A disturbing new ‘game’ called Knockout has already caused deaths in three states, and law enforcement officials fear the trend may be spreading.
Unlike other tween games like The Choking Game or Fluffy Bunny, which can have unintended fatal consequences, Knockout is far more dangerous and much more criminal in nature.
The goal of Knockout, as the name implies, is to hit someone so hard with one punch that they are knocked out cold. Many people wouldn’t have a problem with this game if these idiots were playing the game amongst themselves, but the goal of Knockout is to punch a random, unsuspecting stranger. As you can see in the below video by CBS 2 in New York, it’s no surprise the game has already had deadly consequences.
That’s Assault, Brother
While some of the people in the video seem to believe Knockout is nothing more than a game or a test of strength, the description provided by one of the youths sounds a lot more like assault and theft.
“You just knock them out. With one blow. And you take their belongings,” said an unidentified teen in the video.
Others seem to think Knockout helps prevent boredom. When asked what the point of the game was, another teen responded, “For the fun of it. Like for little kids to run around and knock ‘em out.”
In September, a 51-year-old man was killed by a pair of teens playing the Knockout game. According to the police report, a 13-year-old threw the first punch, but when the punch didn’t render the victim unconscious, a 16-year-old accomplice threw a sucker punch that caused fatal brain bleeding.
The 13-year-old pled guilty to assault and attempted assault charges, while the 16-year-old was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter. Both teens were sentenced to 13 months in prison – a small price to pay for taking another person’s life.
Attorney Mel Welch comments
The seriousness of an assault in Minnesota is graduated from the infliction of harm or fear of harm (Fifth Degree) to the infliction of “great bodily harm,” which carries a risk of death in the act (First Degree – e.g., shooting a person with a gun). Minnesota Statute 609.222 states that the intentional infliction of “substantial bodily harm” is a third degree felony. So, what is “substantial bodily harm?”
The law defines “substantial bodily harm” as harm which causes “a temporary but substantial disfigurement, causes a temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or causes a fracture of any bodily member.” In practical effect, the Minnesota courts of appellate review have upheld jury verdicts conviction for Third Degree Assault where the assaultee has temporarily lost consciousness, lost a tooth, suffered a hairline fracture, or even sustained prominent scars. It makes no difference if the person intended to cause that amount of harm, only whether the person intended to cause harm and the person did de facto suffer that harm.
While the acts depicted in this media piece are atrocious, and certainly the acts of cowardice and malice, they do bring about consideration of how our laws treat those who run afoul of their letter. The youths shown at play here are doing grave, antisocial acts, with the intention of causing the damage of loss of consciousness. What about those others, however, who get caught up in the letter without the malicious intention?
Does our society hold place for those who birthed and reared a vitality in their progeny? It appears that our fathers’ bar-brawling days are behind us; our society and courts have decided that a civilized society holds no place for the parents of doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, farmers, construction workers or otherwise. When considered in tandem with the anti-bullying laws and the increased criminality of previously lawful behavior, it ought to give us a moment’s pause to consider the effect our zealous law-crafting has on our populace and future.
Related sources: CBS New York, USA Today
