The Outsiders Group

Question:

xoblueyeox
xoblueyeox
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Would Johnny have been guilty for manslaughter if he would have lived?  If so, why?

You are loooking at the case through the perspective that Johnny should be tried for murder.

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Posted by xoblueyeox on Friday June 12, 2009 at 8:10 AM and tagged with characters, johnny, manslaughter.

Answers:


  1. ladyvols1 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    In "The Outsiders," Ponyboy and Johnny were in the park late at night and the Socs approached them and began harrassing them.  They began to push Ponyboy's head in the fountain and kept pushing him under.  Johnny was afraid of them because he had been severely beaten by them earlier.  He was afraid they were going to kill Ponyboy so he ran at them with a switchblade and killed Bob. 

     If criminal charges had been brought against Johnny he could have been charged with manslaughter or murder in the 2nd degree.  The reason he would not have been charged with murder in the first degree is because it was not a premeditated crime.  It was a crime committed in reaction to self-defense or defense of a friend.  He committed the crime in a state of duress, and this would have been grounds for manslaughter or murder in the second degree.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/outsiders/character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/outsiders/summary
    http://www.enotes.com/outsiders/themes

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    Posted by ladyvols1 on Friday June 12, 2009 at 12:14 PM