Life Semi-hypothetical: do you turn yourself in?

**Rain Man** · 07-06-2015, 07:18 PM

This story was on the news tonight: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28...-by-apparently

To save you the trouble of reading it, a family was camping in a national forest, and a stray bullet from some recreational shooters killed one of them. It was apparently a high-powered rifle, and the presumption is that it wasn't intentional. The area is popular with recreational shooters, and someone apparently fired a round in the woods that was really unlucky.

The question marks in this story are:

1. Shooting is not allowed within 150 yards of a campsite, though it's not clear if the family was at a formal campsite. For that matter, maybe the ban isn't just for formal campsites. The article doesn't explain the specifics.

2. There has been some friction with shooters in the general area recently, and an occupied Jeep was hit last year, prompting a ban on shooting in an area not too far from this area.

3. We don't know at this point if the shooter even knows that he/she shot someone. They may have no idea where their bullets were landing.

So my question to you is, assume that you are the shooter. You didn't go out into the woods with any malice, but you were shooting and a person is dead. What do you think are the odds that you'll get away with it? Do you turn yourself in, or do you lay really, really low and pray to every deity of every religion that you won't get caught?

Multi-part poll to follow on full automatic.

Rudy tossed tigger's salad · 07-06-2015, 07:21 PM

Yes. Looking at maybe 3 years?

Psyko Tek · 07-06-2015, 07:21 PM

in b4

eDave · 07-06-2015, 07:22 PM

If I didn't know someone was injured or killed, then it's a dumb question. If I knew? Yes, I'd turn myself in. Anyone who wouldn't is a piece of shit.

Perhaps the 150yrd limit should be re-examined.

**Rain Man** · 07-06-2015, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

If I didn't know someone was injured or killed, then it's a dumb question. If I knew? Yes, I'd turn myself in. Anyone who wouldn't is a piece of shit.

Perhaps the 150yrd limit should be re-examined.

150 yards seems really, really small.

Maybe I'm a terrible person, but I would lean toward hiding out and playing dumb. The guilt would be enough punishment for me.

Interestingly, if I wasn't sure that I was the shooter I'd be more likely to go in, just to find out if it was really my bullet. Otherwise, I'd feel guilty my whole life, and that would stink if it wasn't my bullet.

**TimBone** · 07-06-2015, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

If I didn't know someone was injured or killed, then it's a dumb question. If I knew? Yes, I'd turn myself in. Anyone who wouldn't is a piece of shit.

Perhaps the 150yrd limit should be re-examined.

Easy to say now with no pressure on you.

I'd like to say I'd turn myself in.....but I just don't know if I'd be able to muster up the courage to do so.

CHENZ A! · 07-06-2015, 07:38 PM

This is really interesting, and honestly if I were single I'd turn myself in.. but if I thought that there was any chance I'd have to do time, and be away from my daughter, I'd keep it a secret. It was a complete accident, and my family needs me. Sure would suck either way.

eDave · 07-06-2015, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimBone

Easy to say now with no pressure on you.

I'd like to say I'd turn myself in.....but I just don't know if I'd be able to muster up the courage to do so.

It'd be tough but I'd do it and I'd lawyer up heavily for sure. In the end, I couldn't not turn myself in.

I've broken some windows (with baseballs), tapped a few cars in my day and I've squared up every time.

I, personally, couldn't live with myself.

Ecto-I · 07-06-2015, 07:44 PM

The part I would wrestle with is knowing that *I* am not intentionally a danger to society so going to jail would be purely a punishment for being an idiot...which of course knowing that my idiocy caused a death would be a lesson learnt on it's own...the jail part does nothing for lesson learning compared to knowing you killed someone.

So, I'm on the fence.

**Rain Man** · 07-06-2015, 07:45 PM

I'm curious too about the odds of getting identified as the shooter. I presume that they can't trace a gun from a bullet, right? So getting caught means that someone saw you in the area, or someone shooting with you goes to the authorities, or there's a camera somewhere along your route.

This is a pretty rural area, so I don't think there would be cameras at the access roads or anything. But are there cameras at gas stations or restaurants or something? If you didn't know that you fired the shot, they might be able to look at credit card receipts or something and find the owners of guns of a particular caliber. Would they do this? Could they?

eDave · 07-06-2015, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

The part I would wrestle with is knowing that *I* am not intentionally a danger to society so going to jail would be purely a punishment for being an idiot...which of course knowing that my idiocy caused a death would be a lesson learnt on it's own...the jail part does nothing for lesson learning compared to knowing you killed someone.

So, I'm on the fence.

What types of involuntary manslaughter should be punished then?

**Rain Man** · 07-06-2015, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eDave

It'd be tough but I'd do it and I'd lawyer up heavily for sure. In the end, I couldn't not turn myself in.

I've broken some windows (with baseballs), tapped a few cars in my day and I've squared up every time.

I, personally, couldn't live with myself.

Yeah, but several years behind bars is different than those examples. It's easy to be honorable if it doesn't destroy your life. I'd like to think I'd do the right thing, but I would lean really strongly toward Ecto's rationalization for lying low.

Psyko Tek · 07-06-2015, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecto-I

The part I would wrestle with is knowing that *I* am not intentionally a danger to society so going to jail would be purely a punishment for being an idiot...which of course knowing that my idiocy caused a death would be a lesson learnt on it's own...the jail part does nothing for lesson learning compared to knowing you killed someone.

So, I'm on the fence.

if "you" did this
you are clearly a danger to society do to poor judgement on shooting?
would you give up all your guns?

eDave · 07-06-2015, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Yeah, but several years behind bars is different than those examples. It's easy to be honorable if it doesn't destroy your life. I'd like to think I'd do the right thing, but I would lean really strongly toward Ecto's rationalization for lying low.

LOL. Yeah, those were shit examples.

You will get caught more often than not.

Jim Lahey · 07-06-2015, 07:52 PM

Ban guns

View Poll Results: Three part poll following.
***Scenario 1. If I was sure that I fired the deadly bullet, I would ...	5	8.47%
A. Turn myself in.	28	47.46%
B. Lay low and hope that no one can identify me.	25	42.37%
***Scenario 2. If I was shooting in the area and think that I may have fired the deadly bullet, I would ...	5	8.47%
A. Go to the police and let them know I was shooting in the area.	23	38.98%
B. Lay low and hope that no one can identify me.	28	47.46%
***The Math Part. If I was shooting in the area, the odds of me being identified are roughly...	4	6.78%
0%	2	3.39%
1 to 10%	9	15.25%
11 to 25%	11	18.64%
26 to 50%	5	8.47%
51 to 75%	5	8.47%
76 to 90%	3	5.08%
91 to 99%	4	6.78%
100%	3	5.08%
Opt-out option. I can't answer per the 5th amendment, but want to see the poll results.	15	25.42%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 59. You may not vote on this poll

07-06-2015, 07:18 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3308491 VARSITY	Semi-hypothetical: do you turn yourself in? This story was on the news tonight: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28...-by-apparently To save you the trouble of reading it, a family was camping in a national forest, and a stray bullet from some recreational shooters killed one of them. It was apparently a high-powered rifle, and the presumption is that it wasn't intentional. The area is popular with recreational shooters, and someone apparently fired a round in the woods that was really unlucky. The question marks in this story are: 1. Shooting is not allowed within 150 yards of a campsite, though it's not clear if the family was at a formal campsite. For that matter, maybe the ban isn't just for formal campsites. The article doesn't explain the specifics. 2. There has been some friction with shooters in the general area recently, and an occupied Jeep was hit last year, prompting a ban on shooting in an area not too far from this area. 3. We don't know at this point if the shooter even knows that he/she shot someone. They may have no idea where their bullets were landing. So my question to you is, assume that you are the shooter. You didn't go out into the woods with any malice, but you were shooting and a person is dead. What do you think are the odds that you'll get away with it? Do you turn yourself in, or do you lay really, really low and pray to every deity of every religion that you won't get caught? Multi-part poll to follow on full automatic.
Posts: 141,433

07-06-2015, 07:21 PM	#2
Rudy tossed tigger's salad Better than Nelson Join Date: Mar 2003 Casino cash: $10000400	Yes. Looking at maybe 3 years?
Posts: 17,356

07-06-2015, 07:21 PM	#3
Psyko Tek special teams Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mesa AZ Casino cash: $10015665	in b4 __________________ Psyko Tek The keyboard has been drinking,
Posts: 12,018

07-06-2015, 07:22 PM	#4
eDave Banned Join Date: Jan 2013 Casino cash: $9998560	If I didn't know someone was injured or killed, then it's a dumb question. If I knew? Yes, I'd turn myself in. Anyone who wouldn't is a piece of shit. Perhaps the 150yrd limit should be re-examined.
Posts: 53,803

07-06-2015, 07:38 PM	#7
CHENZ A! pimping hoes + clocking a grip Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: KCMO Casino cash: $9977569	This is really interesting, and honestly if I were single I'd turn myself in.. but if I thought that there was any chance I'd have to do time, and be away from my daughter, I'd keep it a secret. It was a complete accident, and my family needs me. Sure would suck either way.
Posts: 6,302

07-06-2015, 07:44 PM	#9
Ecto-I The only way to Travel. Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: In the car Casino cash: $5323602	The part I would wrestle with is knowing that I am not intentionally a danger to society so going to jail would be purely a punishment for being an idiot...which of course knowing that my idiocy caused a death would be a lesson learnt on it's own...the jail part does nothing for lesson learning compared to knowing you killed someone. So, I'm on the fence.
Posts: 2,919

07-06-2015, 07:45 PM	#10
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3308491 VARSITY	I'm curious too about the odds of getting identified as the shooter. I presume that they can't trace a gun from a bullet, right? So getting caught means that someone saw you in the area, or someone shooting with you goes to the authorities, or there's a camera somewhere along your route. This is a pretty rural area, so I don't think there would be cameras at the access roads or anything. But are there cameras at gas stations or restaurants or something? If you didn't know that you fired the shot, they might be able to look at credit card receipts or something and find the owners of guns of a particular caliber. Would they do this? Could they? __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,433

07-06-2015, 07:52 PM	#15
Jim Lahey The shit-winds are blowin Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Sunnyvale trailer park Casino cash: $10013647	Ban guns
Posts: 637