Guilty or Not?

[Rosie_Riveter]

I don't know either, but I envisioned that an exposed electrical cord was wrapped around the chain between two nipple clamps.

Some homemade BDSM toys are wonderful, but I'm not thinking electro toys should be bought and assembled from DomDepot.

Ah. No, I wouldn't wing it with electricity either.

 

[Etoile]

I still can't picture what they were doing--they cut an electrical cord and exposed the wires?

I'm still confused on that point myself. I mean, I know basically what happened, they connected her body to household current and she died, but I'm vague on the details.

Personally, the tragedy here is that it's getting treated as an OOOOOH BAD sex crime, when it was two fully consenting adults enjoying themselves. Yes, they were stupid. No, they didn't know what they were doing, even though they'd done it before. Yes, they were VERY stupid. But a whole lot of the things "we" do are enough to kill somebody depending on how it's done. Of course we always try to be safe, but accidents DO happen, and they CAN result in death. I don't blame the guy for being into kinky stuff. Involuntary manslaughter is the correct charge - she died at his hands, regardless of the details - but OMG SEX IS BAD FOR YOU is not the right reaction.

(Not that I've seen that here - I'm referring to posts elsewhere.)

And even if the guy is a moron, I still feel bad for him. He's in jail, dealing with the death of a loved one, and undoubtedly he's remorseful. (ie, not a psycho killer) He's in a bad place right now, and I do feel sorry for that.

 

[popcorn2721]

Possibly, though I've used TENS units carefully above the waist with no problems. The big screw up was here:


Never EVER use house current for electro stim. The voltage is too high and the human body simply cannot transfer that much energy without serious injury or death. It just doesn't work! Use a TENS unit, or save your pennies for a violet wand and all the yummy attachments. But wall current, car batteries, wheel chair batteries are all too strong. Electricity is one place where bigger is NOT fucking better and the margin for error is practically nil!

Yes they were both idiots to be playing that way, but I don't think it's murder. Do they have an accidental manslaughter thing down there? If they don't, then maybe a reckless endangerment charge? But if she consented, I'm not that would stick either. US law is weird.

Edit to add: Scratch that, he was charged with invol manslaughter and reckless endangerment.

Im not an expert on amperage and voltage but if Im not mistaken...I think that its the amperage that kills, not so much the voltage. Like with a Tesla coil, its possible to produce a high voltage charge with low amperage that is safer to handle (in a way, its like the plasma balls that we saw back in the 80s). Having said that, he also plugged his wife into household current. AC current will lock the muscles in the body as well as causing damage to the nervous system and literally burning the tissue from the electrons flowing through the "wet meat" to the nearest ground. This sometimes causes what is called "blow outs" where the tissue is literally blown off the bone from the transfer of electrons. You should never hook someone into household current. Ive been shocked by 110s and hooked into a 220 twice (both by accident by the way) I can tell you there is no mistakes when it comes to getting electrocuted. I also have been shocked with 54,000 volts from my race car ignition coil (it grounded from the left hand to the right and hit me 3 times before I could let go) and the DC current didnt cause me any serious problems. This guy fucked his wife up and I think that the charges fit the crime.

 

[Netzach]

One thing you will note on TENS units and whatever they plug you into at a chiropracrtor is that those puppies don't plug into the wall.

 

[popcorn2721]

One thing you will note on TENS units and whatever they plug you into at a chiropracrtor is that those puppies don't plug into the wall.

I think they also have warnings about running them across the chest and causing cardiac arrest (just cause nipples look kinda like battery terminals).

 

[Etoile]

I also wonder if she had pierced nipples. Not that you'd have to in order to cause damage, but I'm curious.

 

[Adakgirl]

I think that yes, he should be charged (excuse the pun) if being an idiot caused him to commit manslaughter, that is no excuse. Whoever said that this was the fault of both of them is right..but a mute point. She is dead and her punishment was final and complete.

 

[Evil_Geoff]

Being a social Darwinist (who thinks there needs to be a LOT more chlorine used in the gene pool) I'm all about natural selection and fools taking themselves out of the gene pool. I'm not so much into idiots taking other people out of the gene pool though.

In this _particular_ case, according to the Smoking Gun link that our friendly neighborhood bdsm_librarian posted:

On Wednesday evening, Taylor said, Kirsten removed her clothes, attached the clips, and shocked herself.

So at least the first shock she did herself. Yeah, the electrical tape over the mouth and repeated jolts might have been a "bad idea" on his part.

Oh, and just to correct another bit of mis-information that someone posted - there ARE commercial/medical electro-stimulation units that plug into the wall and use AC current (110v in typical US applications). I know because I've had them used on me for physical therapy and at my chiropractor. Portables use batteries, non-portables tend to be plug-ins, just like my violet wand.

Anyway, back to our poor kinky no-longer a couple...

We don't know if it was a totally home-made rig, a bastardized unit he kludged together, or if it was a commercial unit that our DomlyDom picked up at a "going out of business" auction or garage sale. For all we know, he might be an electrician, well aware of the risks involved. The articles indicated they've been doing kinky sex for the last 2 years, this may have been something they had done dozens, if not hundreds of times before.

But obviously, something went wrong _THIS_TIME_.

Was HE stupid? Maybe.

Was SHE stupid? Maybe.

Does it give the BDSM community and kinksters bad press? Abso-freaking-lutely.

Do we use this as an opportunity to remind ourselves to play safe? Yuppers.

Is an involuntary manslaughter charge appropriate? Maybe. It could in fact BE a murder, with the kinky sex story as a coverup, and if he has no record, pleads guilty, cries like a baby for the judge he could get 5 years probation... MUCH easier to do than life in prison, verstanze?

Let's wait and see what comes out in the wash before jumping to ANY conclusions about this case.

Just saying...

 

[rooky2]

guilty or not...and to what extent...a point to ponder?

Going into the act was wrong at the first place, but then it was a choice of the two willing adults, so we cannot debate. Still, if the story is taken on its face value, then it appears negligence, as it was not entire his decision to give the electric shocks; negligence, stupidity, yes. In this particular case, only one person died, on road thousands die every day because of these very factors: negligence and stupidity.

In some cases it is because of drink driving…, wonder how many would go on to sue them all…cure should be ban on alcohol to remove one major factor causing negligence or stupid driving? No, we as a society have permitted it to be legal, so let it be. However, society also informs not to go beyond certain limit, violators are therefore fined, but not executed for murder even if death occurs. So as long as intention was not there, it’s an accident not a murder. Yes, they both did not had the “license” to perform the act, which makes it more serious, so punishment could be little bit harder for the survivor, unfortunately the other partner has paid the “fine” already more then she deserved. But, yes, if intentions are proved, some how, then sure he is a murderer and should be sentenced for it.

 

[MasterPhoenix]

From appearences invoulnatary man and or reckless sounds about right...

IF there is more to the story that comes out, all bets are off...

 

[Etoile]

I agree. Based on what we know right now, yes he is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. In fact, stupidity isn't even a legal issue - unless he is mentally retarded, he knew the risk was there, therefore he was deliberately reckless.

Her willingness to participate also doesn't have a legal impact. The first shock is not what killed her, therefore it was one that he inflicted, therefore it was involuntary manslaughter.

Wikipedia may not be perfect, but it is educational to an extent.

 

[popcorn2721]

....
We don't know if it was a totally home-made rig, a bastardized unit he kludged together, or if it was a commercial unit that our DomlyDom picked up at a "going out of business" auction or garage sale. For all we know, he might be an electrician, well aware of the risks involved. The articles indicated they've been doing kinky sex for the last 2 years, this may have been something they had done dozens, if not hundreds of times before.

I thought it said in the news report that he had just plugged her into a wallsocket with a cord.

 

[Snuggle Bunz]

Is it wrong that that little story made me giggle?
What I wanna know is where did he clip that cord?

 

[popcorn2721]

Is it wrong that that little story made me giggle?
What I wanna know is where did he clip that cord?

I was thinking that he cut the end of an extension cord and put 2 alligator clips on the end... one being positive and the other being the negative ground. When this crude device was plugged in, the AC current locked the muscles of the heart causing her to have a heart attack of sorts.