Thursday, October 25, 2007

U.S. v. Banks (9th Cir. - Oct. 25, 2007)

Wait a minute. I'm confused.

A's girlfriend calls B a "crab". Which -- and I am not at all embarassed to admit that I did not know this until now -- is apparently an incredibly mean thing to call a Crip. At which point B, who has overheard the insult, tells A to -- and pardon my language on this one -- "check your bitch" (i.e., "control your woman").

At which point A responds -- and I think this is an entirely reasonable reply, by the way -- that "my baby's mama ain't no bitch." B then challenges A to fight. Chivalry, apparently, not being nearly as dead as might occasionally be reported. But A refuses.

All that I'm clear on. But tell me this: When B thereafter repeatedly attempts to murder A, you mean that's still a crime?! I mean, come on!!

But I guess you learn something new every day. As did B, who was sentenced to 37.5 years in federal prison. And didn't even get the joy of actually killing A.

Amazing. As an esteemed legal scholar once said: "'Attempted murder'. Now, honestly, what is that? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry? Do they?"

Well put.