Cruise ship grandfather pleads guilty

[Hawkmoon]

That grandfather who dropped his granddaughter out an open window because he said he didn't know it was open has decided to accept a guilty plea on a charge of negligent homicide rather than fight it out.

https://www.newser.com/story/287439/grandfather-will-plead-guilty-in-toddlers-cruise-ship-death.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=uol&utm_campaign=rss_crime

Big deal. No hard time, probation served at home rather than in Puerto Rico. Basically no punishment, but hard time wouldn't bring the kid back so I suppose it doesn't matter. What cheeses me is that even in pleading guilty he doesn't accept responsibility. Now he says he didn't know the window was open because he's color blind. I very much doubt that he's color "blind"; more likely color weak and, since red-green weak is by far the most prevalent, that's probably what he has. I have severe red-green weakness, and I have no difficulty knowing when a window is open or closed.

I have sympathy for the parents, but none for the idiot grandfather. It must be incredibly hard for the mother, knowing that her father killed her daughter.

[230RN]

I suspect a large mete of justice was served the instant he realized the child had gone over.  I think the prosecutor side realized this.

[makattak]

I suspect a large mete of justice was served the instant he realized the child had gone over.  I think the prosecutor side realized this.

Not enough justice, it seems, as the family is suing the cruise line.

Look, I realize they don't want to admit to themselves that grandpa killed his granddaughter, but it's his fault. It's sad and heartrending, but it's the truth. Grandpa messed up and a little girl is dead as a result.

[Ben]

Look, I realize they don't want to admit to themselves that grandpa killed his granddaughter, but it's his fault. It's sad and heartrending, but it's the truth. Grandpa messed up and a little girl is dead as a result.

Agree. As I said when it first happened,  I think the finger pointing is practically an involuntary response by the brain to protect itself. This was a terrible tragedy due to some basic negligence. AFAIK, the grandfather truly didn't know the window was open. Had he known and still did this, I would have a different view. This was simply a "worst case" of someone not thinking, and he and his family are subconsciously looking for ways to divert blame.

He has to live with this the rest of his life, and personally, I think that's enough punishment in this case.

[MechAg94]

I agree that accepting blame in your mind for something like that is very hard to do.  It is easy to cast around for someone else to blame. 

[MillCreek]

I agree that accepting blame in your mind for something like that is very hard to do.  It is easy to cast around for someone else to blame.  

And in my world, that 'someone else to blame' ideally has large insurance policies that can be tapped to pay for a settlement or verdict.  Since of course it is their fault.

[Hawkmoon]

AFAIK, the grandfather truly didn't know the window was open. Had he known and still did this, I would have a different view. This was simply a "worst case" of someone not thinking, and he and his family are subconsciously looking for ways to divert blame.

Except that the earliest reports were that the grandfather was holding the little girl either in the open window or out through the open window (a la Michael Jackson and Blanket), and that he dropped her. The story quickly changed to "she fell," but I remember the original reports.

[230RN]

Ben said,

He has to live with this the rest of his life, and personally, I think that's enough punishment in this case.

I'm glad you agree with me.

The suit by the parents against the cruise line is a different matter.

My problem is how they can sue the cruise line when the grandfather already admitted to being guilty of negligent homicide. Only thing I can figure is they're looking for an out of court settlement with the case closed and sealed by the judge and the parties agree to keep silent about the amounts, etc.  Automatic cutoff of any further negative publicity, doncha know, and probably less of a hit on the company's deep pockets.

Terry. 230RN

[bedlamite]

They are wearing these:

[HankB]

Probation for negligent homicide - and he gets to go back home to "serve" his sentence. 

Essentially, kill a little kid - and walk. This wasn't a legitimate accident, he took his action with reckless disregard for the child. Saying "He feels pretty bad, so that's enough punishment" is so much bovine excrement.

I suppose if lesser charges like child endangerment or manslaughter had been in play then the "punishment" would have been a candy bar or ice cream cone.