This version of news updates has stories about another heartbreaking, senseless shooting, a border patrol agent being acquitted in the shooting of a teenage boy in Mexico, and Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions.
Another Heartbreaking, senseless shooting
In 2016, Sandra Parks was an 11-year-old student in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin public school system. Sandra entered an essay contest and wrote about gun violence. Her writing, called Our Truth, won first prize.
Last week, 13-year-old Sandra Parks was in her bedroom minding her business when a gunman randomly fired on the Parks’s home. A bullet ripped through the wall, struck Sandra in the chest, and killed her.
In two years, Sandra Parks went from winning an essay contest by writing about gun violence to being killed in a horrific, random shooting while sitting in her bedroom.
A Border Patrol Agent Shooting a teenager in Mexico
In 2012, Border Patrol Agent Lonnie Swartz was upset by teenagers throwing rocks from the Mexican side of the border. In response, Mr. Swartz began firing into Mexico. When his weapon was empty, Swartz reloaded and continued firing. Jos Antonio was hit by 10 of Swartz’s shots and died from his injuries.
A jury has acquitted Swartz of involuntary manslaughter. Next month, a judge will decide on the charge of voluntary manslaughter.
The difference between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter is provocation. In order to convict for voluntary manslaughter, you must show something excited the defendant and there wasn’t enough time for the defendant to cool down between the provocation and the killing. Typically, voluntary manslaughter is related to crimes of passion. Think of a man who catches his wife in bed with another man and kills her lover.
Involuntary manslaughter refers to an unintentional murder arising from criminally negligent conduct or reckless conduct. Involuntary manslaughter can also stem from the killing of someone during the commission of another crime other than during the commission of a felony. Involuntary manslaughter carries stiffer sentences.
So, the jury found Swartz didn’t act criminally negligent or extremely recklessly by repeatedly firing his weapon into a group of unarmed teenagers. For the court to convict for voluntary manslaughter, it will have to find Swartz was excited by the teenagers throwing rocks and that he didn’t have enough time to calm down before responding to their rock throwing by firing dozens of rounds at them.
Saudi Arabias Nuclear Ambitions
Saudi Arabia, you know the country that recently murdered a journalist and cut up his body, has apparently been negotiating with the Trump administration on a deal that would enable the kingdom to obtain nuclear weapons.
On the surface, the deal being discussed would allow Saudi Arabia to purchase designs for nuclear power plants from the United States. The deal is valued at upward of $80 billion. The hitch is that Saudi Arabia is insisting on buying its own fuel, even though it could purchase fuel at a cheaper rate than it could produce its own fuel. Additionally, it’s being reported the Saudis are unwilling to allow investigators from the United Nations to look anywhere in the country for a bomb if one was suspected.
The Trump administration hasn’t commented on the status of the negotiation. But privately officials are arguing that Saudi Arabia will buy the designs from Russia or China if they don’t buy them from the United States.