Murder and Homicide

1.     Homicide is the killing of one individual by another individual. Homicide does not have to be planned. Homicide may be an accident. (Such as vehicular homicide.) Murder is a form of criminal homicide. Where one individual planned to kill another individual. Murders may have been premeditated, and are often deliberate. Although not stated in the question, manslaughter is another type of homicide which should be discussed. Manslaughter is another type of criminal homicide.

A)    Categories of homicide include:

·        Criminal- unjustifiable with severe consequences

·        Excusable/Justifiable- a homicide without criminal intent (examples include self-defense, and law officers killing within the line of duty)

B)    Categories of Murder include:

·        First Degree-premeditated murder with a cruelty afterthought

·        Second Degree- Similar to first degree however, contained no premeditation.

C)    Manslaughter- Manslaughter may be called Third Degree murder. It is an act to harm someone which results in death.

Information found at: http://criminal.lawyers.com/felonies/blogs/archives/2977-The-Legal-Difference-between-Murder-Homicide.html

2.     News Article from South Carolina

A 35 year old Caucasian man named John Michael Young was arrested and charged for the murders of two individuals in Anderson, South Carolina. The two victims were 52 year-old Tony McGinnis (who was killed in September) and 37 year-old Andrea Mitchell (in October). The bodies of the victims were stuffed into barrels and thrown into a lake. Law enforcement arrested young after finding chainsaws and machetes inside his home. Young is accused of beating the individuals in the head until the point of death. Law enforcement asserts the murders were not random; however a motive has not been released. Not convictions or other outcomes have been stated in this case.  

1)    Other than their names and ages, the victims are not really portrayed in any sort of way. All the information given about them was their names and ages. More information would have been useful in understanding the lifestyles of the victims. The offender isn’t really portrayed as anything but a suspect and/or a murderer. It doesn’t seem as though the media was that disgusted with the story. He is not portrayed as a maniac. The article simply stated the facts of the case without any real emotion.

2)    The media didn’t really make the killing sound dramatic. The facts of the murder sounded appalling, however the media didn’t make it seem as though it was. The bodies were stuffed into a barrel and thrown into a lake. The media could have made the article sound as if law enforcement, the author, and the public were aghast at the murders however, the author stated them nonchalantly.

3)    Article may be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/18/john-michael-young-arrest_n_2154052.html

3.     Media

A)    The show Law & Order:SVU portrays a murder in season one, episode 17 Misleader. In the episode a woman and her unborn child are murdered horrifically.  She was the daughter in law of a religious leader, and after her death detectives look into the paternity of her unborn child. The episode focuses on the murder, the circumstances surrounding is, and the conviction of the case.  The episode is available on Netflix at https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Law_Order_Special_Victims_Unit/70140403?locale=en-US

B)    The book and television series Pretty Little Liars centers on the mysterious disappearance and then homicide of Alison Dilaurentis. She is found buried underneath cement, and died of an apparent blow to the head with a blunt object. The entire series focuses on trying to find out who killed her. The girl had several enemies, so there are several suspects. The show and movie are very popular among pre-teens through young adults. The books may be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Little-Liars-Book-Tie/dp/0062009540 the series may be viewed on Netflix at http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Pretty_Little_Liars/70180057?locale=en-US

Mob Violence

Mob violence is violence which occurs during a mob (a crowd that is out of control or waiting for a trigger to set them off. During a mob the individual becomes deindividualized, and a collective mind occurs. Examples of mob violence includes:
Individuals who trample others during Black Friday sales. Individuals refuse to take accountability for such an action because the entire group was performing the action, and while they were within the mob they justified their actions, and were not acting as individuals.
The behavior of several white individuals when desegregation of schools first occurred. When black students first came to white schools they had items thrown at them, several individuals pushed them, threw water at them, and called them racial slurs. The crowd of individuals turned into a mob which was triggered by the desegregation of the schools and the arrival of the new black students. Individuals did not take responsibility for their actions because they were acting as a mob not as an individual. This is an example of an expressive mob.

Mob violence occurs because of the individuals within the mob may enjoy the novelty, release, stimulation, or power the mob allows them. Individuals  also are apt to perform violence within mobs because they may justify the behavior, be overly suggestible to the collective mind of the mob, conform to the mob, or simply lose their individuality in the mob.

2. Example of Mob Violence in the Media from South Carolina
In October 2012, 8-10 Black individuals (unidentified) punched and stomped on Josh Bowsworth (a white male with an unpublished age) even when he loss consciousness in the Five Points area of South Carolina. 3 individuals have been arrested, the others are still at large. The arrested individuals are all students at Benedict College (a predominantly black institution). Bowsworth sustained bruises and a broken jaw, but is stable. No convictions have occurred. Bowsworth attack was just one of three violent incidents which occurred in Five Points, SC that night. Underage drinking and drug use may play a role in the attacks.

The author of the article seems to blame black individuals for harassing white ones in the Five Points area. The police chief is quoted as stating that the crimes are not racially motivated (although all crimes occurred with black offenders and white victims) and blames the crimes on underage drinking and drug use. The police chief believes the attacks to just be bar fights which had gone too far. The author goes on to quote the bar owner and various white students in the area who believe that the police chief is deliberately ignoring the racial aspect of the crimes and describe their interactions with the “black thugs” (all of the statements explain negative interactions). They believe the area to be more dangerous than ever, and several students have started a petition to get police to blame the offenders, not the victims.  They believe that if the races were swapped the situation would be taken much more seriously. The author portrays the white individuals as victims and the black individuals as offenders.
Article may be found at: http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/black-mob-violence-blamed-on-white-kids-drinking/

Mob violence can be on Law and Order:SVU Season 11 Episode 13 “P.C.”
In this episode a LGBTQIA group has made a mob in an area of New York. They are complaining about the treatment of the NYPD to their community. They throw several items at the police men (and scream profanities at them) until detectives come onto the scene. The throwing and screaming of profanities showcases mob violence. The episode may be found on Netflix at https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Law_Order_Special_Victims_Unit/70140403?locale=en-US

Mob violence can also be seen in White Girl Bleed a Lot": The return of racial violence and how the media ignore it. This book describes several situations of mob violence which has occurred from Black individuals to White ones in over 75 U.S. cities. The book may be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/White-Girl-Bleed-Lot-Edition/dp/1479299022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349197147&sr=8-1&keywords=colin+flaherty

1.      The population of South Carolina is 3,577,275 as of 2011. The number of forcible rapes which occurred during 2011 is 3,404.

2.      There is no statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct in South Carolina.

A person is guilty of first degree sexual misconduct if they engage in sexual battery with someone, and one or more of the following occur:

·         Aggravated force is used

·        The victim submits to the sexual battery when kidnapped, confined, during the course of a burglary, robbery, or human trafficking, and in the case of extortion.

·        The person causes the victim to become mentally incapacitated by giving them a controlled substance or an intoxicating substance.

First Degree Criminal Sexual conduct is a felony, and is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct occurs when a person uses aggravated coercion to engage in sexual battery. It is a felony and a person can receive up to 20 years in prison.

Third Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct occurs when a person engages in sexual battery with someone, without aggravating circumstances, or a person knows a person in mentally incapacitated and performs sexual battery without aggression. This crime is a felony and is punishable for up to 10 years in prison.

Criminal Sexual Conduct with a minor occurs in the first degree if it is with someone under 11 years of age, or if the victim is under 16 and the offender has a history of offenses. This is a felony with a minimum of 10 years up to 30 years. This includes anal intercourse and intrusion with an object.

Criminal Sexual Conduct with a minor occurs in the second degree if the offender if they sexually batter a child who is at least 14 but not younger than 11. Or if the child is 14 but fewer than 16 and the offender is in some position of power.  A person is not guilty if they are under 18 and engage in consensual sexual activity with someone at least 14. This is a felony punishable for up to 20 years.

Criminal Sexual conduct with a minor occurs in the third degree if the offender is over 14 and commits a lewd act on a body of someone under 16 with the intent of fulfilling the sexual desires of either party. However if the person is under 18 and commits the act with someone over 14 they cannot be charged with it. This is a felony and the offender may be charged with a fine, or go to prison for up to 15 years or both.

Info at:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c003.php#16-3-652

Definitions:

Sexual battery includes vaginal, anal, and oral sexual intercourse, or any touching of any part of a person’s body or putting any object into the genitals or anal opening of another person’s body.

Submission to coercion is not consent.

Marital relationships must still give consent.

Info at: http://www.stsm.org/south-carolina-laws-regarding-sexual-assault-and-consent

3.      Dale Richardson (age not given) is a pastor in South Carolina and is accused for raping 3 women, and kidnapping a fourth. He is accused of taking two of the women into the trailer behind the church, and raping them. The third states she was raped in the woods. He was identified by the latest woman, a 20 year old. She states he was driving her, and when she attempted to get out of the car, he held a gun to her, threatened her, and bound her hands before bringing her to the trailer and raping her. He released her in the woods; the victims’ names were not given. Richardson was denied bond. His neighbors are shocked at the accusations and do not believe someone with his sweet demeanor could commit such a ghastly crime. His church members also did not believe the accusations. Church attendance has not dropped. Richardson’s preaching credentials are frozen until the outcome of the trial occurs. Convictions have not occurred. Richardson’s Public Defender refused a statement. Article at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/21/south-carolina-preacher-charged-with-kidnapping-rape/

4.      A) Law And Order: SVU is a television show which focuses on victims of sexual assault. Episode 166 “Confrontation”  has a woman living in fear from a past rape, and her attacker is re-raping all his previous victims and she is next on the list. It is accurate; they properly show what a sexual assault is, how it occurs, and how victims’ lives are changed following the assault. Usually the rapes are intraracial, (consistent with data) and this episode holds true to that. Episode is available on Netflix at https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Law_Order_Special_Victims_Unit/70140403?locale=en-US

B) Degrassi: The next generation is a television show which focuses teenagers. In episodes Shout 1 and Shout 2. A girl named Paige is at a party. She was invited to this party by a football player from another school that is 3 years older than she is. She has a fight with her boyfriend and she attends the party. The older boy gives her several drinks, and gets her intoxicated. They go upstairs into a private room and start to kiss. He attempts to fondle her breasts, and she states they should stop. He says no, that she wants it, and he continues. He then rapes her, and she stated no several times, however she is intoxicated and unable to push him off. In Ghost in the Machine the legal process occurs, and she presses charges against him. He is ultimately found not guilty. The portrayal of the rape was very accurate. Several teens and young women are raped at parties when they are intoxicated. The legal process was very accurate as well.  The episodes may be found on Netflix at http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Degrassi_The_Next_Generation/70140376?locale=en-US

Mob Violence

Mob violence is violence which occurs during a mob (a crowd that is out of control or waiting for a trigger to set them off. During a mob the individual becomes deindividualized, and a collective mind occurs. Examples of mob violence includes:
Individuals who trample others during Black Friday sales. Individuals refuse to take accountability for such an action because the entire group was performing the action, and while they were within the mob they justified their actions, and were not acting as individuals.
The behavior of several white individuals when desegregation of schools first occurred. When black students first came to white schools they had items thrown at them, several individuals pushed them, threw water at them, and called them racial slurs. The crowd of individuals turned into a mob which was triggered by the desegregation of the schools and the arrival of the new black students. Individuals did not take responsibility for their actions because they were acting as a mob not as an individual. This is an example of an expressive mob.

Mob violence occurs because of the individuals within the mob may enjoy the novelty, release, stimulation, or power the mob allows them. Individuals  also are apt to perform violence within mobs because they may justify the behavior, be overly suggestible to the collective mind of the mob, conform to the mob, or simply lose their individuality in the mob.

2. Example of Mob Violence in the Media from South Carolina
In October 2012, 8-10 Black individuals (unidentified) punched and stomped on Josh Bowsworth (a white male with an unpublished age) even when he loss consciousness in the Five Points area of South Carolina. 3 individuals have been arrested, the others are still at large. The arrested individuals are all students at Benedict College (a predominantly black institution). Bowsworth sustained bruises and a broken jaw, but is stable. No convictions have occurred. Bowsworth attack was just one of three violent incidents which occurred in Five Points, SC that night. Underage drinking and drug use may play a role in the attacks.

The author of the article seems to blame black individuals for harassing white ones in the Five Points area. The police chief is quoted as stating that the crimes are not racially motivated (although all crimes occurred with black offenders and white victims) and blames the crimes on underage drinking and drug use. The police chief believes the attacks to just be bar fights which had gone too far. The author goes on to quote the bar owner and various white students in the area who believe that the police chief is deliberately ignoring the racial aspect of the crimes and describe their interactions with the “black thugs” (all of the statements explain negative interactions). They believe the area to be more dangerous than ever, and several students have started a petition to get police to blame the offenders, not the victims.  They believe that if the races were swapped the situation would be taken much more seriously. The author portrays the white individuals as victims and the black individuals as offenders.
Article may be found at: http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/black-mob-violence-blamed-on-white-kids-drinking/

Mob violence can be on Law and Order:SVU Season 11 Episode 13 “P.C.”
In this episode a LGBTQIA group has made a mob in an area of New York. They are complaining about the treatment of the NYPD to their community. They throw several items at the police men (and scream profanities at them) until detectives come onto the scene. The throwing and screaming of profanities showcases mob violence. The episode may be found on Netflix at https://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Law_Order_Special_Victims_Unit/70140403?locale=en-US

Mob violence can also be seen in White Girl Bleed a Lot": The return of racial violence and how the media ignore it. This book describes several situations of mob violence which has occurred from Black individuals to White ones in over 75 U.S. cities. The book may be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/White-Girl-Bleed-Lot-Edition/dp/1479299022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349197147&sr=8-1&keywords=colin+flaherty