Consider the following criminal case scenario, choose your verdict, submit your verdict and be entered to win an XBOX or an IPOD! Verdicts can be submitted to:

Attn. K. Stepanik, 5233 – 49th Avenue, Red Deer, AB, T4N 6G5 or kstepanik@altalaw.ca

OR

Join us on Law Day at the Red Deer Courthouse where you can submit your verdict, see the trial of the accused and hear the decision of the Judge!

Death by Throwing Star, or is it?

Shortly after noon, Freddy, a seventeen year old who has been training for the Young Adult Pure Fighting Championship Competition, is anxiously walking home. Freddy had just last week stood in a two hour line-up at Best Buy to get the newest game for his XBOX 360 Kinect. Freddy cannot wait to get home, kick up his feet and play his new game. Freddy climbs the eight flights of stairs up to his apartment and approaches his apartment door. To Freddy’s surprise, the door is slightly open and the lock on the door is completely mangled. Freddy cautiously opens the door and steps into his apartment. There, he sees a complete stranger sitting in front of his T.V. Freddy slowly approaches the man from behind and as he nears closer, he sees that the man is playing Freddy’s favorite XBOX 360 Kinect game, Call of Duty - Black Ops. In disbelief, Freddy yells “What do you think you’re doing in my apartment playing my XBOX punk?!”.  The man turns around, stands up and says to Freddy “What do you think you’re doing and who are you calling punk, my name is Lenny. This is my apartment and I’m playing my XBOX”.  This man is delusional, Freddy thinks.  Freddy tells Lenny to leave. Lenny says to Freddy in a stubborn tone “I’ll leave, but I’m taking my game and XBOX with me”.  As Lenny begins to walk toward the door, Freddy jumps on him to prevent him from leaving with his XBOX and a struggle ensues. Freddy knocks Lenny down to the ground. Lenny stops fighting back and appears unconscious.  At that point, Freddy looks up at the T.V. screen and sees that Lenny has beat his highest Call of Duty - Black Ops score. This infuriates Freddy. He picks up Lenny, whose body is now limp, and pushes Lenny’s body out the window.

In the meantime, two floors below, Johnny is playing with his cool new throwing star. It’s Johnny’s birthday today and the throwing star was a birthday present from his grandma. His grandma told him that he can’t play with the throwing star until he turns 12 years old which will officially happen at 5 p.m. today. But, Johnny has decided that he wants to play with the star now and that he doesn’t need to listen to grandma. Johnny loves his throwing star and feels just like Raphael from the Ninja Turtles when he has it. While playing with his star, Johnny is munching on a hot and steamy cheese pizza. Johnny’s younger sister Betsy comes along and takes a piece of Johnny’s pizza without Johnny’s permission. Johnny is furious. Betsy can be such a cow sometimes, he thinks, she knows cheese pizza is Johnny’s favorite. In a fit of rage, Johnny throws the throwing star at his sister.  As the throwing star is spiralling toward her, Betsy ducks and the throwing star flies out of the window. As the throwing star is flying out of the window, Lenny is falling from two floors above.  The throwing star impales Lenny in the jugular area of the throat.  Lenny falls to the ground with a large thud. His limp body lands on the sidewalk below.  The ambulance is called and Lenny is pronounced dead at the scene. The police arrive and lay charges.