If Adam Johnson’s tragedy happened in Finland, the player would not be held criminally liable, Matti Tolvanen thinks.
Adam Johnson died when he was only 29 years old. ZUMAwire/MVphotos
Ice hockey player in Finland by Adam Johnson the death case would not lead to a criminal investigation.
Johnson died in October while playing for the opposing team Matt Petgrave a skate cut his neck mid-match. Moments earlier, Petgrave was hit by contact, causing the player to lose his balance and his leg swinging upwards.
– In Finland, the policy is that if you act according to the rules in a game situation or do not clearly exceed what is allowed in the rules, you will not be held criminally liable. Even if this happens (the player dies), there should not be a crime in the case, says the professor of criminal and procedural law Matti Tolvanen.
– I would assume that we would have considered that an accident.
According to the British media, the police arrested a man on Tuesday on suspicion of a crime related to Johnson’s death. The man was not named publicly.
The arrested man is suspected of a crime under the title manslaughter. It can be translated into Finnish as manslaughter or manslaughter, but there is no direct equivalent.
– Manslaughter is a rather tough title. It is surprising that it is being investigated. Manslaughter can in Finland mainly mean manslaughter or aggravated manslaughter. One might think that this is being investigated as an act that corresponds to gross negligence in Finland, Tolvanen analysed.
Which?
Matti Tolvanen does not believe that the suspect will end up criminally responsible. Jussi Eskola
Johnson died in a match in the English EIHL league. There are separate criminal titles in the local law voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.
The first of them means that the suspect intended to kill or cause serious bodily injury. Involuntary manslaughter it may be the case if the intention was not to kill or cause serious injury, but the victim died as a result of, for example, irresponsible actions or negligence.
– You certainly cannot investigate the case as intentional, because he (the player) certainly did not act intentionally. One could think that this is being investigated as negligent causing of death, Matti Tolvanen commented.
The expert does not believe that the suspect in Johnson’s case will end up criminally responsible.
– Not in Finland, at least not. I doubt that you will hardly have to in England either.
Rare
Adam Johnson has been remembered in hockey matches around the world. PDO
In Finland, damage that occurs outside of a game situation can be investigated as assault. In kaukalo or other ball games, the threshold of criminal suspicion is rarely exceeded.
– We have had a few cases. They have been damaged in a way that does not belong to the nature of the game or the matter has happened outside of the game situation. In them, we too have been convicted of abuse. It’s not very common.
Tolvanen doesn’t remember any cases comparable to Johnson’s criminal investigation, even in the world.
– I am not aware that if someone has died in a legal boxing match, they have been prosecuted for it. It would be closer to an intentional act, because in boxing you knock out. A crash always causes serious bodily injury.