Why shouldn’t they? If there is strong evidence of someone having committed a serious crime, why shouldn’t it be made public knowledge? The public have an interest in being kept informed about the state of detection and prosecution in such cases. I can’t see any good reason for the details of the state’s case against the accused to be kept confidential before being presented in the public trial proceedings. [/quote]
Sure I’m all for full disclosure of the facts to the public but, shouldn’t they wait until those facts have been established? It’s not that fact that the media is informed that I have a problem with it’s how and when these things are disclosed. I suppose in Taiwan in doesn’t really matter but in North America or any other juristiction where Trial is by jury I don’t think a fair trial would be possible in this case.
[quote=“sandman”]Zain’s a friend of mine. This is tearing me up. :s[/quote]Understandable. A friend of mine has been behind bars here for over two years. 3 more to go. He’ll be deported in late 2014. It’s sucks but he fucked up and now he’s paying for it.
As Omni pointed out, your friend has a very strong case against him and the charges are rightfully severe.
Don’t get me wrong, I sympathize with you. But the bulk of my sympathy goes out to the friends and family of the victim.
[quote=“RobinTaiwan”][quote=“sandman”]Zain’s a friend of mine. This is tearing me up. :s[/quote]Understandable. A friend of mine has been behind bars here for over two years. 3 more to go. He’ll be deported in late 2014. It’s sucks but he fucked up and now he’s paying for it.
As Omni pointed out, your friend has a very strong case against him and the charges are rightfully severe.
Don’t get me wrong, I sympathize with you. But the bulk of my sympathy goes out to the friends and family of the victim.[/quote]
To be sure. But he’s still a friend. It just seems so out of character.
That’s why I suggested to Icon that we might want to ease up a bit. This really must be tough. It sure doesn’t look good for your friend but new facts “could” come up, who knows? Seems like a common courtesy to just shut up for a bit given that this person is a friend to forum members.
[quote=“honercek”]I saw a post in PTT which is the largest BBS in Taiwan. A retired police found someone sent a new Mercedes to the recycling plant near his home for disintegration. In terms of his experience, he felt weird and called the police station to gather evidence…
This case was solved at 2:30 AM on 27 Mar. Thanks for all the people who contributing for this.[/quote]
Here is a link to that article about the retired police officer…
Seems like a common courtesy to just shut up for a bit given that this person is a friend to forum members.[/quote]
That’s ironic, some of those forumosans are known to bash others without considering if they are friends of members or not and now we have to take care of their feelings? It’s ridiculous.
In any case, he is guilty than he should rote in jail, if he is innocent, well, then good for him.
I asked one of my business groups about this incident today and they had an interesting take on it. Mind you, this is not a scientific sample or meant to be representative of anyone other than these 7 people.
First, they said hit-and-runs are quite common and that they didn’t feel this got any more attention in the local media than any other hit-and-run. Second, they said that they believed most locals would do the same, and if there was any special notice that it was a foreigner who did it would be because they would generally think foreigners are more honest than locals in this situation and would be shocked to learn that it’s not the case.
Then there was the predictable “you think too much”.
[quote=“CraigTPE”]I asked one of my business groups about this incident today and they had an interesting take on it. Mind you, this is not a scientific sample or meant to be representative of anyone other than these 7 people.
First, they said hit-and-runs are quite common and that they didn’t feel this got any more attention in the local media than any other hit-and-run. Second, they said that they believed most locals would do the same, and if there was any special notice that it was a foreigner who did it would be because they would generally think foreigners are more honest than locals in this situation and would be shocked to learn that it’s not the case.
Then there was the predictable “you think too much”.[/quote]
Well I think the reason this stories and any other story involving expats get so much attention on these forums is because this is after all an expat forum. I don’t know if I would agree that most locals would do the same. Certainly some would but I have no way of knowing the proportion.
I also don’t think this guy has been getting an unjustly harsh treatment in this thread. I don’t think that because this guy is who he is should warrant a gag order on this forum.
For me what makes this incident unusual are the repoted measures Mr. Dean took after the incident. Drive drunk, sure bad judgement on his part. Fleeing the scene? Not the right thing to do but understandable on some level. We’ve all don’t dumb things while in a panic. Attempting to destroy evidence and flee the country? Well for me that crosses a line.
[quote=“itakitez”]Omni - good points
Does anyone know which law he would be prosecuted under? manslaughter? (negligent) assault with a deadly weapon? or a combination like dangerous driving and DUI? Any other entries on his wrap sheet? like attempting to pervert the cause of justice/destruction of evidence/fleeing the scene of an accident? Are their criminal laws cumulative? like, could he end up with a long strech and would he be allowed to “buy himself out” like Mrs Chen?[/quote]
Compared to the DUI laws in other countries, the punishment is quite light in Taiwan. I listed some cases sentenced last year for the drank and drove.
Taipei district court,
*No 326, one passenger died → one year imprisonment
*No 688, one motorcycle rider died → one year imprisonment, suspended for two years, $NTD 80,000 fine, and fatigue duty for 160 hours
Taichung district court
*No 232, one passenger died → ten month imprisonment and suspended for three years.
*No 649, one motorcycle rider died → four month imprisonment, suspended for two years, $NTD 60,000 fine
So you can see many people are died for this kind of accidents. Many drivers don’t care about it, they just drink and drive.
As to the hit and run away, if he indeed had done this, then probably he could get heavier sentence.
[quote=“Omniloquacious”] With regard to the specifics of this case: As reported thus far, there is clearly a very strong case against the accused. The acts of which he is accused are extremely repugnant in all respects, and warrant very heavy punishment. If he is guilty as accused, I see absolutely no extenuating circumstances and will not have a grain of sympathy for whatever consequences he suffers. As a man of means, he can surely well afford to pay any amount of fine and compensation that the criminal and civil courts might possibly impose upon him. So if he is guilty as charged, these amounts should be set at their highest applicable levels, and he should serve at least two or three years in prison to properly reflect the severity of the crimes committed and their terrible impact on the lives of the victim and his family.
… their terrible and inexcusable crime should earn them the utmost public shaming and the same level of punishment as befits, for example, an armed robber, rapist or child-molester.[/quote]
We could find you a nice pile of rocks. Would that help?
To add another view on this -
My wife and I have been discussing this incident quite a bit. She told me that her co-workers are also talking about this and have expressed various views on it.
However, there are several views that seem to be common.
Most are amazed at the low bail. They feel that the NT$150,000 and go was too little.
They that Mr. Dean hurt his case considerably when he did not immediately offer an apology for the situation happening. They said also that he should have made a monetary offer to the grieving family. Their loss of the bread-winner seemed to be strongly related to this part.
Of course, most Westerners would view that as an admission of guilt;but the locals here didn’t think that way. It was just something they thought was SOP in this kind of situation.
No comments about the drunk driving, leaving the scene, attempt to destroy possible evidence and possible flight off the island. But then, they are locals and those actions have been de rigueur in a lot of news items they’ve seen in the past.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]2. They that Mr. Dean hurt his case considerably when he did not immediately offer an apology for the situation happening. They said also that he should have made a monetary offer to the grieving family. Their loss of the bread-winner seemed to be strongly related to this part.
Of course, most Westerners would view that as an admission of guilt;but the locals here didn’t think that way. It was just something they thought was SOP in this kind of situation.[/quote]
Yeah, my group mentioned this, too. An apology goes much further, here. In the US, it can and will be used against you in a court of law.
If the hotel assistant statement pans out he really is a weasel. But I’m waiting for all the facts first, so far looks pretty damning. Going to Kinmen one could try and get on a ship to mainland or other area, would be expensive though.
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]To add another view on this -
My wife and I have been discussing this incident quite a bit. She told me that her co-workers are also talking about this and have expressed various views on it.
However, there are several views that seem to be common.
Most are amazed at the low bail. They feel that the NT$150,000 and go was too little.
They that Mr. Dean hurt his case considerably when he did not immediately offer an apology for the situation happening. They said also that he should have made a monetary offer to the grieving family. Their loss of the bread-winner seemed to be strongly related to this part.
Of course, most Westerners would view that as an admission of guilt;but the locals here didn’t think that way. It was just something they thought was SOP in this kind of situation.
No comments about the drunk driving, leaving the scene, attempt to destroy possible evidence and possible flight off the island. But then, they are locals and those actions have been de rigueur in a lot of news items they’ve seen in the past.[/quote]
true, compensating the family would have been the best solution. It would run him a between 1 and 2 Million NT dollar gift to do so, but that isn’t a lot of cash when you are talking about freedom.
[quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“TainanCowboy”]To add another view on this -
My wife and I have been discussing this incident quite a bit. She told me that her co-workers are also talking about this and have expressed various views on it.
However, there are several views that seem to be common.
Most are amazed at the low bail. They feel that the NT$150,000 and go was too little.
They that Mr. Dean hurt his case considerably when he did not immediately offer an apology for the situation happening. They said also that he should have made a monetary offer to the grieving family. Their loss of the bread-winner seemed to be strongly related to this part.
Of course, most Westerners would view that as an admission of guilt;but the locals here didn’t think that way. It was just something they thought was SOP in this kind of situation.
No comments about the drunk driving, leaving the scene, attempt to destroy possible evidence and possible flight off the island. But then, they are locals and those actions have been de rigueur in a lot of news items they’ve seen in the past.[/quote]
true, compensating the family would have been the best solution. It would run him a between 1 and 2 Million NT dollar gift to do so, but that isn’t a lot of cash when you are talking about freedom.[/quote]
Would NT$2 million buy you an out-of-jail card?
I think the story is too far gone for him to try that out with success, he;s looking at time and getting stripped naked in court afterward.
I don’t get why he did not jump into a cab. I really don’t. Even from where I live a cab home from wherever is a fair bit cheaper than a fine for DUI - not to speak of the guilt I would have to carry for the rest of my life.