You may recall that my son and I were shot at by our miscreant neighbour a while ago. Well he comes up in court soon and I would rather that he was charged with attempted murder instead of merely unlawfully discharging a firearm.
Does anyone have any idea where I can find out how close a .22 bullet needs to be to my ear for me to hear it whine past?
Any thoughts and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ernie
I dont know how close in New Zealand, but here in the USA, you would probably have to press charges with the District Attorney to have an arguement brought up by a prosecuter. If it is obvious, then the police officer making the investigation would be able to do it.
Ernie, I believe I have read that soldiers in the Civil War era learned that if they could hear an incoming round, it was not going to hit them. A round that they could see fired but could not hear was a cause for concern. Don't take that as fact, though. I don't know if a small bullet like a .22 would be the same.
If you can hear it whistling past then its close enough to be a problem >:(
A good 22 rifle is pretty accurate, got anybody you would trust to show you the difference in 5 feet and 20 feet ? :) :) Of course that probably wont do much good in court.
Quote from: Tom on October 27, 2008, 07:04:18 PM
I dont know how close in New Zealand, but here in the USA, you would probably have to press charges with the District Attorney to have an arguement brought up by a prosecuter. If it is obvious, then the police officer making the investigation would be able to do it.
I was hoping to be able to come up with some definitive distance that the round missed by and use that information to convince the police of the merits of laying the more severe charge. There must be some website somewhere which will give the quotable statistics but I have no idea how to word a search.
For starters: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_close_is_a_bullet_when_you_hear_the_whizzing_sound_of_it_passing_by (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_close_is_a_bullet_when_you_hear_the_whizzing_sound_of_it_passing_by)
I'll see what else I can dig up. Hopefully something of a scientific nature. If this guy tracks me down for helping you, you better tell him if he shoots at me he won't just hear my return fire...
Quote from: Warbird on October 27, 2008, 08:28:17 PM
I'll see what else I can dig up. Hopefully something of a scientific nature. If this guy tracks me down for helping you, you better tell him if he shoots at me he won't just hear my return fire...
Thanks Warbird, no worries on the tracking down, if brains were dynamite, he wouldn't even be able to blow his nose.
I talked to a physicist I know who just graduated with his doctorate. He says there is likely no way for you to determine how close it was, scientifically. So you and your son can state they were whizzing by and they were very close, but scientifically, it would be extremely difficult to say "they were within so many feet/inches/meters/etc from us".
Given the history you have described here, the fact you actually heard the rounds whizzing by, and the fact he was obviously angry, I am surprised the charge is not more severe. Can you or the police search the surrounding area where you were at, looking for bullet holes? I think that would be your best bet, at this point.
I think your answer lies not in the scientifics but with the perpatrator....Charge him with Attemped murder,Reckless endangerment,Criminal tresspass,Assault with a deadly weapon,Impersonating a roo,Anything you can think of and don't wait for the D.A. file the charges yourself. Get a good lawyer. Sounds like he's got conections. This is no time to be nice......Arm yourself if you are not already and take care of business for the sake of that little one on your lap. I wish you the best AIM STRAIGHT & SQUEEZE......Cheyenne
Many years ago my neighbor (about as intelligent as yours ) shot my dog because he was barking. My 8 month pregnant wife was standing five feet away. The charge was attempted murder.
I was down at the river this summer. Minding my old business fishing off the bank. It was around the 4th of july of course i was hearing bangs. Then i heard a buzzing/whistling sound go by my. I stepped back then another didnt take me long to figure out what it was. I started yelling at these teenage boys just down river from me. They really couldnt see me i was in some weeds. But as soon as i started yelling and got out in the water were they could see me no more shots. I was hot. Hearing that sound can put chills up your spine i know that. I think one of those boys was one that drowned the next day.
Quote from: semologger on October 30, 2008, 01:03:31 AM
I think one of those boys was one that drowned the next day.
I assume you had a good alibi?
Did he have a hook & bobber hanging from his mouth.......Cheyenne
nope didnt have nothing to do with it. It was a bad day to be on the river. One of those days you will never get out of your head.
Sounds like it was a much worse day on the river for him than you.