Man killed for saying hello

Evening Standard ^ | April 4, 2005 | Rob Singh

[ConservativeStatement]

A man was battered to death for simply saying "how are you" to a fellow customer at a shop counter. Witnesses told today that as Daniel Pater, 29, lay dying from his injuries, his killer stole his watch off his wrist and walked off. Two of Mr Pater's flatmates tried to help him but could not stop the stranger's punches.

[diamond6]

The Culture of Death

[Lazamataz]

Hello Kitty.

Goodbye Kitty.

[theFIRMbss]

>I don't think I'm gonna have to wait long to read the headline "MAN KILLED FOR POSTING ON FR." It'll either be a MinuteMan thread or a Schiavo thread ...

Q: How many corpses
of Terry Schiavo does
it take to change a

light bulb? A: A million
and one! One to change the bulb,
and a million to

machine gun down all
the Nazis who want to keep
the world living in

eternal darkness!
(There you go, that's my Terri
Schiavo's corpse joke.)

[Lazamataz]

Until it's your brother/son etc.

Are you kiddin'???

It's ONLY funny if it's your brother / son / etc.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Luckily the victim's flatmates didn't have guns -- they could have killed the murderer! < /sarcasm>

[Jakarta ex-pat]

"The Culture of Death"

The culture of immigration.

30 years ago this would have been headline news.

Nowadays it would barely make the back page.

"Mr Singh-Madhang said: "Daniel just said 'hello' to this guy and he turned on him. Daniel could not do anything. The other guy was huge - about 6ft 7ins. Even when he saw how much damage was done, he just took Daniel's watch, put it in his pocket and walked out of the shop."

[Truth29]

The current culture and laws in Britain breed passivity. In fact, if the victim resists, that use of force will be evaluated to see if the victim should be charged.

[armymarinemom]

I find it hard to believe that there was nothing near at hand in a convenience store that could have at least been used to put the attacker's lights out while his back was turned.

He should have been with his girlfriend. Most women carry a large battering object over their shoulder called a purse. It is odd that there was nothing near to smack the guy a good one.

[1066AD]

Yes, those sweet peaceful "travellers" again

[Jakarta ex-pat]

"Are you kiddin'??? It's ONLY funny if it's your brother / son / etc."

HAHAHAHAHA.........

Hardly.

I like you very much Laz, but today i'll pass.

[DJ MacWoW]

Dang! Well at least he won't be accused of being menopausal or PMSing.

[new cruelty]

Hold still, kitty.

[Ignatz]

It is odd that there was nothing near to smack the guy a good one.

I'm sure there was, but using something would have made that "something" a weapon - which is illegal in Britain.

[johnb838]

Hmmm. I remember the episode in which the bank offered $50 if they didn't say hello, and Kramer went in and the teller said "Hey" so Kramer tried to collect the $50. The bank didn't want to pay off and all sorts of comedy ensued. As I recall it ended with the manager opening his wallet pulling out a bill, saying "you got a greeting, it started with an 'H', how about $20", Kramer snatches the bill "done!" and saunters out in that inimitable Kramer style.

[beezdotcom]

(There you go, that's my Terri Schiavo's corpse joke.)

The best part about that joke is it can be used to offend both sides of the argument.

Of course, if you really wanted to get EVERYBODY roiled, you should have made a joke like "How many illegal aliens does it take to remove a feeding tube?" or something like that...

[Spok]

It would be an interesting poll to ask people in the UK if gun control has made them safer.

[SoCal Pubbie]

There have been cases when a single punch was fatal. Are there any more details to this story?

[Lazamataz]

Of course, if you really wanted to get EVERYBODY roiled, you should have made a joke like "How many illegal aliens does it take to remove a feeding tube?" or something like that...

How many illegal aliens does it take to remove the Pope's feeding tube.

[Lazamataz]

No, you are not allowed to pass.

You must be offended.

[wideawake]

The linked article says that his friends tried to help but they couldn't stop the beating.

Somebody starts wailing on my friend like that in a convenience store, he's getting a large bottle of cheap wine to the back of the head.