http://www.wral.com/news/index.html

Quote :

"RALEIGH, N.C. -- A shopper charged with second-degree murder in connection with an argument that ended another woman's life will face no additional jail time after she accepted a plea deal on Monday. As part of the deal, Kimberly Arnold, 39, apologized and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Gina Loeh, 52. Authorities said that Arnold, of Powder Springs, Ga., shoved Loeh, who was blind and in poor health, so hard that she fell backward and hit her head on the pavement outside Ross Dress in Triangle Town Center. Loeh's death seven days later was ruled a homicide. "Not only did Ms. Arnold cause my mother's death, but she left me with something I will never forget or forgive," said Loeh's daughter, Stephanie. "Every time I close my eyes, I replay the scenes of that day in my head." Authorities said Arnold and the victim had been arguing inside the department store about who was next in line at the checkout counter. Arnold's attorney, Howard Kurtz, said his client was provoked when Loeh called her a derogatory term. "Most people don't expect that simply pushing somebody will cause such a horrible tragedy," Kurtz said. Arnold could have faced up to five years in prison under the involuntary manslaughter charge, but Wake County Superior Court Judge Leon Stanback sentenced her to 200 hours of community service, calling the case one in which everybody loses. "I'm sorry for your loss," Arnold told the Loeh family, who had hoped she would be sentenced to time in jail. Arnold, who was initially charged with assault with serious injury, did spend three days in jail after returning to Raleigh to face the second-degree murder charge. Kurtz said his client never intended to hurt anyone, and Stanback felt Arnold's time would have been better spent serving the community than in jail. Arnold, who has no prior criminal history, was also ordered to pay $35,000 in restitution. Stanback said her clean record factored into his decision. Wake County Assistant District Attorney Howard Cummings said he believes the racial slur also factored into the lenient sentence and that he had hoped for at least a year in jail. Some of Loeh's family members made statements in court, but had no comment to the news media after court proceedings. Arnold will carry out her community service in Georgia."

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 9:32 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2006 9:30:56 AM

did you read the article?

she wasnt sentenced to jail....she was still punished: 200 hours community service and $35,000 in restitution.

6/27/2006 9:33:40 AM

I'm not convinced this needs to be a racial issue.

6/27/2006 9:34:17 AM

i think the woman deserves punishment, but really all she did was push someone. albeit someone in poor health.

6/27/2006 9:35:53 AM

she did get punished, just not by jail time.

6/27/2006 9:36:55 AM

yeah i know.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 9:38 AM. Reason : i was agreeing.]

6/27/2006 9:38:23 AM

So if I pushed your black mother to the ground after she called me a honky and she died.....would I get community service?

The judge was black by the way

6/27/2006 9:44:03 AM

honestly, yeah that would be okay with me (especially if your mom had never had any legal troubles before).

i'm far LESS comfortable with someone getting pulled over for drunk driving and getting community service for it. they're more likely to endanger people's lives again.

6/27/2006 9:46:49 AM

I doubt the family will ever see a dime of that $35,000.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 9:50 AM. Reason : silly]

6/27/2006 9:48:21 AM

The lady was a blind unproductive member of soceity anyway, we should just off those people so soceities resources are better used. Besides she was a racist so her life doesn't matter. It's not like the law is supposed to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

6/27/2006 9:53:30 AM

Quote :

"I'm not convinced this needs to be a racial issue."

But the defense made it a race issue...

What they didn't mention was that in the daughter's testimony, the woman was screaming at her mother AFTER she was pushed to the ground.

This is unnaceptable. This is Political correctness at its worst.

^Yeah, thats how some feel about Hurricane Katrina

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 9:55 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2006 9:54:25 AM

let's see crazywade just made a topic: "Black muslims = stupid"

he's one to talk about making something a racial issue.

6/27/2006 9:57:02 AM

Do you know what the Nation of Islam is about?

6/27/2006 10:06:06 AM

why don't you tell me.

6/27/2006 10:12:49 AM

You're in grad school, look it up

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 10:18 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2006 10:18:21 AM

huh?

you're obviously implying something about islam and i'd like to know what it is. i obviously don't know as much as you do about islam. please inform me.

EDIT: didn't see you said nation of islam in your original reply to me.

but please tell me why "black muslims" are stupid. it is nowhere near the same thing.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 10:21 AM. Reason : oh]

6/27/2006 10:19:11 AM

You're obviously playing too cautiously with this topic.

I'm not wasting my time with this trash.


The muslims who were arrested were members of the N of I.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 10:27 AM. Reason : .]

6/27/2006 10:26:14 AM

The one thing I don't mind about Louis Farrakhan is that he keeps his followers poor and uneducated. This prevents the threat of any of them actually accomplishing anything major.

6/27/2006 10:31:53 AM

the fact that race was brought into it is annoying, and disgustingly PC.

But it doesnt change the fact that the woman pushed her, not intending that level of harm. being in jail isnt going to do anything for her. Paying out of her own pocket and doing comunity service is probably better than us paying to house her in a cell.

6/27/2006 10:36:38 AM

black woman not punished?

WAY TO READ

6/27/2006 10:54:33 AM

Quote :

"But it doesnt change the fact that the woman pushed her, not intending that level of harm. being in jail isnt going to do anything for her. Paying out of her own pocket and doing comunity service is probably better than us paying to house her in a cell."

I agree with this. I actually support hard labor for all crimes, regardless of severity.

6/27/2006 11:28:32 AM

Quote :

"Crazywade: But the defense made it a race issue..."

I would expect the defense to mention the racial slur--why wouldn't they discuss the precipitating events that lead to the incident? "Uhh, your Honor, my client just walked up to this woman out of nowhere and pushed the deceased to the ground without provocation."

Quote :

"Crazywade: What they didn't mention was that in the daughter's testimony, the woman was screaming at her mother AFTER she was pushed to the ground."

I tend to run my mouth before and after I push people too.

Quote :

"Crazywade: This is unnaceptable. This is Political correctness at its worst."

A white woman throws around racial slurs, and you're talking about political correctness? LOL

Quote :

"JennMc: I doubt the family will ever see a dime of that $35,000."

Why is that?

But, anyway, I actually have quite a bit of sympathy for Kimberly Arnold. Can you imagine that? You're just out shopping, things go wrong, you lose your temper, and BAM you've got a stranger's blood on your hands.

And does anybody else think it's funny that a blind woman referenced the color of somebody else's skin?

By the way, when I read about this before, it sounded like the deceased was some old lady...but 52? She musta been ridiculously stoned during the whole equal rights thing in the 60s.

And, yeah, I'm talking shit about a dead woman. When this story was first released, there was no mention of any racial slur. Why? Because you're not supposed to talk shit about dead people. Now that is actually some PC shit.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:05 PM. Reason : sss]

6/27/2006 12:04:48 PM

Quote :

"I actually have quite a bit of sympathy for Kimberly Arnold. Can you imagine that? You're just out shopping, things go wrong, you lose your temper, and BAM you've got a stranger's blood on your hands."

Can you imagine this? You are out shopping, things go wrong, somebody loses their temper, and BAM you die a slow death?

6/27/2006 12:10:00 PM

If this happened in Durham and the races were reversed, who thinks there'd be a riot?

6/27/2006 12:11:57 PM

^^I didn't say I had no sympathy for the deceased and her family. But I'm not one of those "aww, she's dead...let's pretend she did no wrong" people either.

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:14 PM. Reason : ddd]

6/27/2006 12:13:02 PM

^^Durham anywhere

^Bridget...I want you to go back and read the part of what you said that I quoted...the part about minding your business and BAM, etc...cause its absurd

"Can you imagine that? You are just minding your business, then BAM, you MURDER SOMEONE...I FEEL SORRY FOR SOMEBODY WHO CANT CONTROL THEIR TEMPER AND JUST KILLED A BLIND WOMAN

6/27/2006 12:13:08 PM

^I never said she was minding her business. I said things went wrong and she lost her temper.

6/27/2006 12:15:25 PM

i don't call yelling a racial slur "minding your own business"

6/27/2006 12:15:52 PM

so losing her temper is justification for murdering a woman and she should take no responsiblity?

you are waaaaaaay off on this one

i don't call CALLING SOMEONE A NAME just reason to MURDER SOMEONE

6/27/2006 12:16:00 PM

TreeTwista10, she didn't murder anybody, silly.

6/27/2006 12:16:53 PM

Well if the dead lady called the black woman a nigger in this case, I suppose the black lady proved her right.

Damn.

6/27/2006 12:17:21 PM

^^o rly?

Quote :

"Loeh's death seven days later was ruled a homicide"

6/27/2006 12:17:26 PM

well then it was taken back in a plea deal.

she pleaded guilty. she's doing community service and paying $35K, which is probably a lot of money for this woman. so she has been punished. that's a pretty big punishment for a push.

6/27/2006 12:18:19 PM

The description of Soap Box should be changed to "argue with TreeTwista about stupid issues that will inevitably have a black or white answer, whether they should or not. log off when he reverts to sarcasm."

6/27/2006 12:18:21 PM

or we can justify murdering a blind woman because "she only pushed her" and her intention wasnt to kill her

god forbid we let people TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS

6/27/2006 12:19:14 PM

TreeTwista10, homicide doesn't automatically mean murder.

6/27/2006 12:19:36 PM

bridget

the woman you claim to feel sorry for

killed another woman

and you feel sorry for the killer

the killer who assaulted a woman because of a verbal comment

the killer who couldnt control her temper

unbelievable

6/27/2006 12:21:26 PM

In my mind, murder means intent to kill. I'm sure this lady didn't mean to kill the white woman. IMO, it should have been a manslaughter charge.

6/27/2006 12:23:03 PM

^^You can judge me all you want. I feel sorry for child molesters. I've posted about it at length on here before.

I'm just one of those people, and since you're not one of those people, I wouldn't expect you to understand.

^Yeah, TreeTwista10's having a little trouble with the defintions. misdemeanor-manslaughter...there is such a thing in NC, right?

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:24 PM. Reason : sss]

6/27/2006 12:23:17 PM

Quote :

"A white woman throws around racial slurs, and you're talking about political correctness? LOL"

So the politically correct thing to do is make the black woman the victim because she had her feelings hurt.

6/27/2006 12:24:02 PM

anybody who feels sorry for child molesters and murderers has plenty of problems of their own

6/27/2006 12:24:31 PM

i think the real issue is allowing blacks in the same retail stores as whites.

i was in a walmart a few years back waiting in line and a new reqister opened up and said "ill take who's next" i was, so i went.

this big black lady started yelling at me and hit me with her cart.

i mean, sure its fun to not have to wait as long, but what is the justification for shopping-provoked violence?

had i been the judge, i would have additionally ordered some evaluation and/or counseling. what society needs people that anger this easily?

ive never seen a white person yell about anything in a store, or threaten or use physical force. as a society we should be above that.

6/27/2006 12:24:51 PM

Quote :

"Arnold, who was initially charged with assault with serious injury, did spend three days in jail after returning to Raleigh to face the second-degree murder charge."

yeah, Bridget's having a little trouble with reading

6/27/2006 12:28:15 PM

Quote :

"Black woman kills white woman and is not punished"

I was certain that this was a salisburyboy thread when I first saw it.

6/27/2006 12:28:35 PM

Quote :

"Grapehead: had i been the judge, i would have additionally ordered some evaluation and/or counseling. what society needs people that anger this easily?"

I agree.

Quote :

"Grapehead: ive never seen a white person yell about anything in a store, or threaten or use physical force. as a society we should be above that."

Why are you talking specifically about white people here?

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:38 PM. Reason : sss]

6/27/2006 12:34:24 PM

so bridget...this murderer that you feel sorry for...the one who cant control her temper...why do you feel sorry for her again?

Quote :

"I'm just one of those people, and since you're not one of those people, I wouldn't expect you to understand. "

cause to me thats not a great way to explain why you feel sorry for her

6/27/2006 12:35:16 PM

fuck all you honkey bitches

6/27/2006 12:36:25 PM

Quote :

"TreeTwista10: so bridget...this murderer that you feel sorry for...the one who cant control her temper...why do you feel sorry for her again?"

Oh, I dunno...maybe because I know what it's like to lose my temper...

Quote :

"TreeTwista10: Arnold, who was initially charged with assault with serious injury, did spend three days in jail after returning to Raleigh to face the second-degree murder charge."

She plead to involuntary manslaughter. This simply isn't a murder case. Give it up. For reference:

Quote :

"second–degree murder: a murder that is committed without premeditation but with some intent (as general or transferred intent) or other circumstances not covered by the first-degree murder statute"

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?db=mwlaw&q=murder

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:39 PM. Reason : sss]

6/27/2006 12:38:33 PM

yeah maybe because everybody knows what its like to lose their temper

its just some people can control themselves

unlike the killer you are feeling sorry for

[Edited on June 27, 2006 at 12:40 PM. Reason : boldfaced killer since theres such a huge moral difference to you in 'murder' and 'kill']

6/27/2006 12:39:22 PM

WWGD - what would Gandhi do?

he wouldn't push people down now would he

6/27/2006 12:40:29 PM