Should parents be jailed if their children have access to their firearms and use them in a shooting?

[sambo77]

I don’t understand how the dad can be charged for 2nd degree murder. He did not kill anyone. That makes no sense.

Because he gave his mentally deranged child a firearm that he used to commit a mass homicide. The dad knew his son wasn't all there mentally. Ffs he was interviewed about threats and the dad still bought and gave him a rifle. Stop dancing around. You know the dad has blood on his hands as well. He can be charged with the crime because he deemed an accessory to it through his negligence. As well as there may be information not made public in the investigation that may further justify the charges.

 

[Ken Ford]

I don’t understand how the dad can be charged for 2nd degree murder. He did not kill anyone. That makes no sense.

He by omission allowed his gun to be used in a violent felony.

 

[lostchild]

So, by extension, anyone who sells or loans a gun, or has one stolen, can be charged if it is used in a crime?

 

[Dundee]

Substitute gun with car.
If you knowingly lent your car to a mentally disturbed minor, and they killed people with it, you’d expect to get charged.
Why is the gun a different scenario.
You enabled the deaths by giving the minor, who wasn’t supposed to have the thing, the ability to cause the deaths.

 

[spencer60]

In general, when talking about teenagers, I would say that parents can't really be held responsible for their kids actions.

By the time they hit 14 they are pretty much independent. In medieval times boys this age would be working a farm and girls would be getting married off.

So in 99.999% of the cases I'd say no, you shouldn't charge parents for a kids crime, no matter how bad it was.

The only difference in this particular case is that the father bought his kid a gun AFTER being warned by cops about his threats to shoot up a school. That crosses the line into negligence.

 

[GodBlessTheUSA]

So, by extension, anyone who sells or loans a gun, or has one stolen, can be charged if it is used in a crime?

I know there have been cases where someone was charged because a gun was stolen from them and used in a crime. I don't know if anyone has convicted for something like that.

However, there are lots of parents who have been charged when a small child finds the adult's gun and injures or kills someone, even the child themself, with the "unsecured" firearm.


From: https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/can-i-get-in-trouble-if-someone-steals-my-gun/

"Federal law, in general, protects gun owners in the event of a stolen firearm. While each situation is different, if your gun is stolen, then used in a crime, you can not be charged with that crime. Criminal charges would rarely be brought against you.

However, if you don’t contact police after the incident (more on reporting thefts below), you could be charged with not properly reporting the theft.

While you may not be charged with manslaughter (for example) if your stolen gun is used in a crime, you could be charged with negligence depending on state law. Again, each state has different laws in this regard, but if you did not take reasonable security measures with your firearm, a charge of negligence could be issued by police.

While criminal charges against owners of a stolen gun are rare, civil charges are not. A victim or a victim’s family can sue you in civil court, especially if you were careless with the storage and security of your firearm."

There's also: https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.c...-punished-if-someone-else-uses-my-firearm-com

I think the big issue here is, as repeated above, the dad bought (and gave) his son the rifle.

 

[lostchild]

In general, when talking about teenagers, I would say that parents can't really be held responsible for their kids actions.

By the time they hit 14 they are pretty much independent. In medieval times boys this age would be working a farm and girls would be getting married off.

So in 99.999% of the cases I'd say no, you shouldn't charge parents for a kids crime, no matter how bad it was.

The only difference in this particular case is that the father bought his kid a gun AFTER being warned by cops about his threats to shoot up a school. That crosses the line into negligence.

Thank God, my mom and grandmother didn't believe all the stories the cops told them about me.

 

[kimberlover]

So, by extension, anyone who sells or loans a gun, or has one stolen, can be charged if it is used in a crime?

maybe not charged with a crime but in a civil court anything can happen. A jury can be convinced that you sold a gun, on the ODT for example, to someone who should not have had a gun. They then can find you at fault and take everything you own. Many here sell guns without even checking ID, age, etc. Remember OJ?

 

[kuduboss]

The teenager will plead insanity and receive treatment instead of going to prison but the father will be found guilty. That would be my wildass guess.

 

[thevalueman]

Am I mistaken, or maybe this has already been discussed...it is unlawful to purchase a firearm to give to someone else....I believe my statement is correct....as I said, may be going over the same thing again, If so, sorry