wasnt_me
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2010
- Messages
- 5,417
- Reaction score
- 10,985
"Second, the defendant, acting alone or aided by others, caused the death of George Floyd. “To cause” means to be a substantial causal factor in causing the death. The defendant is criminally liable for all the consequences of his actions that occur in the ordinary and natural course of events, including those consequences brought about by one or more intervening causes that were the natural result of the defendant's acts. The fact that other causes contribute to the death does not relieve the defendant of criminal liability. However, the defendant is not criminally liable if a “superseding cause” caused the death. A “superseding cause” is a cause that comes after the defendant’s acts, alters the natural sequence of events, and produces a result that would not otherwise have occurred. An action that occurs before the defendant’s conduct and is not the sole cause of the death does not constitute a superseding cause."
Above from link at
ETA: One could argue that GF was dead/no pulse/not breathing, and THEN the yelling and interference of the crowd happened also. Just a thought that just came to me.
Yes, so in my example, the defendant directs the person off the road. The helicopter, which comes after the defendant's act, falls to the ground, alters the natural sequents of events -- and causes a result that would have not otherwise occured.