Criminal Justice Class 11

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Test scores have been handed back. I'm considering this to be, unofficially, a new quarter. This would be the best time to join or drop the class because there won't be another test for over a month. Also, the topics are going to get a little weird. By which I mean "More full of crack." Look below for proof. Class Info Link.]

Hello, class! Most of you did just fine on the test, even if all but one of you neglected the word "metaphor" in the extra credit.

Today's class will be a little different from previous classes. For the next couple weeks, we'll be discussing real world questions of Justice. When is it Just? When is it Too Far? Or, today's topic, Is this serial killing?

*Tick passes out various newspaper pages. They are all from different dates. They are all from the obituaties. They all feature one specific name. They are all from a small town in Colorado.*

All of these obituary pages include the name "Kenneth McCormick." Don't be fooled, it's not a very common name in that town. That is the same little kid dying over and over. Sometimes he is murdered. Sometimes it's a case of accidental manslaughter. Sometimes it's a freak, bizarre accident, the likelyhood of which is astonishingly low.

Almost every day, he is killed is a horrifying way, only to be alive to die the next day. And, from what I've been able to find out, he has been truly dead each and every time. Sometimes his head is clearly removed from his body and eaten by rats. This is not a mistake or a scam. It's just life there. Except for when it's death.

Some people have been responsible for his death multiple times, either by accident or design. My questions to you are: If somebody kills this boy more than once, is that person a serial killer? Is it the number of acts that counts toward this distinction, or is it the number of victims? If you plotted his death, could it even be considered murder if you knew he'd be alive the next day? Discuss this case from any angle you see fit.

This week's extra credit is: find me a snazzy hat. That nice student selling the CDs the other day wore a really snazzy hat. I want to know where to find a snazzy hat of my own. Just show me what the hat looks like, and I'll follow the snazz to the source!

Comments

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

[OOC: Next class topic: Am I a serial killer if I keep accidentally killing people with laughter?]

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

[OOC: About half of the love this time should go to a_phale. This sprung directly out of a conversation with him. It was a weird conversation.]

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

[OOC: I'm pleading not guilty. There was no malice! It was curiosity! I wasn't actually intending to kill them, I just wanted to see if they could die from laughter!]

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron enters the class and hands over his assignment (http://www.livejournal.com/users/cameronmitchell/18706.html) to the Tick.

"I don't think knowing that someone will be alive again afterwards lessens the crime of killing a person. You still actively decide to go through with the crime and make someone suffer. If you then happen to kill the same person yet again the next day, that only confirms that what you are doing is wrong. Killing one time is bad, killing the same person twice makes it worse, killing more than one person is definitely not on. Killing is a crime that is equally bad whether you do it once or multiple times. It's the act that makes the distinction, not the amount of times or the amount of victims.

Unless of course, Kenneth McCormick actively asked to be killed over and over again and gets some weird ass kick out of it... but that would just be wrong."

He hands Tick a snazzy hat (http://www.manbottle.com/pictures/easterhat1.jpg) made out of marshmellows.

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

Tick accepts the assignment with a "Thank you, Cam!"

"What about the people who didn't deliberately kill him? If the intent isn't there, but a person still kills him multiple times, does it chalk up to bad luck or is there still a greater punishment?"

"Ooh, snazzy hat! Marshmellowy."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Are we talking about a crime of passion, self defence or an accident? A crime of passion shows that the person does not know how to deal with their anger. There might be negating circumstances in that case which might mean that the punishment can be lighter than if he had actively sought out to kill the person. If it's self defence, that usually means that the victim wasn't up to much good either. Two wrongs still don't make a right, but it would be understandable and depending on circumstances even justified. Accidents happen, I think in this case the guilt which the person will have to carry around for the rest of his life will be enough punishment as it is."

He smiles as Tick accepts the hat. "I thought it would be handy for when you are on patrol and get hungry, sir. Then you always have a snack around and an instant sugar rush to help fight crime."

[can_be_more]

This is really not helping Aeryn wrap her brain around the human species, you know. "This can actually happen?" she asks.

[names-ash.livejournal.com]

::sticks his head in the classroom::

No, being a cereal killer would involve evicerating Count Chocula with a chainsaw! And then as a follow up, making a nice floor rug out of Tony the Tiger. Oooooh, and I'd finish by commiting mutiny and making Cap'n Crunch walk the plank... just so I could take his snazzy hat and give it to you, you big blue beautiful bastard!

::laughs, and leaves::

[janet_fraiser]

Janet stops in and looks for a sign-up sheet. "Hi, would you mind if I signed up for this class?" she asks the Tick.

[janet_fraiser]

"Generally only if you're Daniel Jackson."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Oh, please join this class. ::puppy dog eyes:::

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

The diagnostic criteria for a serial killer is not what happens to his victim afterwards, so the people, bears, and electrical apperatus that have killed Kenny repeatedly are properly termed serial killers.

{KENNY}

[prof-methos.livejournal.com]

*Kenny hears his name, sticks his head into the class, hears, "Sometimes his head is clearly removed from his body" and runs like a little sissy boy*

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

It's extremely rare - this is the only case I've heard of where a person dies practically every day - but it does seem to be possible. But if you think about it, it's not too strange compared to this school. We have a few dead people walking around, actually.

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

Tick stares at the doorway for a moment after Ash left.

He turns to the class and says, "Please do not kill anyone for extra credit." He glanced back at the doorway and added, "And maybe avoid Professor Ash for a couple days. He seems kinda weird at the moment."

Re: {KENNY}

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

[OOC: I was hoping you'd do something like that! That's the reason I had the decapitation bit in there in the first place. :)]

[aka-vala.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. *frowns* If you kill him over and over then he's a victim each time, right? So you're still a serial killer based just on number of victims.

You just usually don't get a chance to kill one person and bring them back just to kill them again. That's... that's worse. *looks a bit nauseous* That's the worst kind of torture, isn't it?

*pulls self together*

And here (http://www.vancourier.com/gallery/Floral%20Hat.jpg). I think it would look lovely and very festive on you!

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory quietly takes a seat in the back and takes out a notebook, and an arsenal of pens. She has the typical black and blue, as well as a myriad of bright, whimsical colors.

And there are highlighters. Oh, there are highlighters.

She starts busily taking (very neat) notes on the class discussion.

[janet_fraiser]

"Hi," says Janet. "I remember you. You're the head injury from zombie weekend. Jack, right?"

OOC: Hee!

[can_be_more]

"Or, strangely enough, John Crichton."

[can_be_more]

"Yes, but they don't get killed every day. That I know of. What are this... Kenny's feelings on the matter? Has he pressed charges once?"

[can_be_more]

Aeryn stares at the doorway after he leaves. "Should I have understood a word of that?" she asks.