Prapor
Active member
Back in November of 2010, there was a bizarre incident in Saint Petersburg:
http://rt.com/news/man-car-wheel-high/
The 'lucky' couple
Eric Nikolaev, 16 and Daria Kliukina, 15
Well, Eric was sentenced just now
For reckless activity causing death of a person, he was sentenced to 1.5 years of "reduced freedom". This means he is confined to his family's home at certain times of day; he cannot attend mass events, or change his place of residency. Also, he is required to either attend a educational institution or be employed full time.
But he will not have to serve any time in prison.
The Prosecutors are happy with the outcome. They asked for a milder sentence due to both the young age of the accused, his remorse, and the fact that he has a full life ahead of himself still, he and Daria are to marry in 3 years, he is in PTU (technical school), wants to be an aircraft mechanic. Plus, he has shown remorse, he obviously never intended to injure, let alone kill, anyone with the tire, he threw it in the heat of the moment, the passion of the young.
That's one side. The other is the family and friends of the 44-year old man who died, Viktor Gubin. He had a wife and two small sons. The family say the sentence was far too mild. They point to the fact taht in the security camera footage (in the video on RT site), a young man, presumably Eric, is seen running out into the yard near the building, seeing what had happened, realising what he'd done, and fleeing. He did not, they say, call police or ambulance. He did nothing, just fled.
What do you guys think? If you were members of the jury that sentenced Eric Nikolaev, what would you decide? Is this sentence too mild, too harsh, or just right? Keep in mind that in Russia, sentence for unintentional murder is 20 years in a Siberian prison camp. In the comments on Russian sites, most people say it would be wrong to subject him to that, it would just wreck his life and turn him into a urka, a hardened criminal.
I think the sentence was right. My wife thinks they should have been harsher with him... We are still arguing over it.
I mean, yes, he killed someone. But... he's just a child. To send him off to some penal colony for decades seems wrong.
Man killed by car wheel dropped from St. Petersburg highrise
Published: 16 November, 2010, 20:50
Edited: 17 November, 2010, 11:15
VIDEO
A man in St. Petersburg has died after being hit by a car wheel thrown from an upper window of an apartment building.
The incident took place on November 8, but the story was only leaked to the media nearly one week later.
The 44-year old Viktor Gubin was walking home through a residential district when he was struck by a car wheel, complete with its tire. The wheel landed centimeters from the man's feet, then bounced up and struck his head.
The man was hospitalized with head injuries and a broken jaw, dying two days later. Police suspect a group of teenagers seen entering the building may be to blame.
According to some media reports, the wheel was thrown from a balcony of an apartment at the 11th floor by a teenager who got mad at his girlfriend.
Eric, 16, and Daria, 15, were having a heated argument. Enraged, Eric grabbed a heavy wheel lying nearby and hauled it down from the balcony, without pausing to look down.
The wheel landed on the head of Viktor Gubin.
The accident was recorded by the safety video cameras, which allowed the police to detain the teenagers. Eric now faces charges of involuntary manslaughter.
http://rt.com/news/man-car-wheel-high/
The 'lucky' couple
Eric Nikolaev, 16 and Daria Kliukina, 15
Well, Eric was sentenced just now
But he will not have to serve any time in prison.
The Prosecutors are happy with the outcome. They asked for a milder sentence due to both the young age of the accused, his remorse, and the fact that he has a full life ahead of himself still, he and Daria are to marry in 3 years, he is in PTU (technical school), wants to be an aircraft mechanic. Plus, he has shown remorse, he obviously never intended to injure, let alone kill, anyone with the tire, he threw it in the heat of the moment, the passion of the young.
That's one side. The other is the family and friends of the 44-year old man who died, Viktor Gubin. He had a wife and two small sons. The family say the sentence was far too mild. They point to the fact taht in the security camera footage (in the video on RT site), a young man, presumably Eric, is seen running out into the yard near the building, seeing what had happened, realising what he'd done, and fleeing. He did not, they say, call police or ambulance. He did nothing, just fled.
What do you guys think? If you were members of the jury that sentenced Eric Nikolaev, what would you decide? Is this sentence too mild, too harsh, or just right? Keep in mind that in Russia, sentence for unintentional murder is 20 years in a Siberian prison camp. In the comments on Russian sites, most people say it would be wrong to subject him to that, it would just wreck his life and turn him into a urka, a hardened criminal.
I think the sentence was right. My wife thinks they should have been harsher with him... We are still arguing over it.
I mean, yes, he killed someone. But... he's just a child. To send him off to some penal colony for decades seems wrong.