Posted on March 18, 2008 by Kathy McManus in All, Driving, Law, Teens Comments (8)
Driven
How responsible are you for another person’s actions?
If you loan your car to a friend, and the friend gets into an accident, it’s generally understood that as the owner of the car, you’ll be held legally liable to some degree.
But if you loan your car to a friend, and the friend uses the car to drive three other people to a house where they commit murder, are you just as guilty as those who took part in the crime, even though you weren’t even there?
A Florida court says yes. In Serving Life for Providing Car to Killers the New York Times examines the case of 20 year old Ryan Holle, currently serving a life sentence without possibility of parole in a Florida prison. A jury found him guilty of first-degree murder because he lent his car to a friend, who then drove three other men to a house where they killed an 18 year old girl. Holle was elsewhere when the crime occurred.
In assigning responsibility to Holle, the prosecutor connected the dots:
“No car, no crime.”
“No car, no murder.”
“This crime could not and would not have been committed without Mr. Holle’s car,” he concluded.
But what if the car had been a rental—should the desk clerk or even the CEO of the company be held responsible? Should the same theory be applied to gun dealers—no gun, no murder? Where does the chain of responsibility begin and end?
Comments (8)
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not guilty
If the guy who lent his car out knew what it was going to be used for, then yes he is just as guilty as the trigger man. If not then this is ridiculous.
I agree
I agree. It’s a no brainer.
You said it
If he knew — he’s just as responsible, if not more so, for enabling them to do it for free. If he didn’t know, then the poor guy needs a new lawyer, and the judge needs to reassess whether he allows common sense or politics to rule the court.
The Victim's Mother is Responsible
I suggest people click the link and read the article. Following the legal logic used, had the mother of the victim not had a safe full of dope there would have been no murder. The man whose car was used had lent the car many times and had no knowledge there was to be a burglary or murder. But the law (not in use in other countries) says his car, his crime. Absurd. Many years ago someone stole a vehicle of mine for a joy ride and a passenger was killed. The girl’s parents sued me. Maybe they should have sued my mother for giving birth. No me, no car to steal. That’s the logic used here…he owned a car used to get to a crime. Suppose the murderers had taken a taxi?
Perfect example of misjustice
I agree with the others who said that this man did not deserve to be prosecuted and found guilty of a crime he didn’t commit unless he knew that it was going to happen.
This is a perfect example of misjustice.
This is just the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of.
So if I go out of town and allow a friend to use my house while I’m gone and he/she commits a crime in my house, that means I’m just as guilty by association?! HAH!
The next thing you know we will be prosecuted and found guilty of a crime our neighbor commits just because we live in the same neighborhood or building. C’mon, people let’s get real here!
We are supposed to be adults, yet we act like kids, trying to put the blame anywhere but where it belongs!
Wow
And OJ went free. Prosecuters get paid to prosecute… they go after the conviction even if common sense is screaming foul.
our world
Our world is going to hades in a hand basket man. This is positively absurd. If he was knowledgeable of the intent to commit a crime then he should be charged same as the actual crooks. If he’s just a dopey friend loaning a car and got suckered then I think the thought of knowing such should be enough punishment. His problem in the case was probably, and I’m just speculating, that he was not about to prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that he was unaware of the purpose for his friends borrowing his car.
And ANN is absolutely right. Following this line of logic, the mother should have been charged as well and even to a stronger degree.
Valuable lesson to be learned here though…never let people use your ride!
Read the Attached Article
When you read the article that goes along with this blog you will see that the person serving time knew that his friends were going to commit a criminal act and was even in on the conversation about maybe having to “take out” the girl who got killed. He is getting his just punishment. But I also agree with the other posts, the mother of the girl should have been arrested and should hold as much responsibility as the rest of the group since she was the dealer.