douglas' former wife, said that Douglas called her and told her he was “zoned out on the TV-DVD deal that Jamie has in his truck, and the next thing he knew Jamie said, 'Oh shit,' and they hit a car.”
This is crazy. The law says its illegal because its a distraction to the driver and others. To go along with cell phones, eating, children, they might as well make cars with one passenger, no radio, no nothing. It makes no sense if a person can get a ticket for a tv in HIS/HER privately owned property. In that case any beautiful woman in the world should be arrested if walking down the street and tried in court for being a distraction to motorist, or any man for that matter. Any household/business in which a tv can be seen from outside should be ticketed. This is all just stupid. Children shouldnt be in a car for that case because everything that can be a distraction, will be. The old politicians make these laws unaware of the new age technology. Cars as we very well know it will come standard with navigation units and dvd players, which is basically a tv screen in the head consule. Any luxury car has these features already. The politicans concern for people driving is crazy considering they just keep sending people to die overseas.....If you have young children, go on a long trip w/ dvd and without and see which one you like better...i rest my case.
Evidently the ex-wife is in a custody battle for the kids and no such statements were ever made to her from the passenger, plus the DVD had an on/off button under the passenger seat which was in the "off" position when they were both found unconscious.
Alright Ben, let's just settle down a bit.
Please take a deep breath and step away from the keyboard...
>
Then stay off the PUBLIC roads while watching the tv AND driving at the same time.
>
No, the driver should get a ticket if he causes an accident becua se he allowed himself to be distracted by the beautiful woman.
Same as you will get a ticket if you get distracted reading street signs and hit someone.
hello
dear/sir
my name is larry ben i am willing to order for some carportable dvd player and i want them ship to nigeria so pls i will like you to getback to me with the ones you have for now and the type ofpayment you accept and i willbe looking forward to hearfromyou
thanks
warmest regard
larry ben