New Year's Eve coward punch victim Daniel Christie dies

[-Moniquee.]

It is so sad that this is happening so frequently! Innocent victims getting killed! The same thing happened in 2012, the victim died and the person who hit only got a prison sentence of 4 years. This needs to be so much longer.

Sourced and quoted from the Daily Telegraph.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/new-years-eve-coward-punch-victim-daniel-christie-dies/story-fni0cx12-1226799602482

"THIS is the saddest announcement we can possibly make - that Daniel is no longer with us."With those words, the family of teenager Daniel Christie revealed their beloved son had died yesterday - after 11 days of watching him fight to wake up from a coma brought on by a "coward punch" attack.
The heartbreaking news was made at 2.50pm after a procession of family and friends had stood by his bedside, bidding farewell to the much-loved 18-year-old.
His family said Daniel's death had destroyed them and had "torn a hole in the wider community in which he was involved".
"We have been overwhelmed by support and have felt the whole country experience our grief," the Christie family said in a statement.
Daniel was admitted to St Vincent's Hospital on New Year's Eve after allegedly being attacked by 25-year-old Shaun McNeil on Victoria St, Potts Point. Mr McNeil, a labourer, was arrested at the scene and charged with assaulting and several other young men, including Daniel's brother, Peter Christie.
Read the Christie family statement in full (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/daniel-christie-dies-family-statement-in-full/story-fni0cx12-1226799608890)
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/01/11/1226799/671394-61b96aa8-7a90-11e3-ae56-4ce697eaa265.jpg
The family of Daniel Christie (father Michael on the left). Source: News Limited


Police said yesterday further charges, including a possible murder charge, might be laid against Mr McNeil when he returned to court on March 4. This was backed by Attorney-General Greg Smith, who has briefed the Director of Public Prosecutions to examine whether murder charges would be appropriate.
The alleged attack happened metres from where 18-year-old Thomas Kelly was fatally felled by a single punch in 2012.
The Christies said that to honour Daniel's generous spirit they would donate his organs. "Although we are absolutely devastated at the tragic loss of our Daniel, we believe by sharing such a special gift with those in need, he is well and truly living on."
The family added: "Daniel was exceptional. He was a beacon of morality with a heart of gold. We are so proud of Daniel and will strive to live with the core values he possessed: respect, dignity, pride and integrity.
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/01/11/1226799/671450-6e4ce89e-7a90-11e3-ae56-4ce697eaa265.jpg
Daniel Christie's Dad Michael and brother Peter outside St Vincent's Hospital. Source: News Limited


"We do not want Daniel's death to be in vain and are committed to rallying for change.A positive change needs to come from such a negative situation. ... Daniel lived by the mantra 'If change can be, it's up to me' - and this is something we will always embrace.
"We would like 'coward punches' to be a thing of the past. People have the right to go out without experiencing mindless violence.
"If you are going for a night out, please honour Daniel's memory by thinking before you drink. Make sure your mates don't get carried away and do anything they'll later regret.
"Finally, these incidents make you realise how fragile life can be. Go home and hug your children. Tell them you love them. Cherish your family … you never know when your loved one could be gone."
By last night, more than 126,000 people had signed a petition calling on the O'Farrell government to reform sentencing laws to curb alcohol-fuelled violence.

[GommeInc]

Never heard the term "coward punch" before. Not sure what that's called in the UK. Either way, it seems very stupid to just randomly punch someone. It may not necessarily have the outcome of murder as you obviously need an intent to kill, but it would be voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter IF the defence was/is clinically proven to have some sort of mental problem which makes him random lash out without his full control - but that seems unlikely.

[Yawn]

disgusting


The alleged attack happened metres from where 18-year-old Thomas Kelly was fatally felled by a single punch in 2012.

and creepy

[-Moniquee.]

A coward punch is also referred to as a 'King hit'. Normally most of the damage is done when the victims head hits the ground at such a large force. It is happening a lot in Australia. Apparently the guy whom did it had an intention of seriously hurting/ killing someone, he wrote status' on Facebook about it about a month beforehand.

Thoughts and prayers are with the family.

[karter]

this is so scary wtf

- - - Updated - - -

rip

[Futz]

should get charged for murder if it was a random attack

I think a coward punch is a unexpected single blow that knocks someone out, like a suckerpunch except with a definate knockout

[GommeInc]

A coward punch is also referred to as a 'King hit'. Normally most of the damage is done when the victims head hits the ground at such a large force. It is happening a lot in Australia. Apparently the guy whom did it had an intention of seriously hurting/ killing someone, he wrote status' about it about a month beforehand.
May be murder or either of the manslaughters, but Australia may have different rules defining them. Either way, the man seems a bit messed up :/ Where did that particular type of attack come from? It seems like one of those types of violence that is being mimicked from somewhere, like happy slapping.

[Yawn]

yh its not something u hear about in the uk (i dont hear about it anyway)
sure fights break out all the time in town but ppl dont die
it sounds quite common in aus especially if some1 died so close the exact same way :S

[-Moniquee.]

May be murder or either of the manslaughters, but Australia may have different rules defining them. Either way, the man seems a bit messed up :/ Where did that particular type of attack come from? It seems like one of those types of violence that is being mimicked from somewhere, like happy slapping.

I'm not entirely sure where it came from. I hadn't even heard about it 2-3 years ago. But lately it seems to be happening all the time. Most of it is happening in the same suburb too, which is scary. The guy was a mixed martial artist fighter so the other guy didn't really have a chance.. I just feel for his family who never got to say goodbye properly. Apparently when the guy appeared in court he was really teary.. I was like well it is a bit too late for that.

[GommeInc]

Apparently when the guy appeared in court he was really teary.. I was like well it is a bit too late for that.
Yet he was saying via social media how he was wanting to injure or kill someone before it? A lesson should have been learnt the first time an attack like this happened. Looks like your Government needs to start cracking down and re-educating people about these sorts of crimes - ABH, GBH etc. Such a shame for the family, having their son killed by such a pointless act :/

[Eric]

Daniel was taken to St Vincents Hospital, where another man lay in the hospital's intensive care unit after being punched 25 times in the head earlier that night in an unrelated incident. It is understood that man has recovered from his injuries.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/daniel-christie-dies-following-kinghit-punch-20140111-30ndv.html#ixzz2q6HGpPMC

this is scary

and


It has happened again. Teenager Daniel Christie has become at least the 15th fatality from a king-hit punch in seven years. Ninety-one Australians have died this way since 2000.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/daniel-christie-latest-fatality-in-epidemic-of-street-violence-20140111-30nmz.html#ixzz2q6Hu9RyZ

[Daltron]

This is so saddening to read, I almost cried when I saw it on my newsfeed on FB.

And it's so sad that the state government here is trying to say this is not the fault of alcohol and shutting down pubs and clubs with an earlier lockout won't solve the problem when it's been proved to solve increased levels of violence in other places around the globe.

It's typically called a King-hit where one hit knocks the victim out (Most the attacks happen in Kings Cross where it's becoming harder and harder to reform the law to solve the increasing violence, I was there on Australia Day last year and I was scared for my own safety) but now media is moving to call it a 'Coward Hit' as King Hit is too appealing to drop kick idiots. It' scary that this is becoming more common and the victims are always MUCH MUCH MUCH smaller than the offender which is sickening. If you want to pick a fight, fight someone your own size and see what happens, cowards.


The offender will only be charged with manslaughter because that's both the black letter law stance and the common law position here but I do think there needs to be an attempt to bump this up to murder charge for the future so people have more common sense but to me it is murder. If you attempt to cause violence and someone dies from that you should be liable for it, end of story.

I wish politics and the law was based on common sense and the government would just respond and do whatever it takes to solve this problem but there is much more to it than that unfortunately.

I hope the offender rots in hell and is treated like a doormat in jail. He has no place in modern day society.

Rest In Peace

[-:Undertaker:-]

I heard a story similar to this in Hull a week ago, the taxi driver was telling me that a young lad was walking home from a night in town - saw a fight, tried to break it up - and ended up being killed. Had a wife and two children too.

[Chippiewill]

It is so sad that this is happening so frequently! Innocent victims getting killed! The same thing happened in 2012, the victim died and the person who hit only got a prison sentence of 4 years. This needs to be so much longer.
You have to be careful and take into account intent and potential for premeditation. If they just wanted to punch a guy then really it's manslaughter rather than murder in which case 4 years sounds appropriate if not harsh.