Hunting accident

[Rowdie]

I've never done meth in my life, but in the grand scheme of all criminal offenses that can be violent, nonviolent, harmful or deadly to others or simply harmful to only one's own self, it makes absolutely perfect sense to me why a person simply ingesting meth is only a misdemeanor, or why a person putting any kind of harmful substance into their own bodies is only a misdemeanor. If there are subsequent actions like driving or an act of violence that open them up to other criminal offenses of a higher level, well that's a different story, but a person just solely ingesting meth? That is not worthy of a felony in any way, shape, or form in my opinion. I could draw a parallel to a person drinking themself to a passed out, vomitting stupor, or going back through the all-you-can-eat buffet line for the third time, or mountain climbing with absolutely no harnesses or ropes. If you get a thrill out of putting your life at risk but don't put others at risk in the process, have at it. Of course, the rest of us get to foot the bill because of your actions...but we are all guilty of doing things that cost others money so I'm going to step off the hypocritical soapbox before going down that path.

Anyway, I don't like that people do drugs any more than the next guy, and there are a lot of criminal offenses in my opinion that don't carry a harsh enough label or sentence, but this isn't even close to one of them.

While I'm all for freedom, when someone close to you, overdoses and dies, it changes your perspective.

 

[Dirty]

I’ve already been there with my family. We will have to just strongly disagree on that.

Plenty of past drug users among my family and friends. Had they all been labeled as felons each and every time they were caught ingesting those substances, those who pulled out of that stage of life and became good, successful individuals with a lot of lessons behind them would not have had that opportunity. I’m very confident in that.

Those that didn’t make it out of that mess weren’t gonna stop going down that road just because they were labeled a felon. In fact, they found other ways to wear that badge of dishonor before going to prison or dying.

Again, I will respectfully completely disagree.

 

[Rowdie]

I just wish the availability of hard drugs wasn't so FKN EASY. I'm for anything that gets that crap off the street. Laws and policies may help, but I realize that the determined addict will find it.

 

[lunkerslayer]

So was the guy who shot murdoch in the head under the influence of said controlled substance while hunting with a gun at night. If so how did law enforcement know that he ingested said meth how is possession of a controlled substance/under the influence of a controlled substance while handling a deadly weapon not a felony. I can agree with a misdemeanor if he was careless if he was a one person car accident where he ran into a shopping cart. The issue here is someone's life was cut short had the man just got done huffing gold paint sure misdemeanor all day but that's not the case here he ingested a controlled substance. As far as the north dakota century code is concerned ingesting meth is still considered a felony asumming the shooter ingested the meth in front of the officers why else did he get charged in the first place if the officers didn't see the meth being consumed.
The problem is I'm speculating here since I don't have all the facts but regardless if the man was under the influence of a controlled substance while handling a firearm why isn't this man being prosecuted to the full extent of the law regardless if his last offense was in 1995. I guess I will have to wait to here all the facts and if I'm wrong about my opinion then I will admit it.

 

[Dirty]

I’m also questioning this but have zero details other than the tiny little article. Not sure how the meth charge plays a part or if it even does.
I’m assuming we will know eventually.

Sad deal no matter what.

 

[wjschmaltz]

Were these guys hunting together or was this a stray bullet?

I don't mean to be insensitive and don't have all the info, but if me and my buddy go out drinking and I get into his car which he then crashes into a tree and kills me; I expect he would get charged with something, but please don't charge him for manslaughter on my accord. That part would be just as much my fault IMO. Maybe the guy was "secretly" high? Possibly didn't know his buddy was into drugs? Or maybe this was a stray bullet from an unrelated party in which case just ignore my comment altogether. Crap deal no matter what. Not here to places judgment on the dead, especially in the face of tragedy.

 

[lunkerslayer]

I agree dirty anything that I read that has the word meth in it makes me think the worst right away. That crap is poison and it ruins everything it is involved with, no amount of time will bring murdoch back and throwing this man in jail for the rest of his life wont change anything. I'd say if this man has true remorse for his mistake he will plead guilty except his punishment. We will see he has his first court appearance on the 21st