Should she be charged ?

[P.C.]

This story sickens me.....and it sickened me even more when I saw her racing to beat this train.

Do you think she should be charged with murder?  A friend was saying she'll suffer enough when it sinks in what she has done.  I disagree.....I want her to suffer more. (I know how awful that sounds....but JEEZ.....it was an unecessary act all for the sake of getting somewhere 5 minutes earlier ??)

  The woman's two daughters were killed in the Saturday morning collision, and her two sons were injured. The driver, Edie Bolanos, remained hospitalized in critical condition on Thursday, officials said.

The video shows a 1999 Mercury Villager driving rapidly through the station's parking lot alongside an eastbound freight train. As the mini-van turns south onto the Johnson Avenue crossing it is hit by a westbound train, then by the eastbound train.

  [A href="vny!://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-traindeath_websep07,1,975134.story?ctrack=1&cset=true"]vny!://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-traindeath_websep07,1,975134.story?ctrack=1&cset=true[/A]  

[ripper]

She should be charged but with manslaughter and not murder. Murder is a deliberate act. Hers was an act of stupidity and recklessness which resulted in death.

[P.C.]

I suppose that's true ripper.  And yet part of me thinks that the deliberate act of trying to outrun a train is more than an accident.  I can't believe that anyone who is racing to beat a train, isn't fully aware of the possible consequences..... death.  It seems to me she made a choice.

  It's one thing to live on the edge when it's only yourself.....but when you have the lives of others depending on your actions....you have to think more carefully.  

[ripper]

I couldn't have said it any better P.C. Unfortunately, she is not alone when it comes to reckless and irresponsible behaviour. We are so consumed by time constraints and deadlines that we all do some pretty dumb things without thinking sometimes. We may have the highest standards of living, but we sure pay a hell of a price for that luxury.

[P.C.]

Ain't that the truth.  

  I had a complete turn around of emotions after I saw the second bit of film come out.  At first I was crushed for this poor woman.  Then when the parking lot surveilance video of her bootin it to beat out that train surfaced, after the story first came out.....I lost every shred of sympathy for her and I felt really angry.

[Lise]

She'll suffer for the rest of her life for now on. I can't imagine a more horrible justice being done than to know you've killed your own children because of one stupid reckless behavior.

[P.C.]

She will Lise.  Part of me wants her to get to a place where she can be whole again for her other 2 children....and another part of me thinks she doesn't deserve them.  (And then there's the reality part that says, there but for the grace of god go I.)

  It's only a guess, but I'd bet this wasn't her first time being reckless and careless.  What a price.

[ripper]

P.C. wrote:
     It's only a guess, but I'd bet this wasn't her first time being reckless and careless.  What a price.[/DIV]
 I'm willing to bet that it wasn't her first time either. It's just the first time that she got caught. Play russian roulette long enough and even the luckiest guy in the world will eventually lose. Even so i do have a little sympathy for her. Something happens to the human brain when we get behind the wheel. We become more aggresive and impatient. That is something that we are all quilty of now and then.

[Lise]

I can't believe there are still people in this world who are like her who have children in their care. Terrible. As long as they're people like that, you can bet there will be little ones who will have to suffer. The world is not fair sometimes. *sigh*

[P.C.]

Ripper wrote:  Even so i do have a little sympathy for her.

  After all I've said......so do I.  I can't imagine the life of pain and regret she has in front of her.

[ripper]

And that is be the ultimate punishment. The quilt and turmoil she must feel and will continue to feel will eat her very soul.

[P.C.]

True ripper.  It's all so very sad.