Cops: Man dies after punch from Burger King worker

[Kairi]

DETROIT — The death of a 67-year-old Detroit Burger King customer who police say fell and later died after being punched by a 20-year-old employee has been ruled a homicide.

Wayne County medical examiner's office spokesman Dennis Niemiec says an autopsy conducted Friday determined that Paul Cannon died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Niemiec says the man's dentures were "not an issue" in the death. An earlier report said the punch may have caused the older man to choke on his dentures.

Police say Cannon was reportedly causing a disturbance Thursday afternoon at the restaurant on the city's east side and tried to hit the worker, who swung back.

The worker was in police custody Friday.

Burger King spokeswoman Denise Wilson said Friday that company officials were aware of the incident, and the franchise owner was cooperating with police.

 

[Matt Reptar]

They better not charge the employee with murder. I'm sure when he punched him, he didn't know the guy was gonna die.

 

[Kizza]

It's manslaughter unless they prove he had an intent to kill.

 

[NotReallyaGoodUN]

Stuff like this reminds me to control my temper.

And yeah..it's manslaughter. There was obviously no malice there.

 

[Kingslayer]

So let's see if I have this right. An old man causes a disturbance, takes a swing at a worker, the worker swings back and the old fart dies, and it's murder? Bullshit. That's self defence and keeping the peace. They better not charge this guy with murder, I would've done the same thing, the piece of shit takes a swing at me.

 

[scottcs88]

well to be Honest, all this could of been avoided if the 20 year old would of dodge, and got him in a headlock and basically held him untill cops came. No reason to punch him, although he did deserve it but there are other ways to stop what's going on and Maintaining the peace.

 

[Rush]

I can understand why this would at first be treated as a homicide. Take into account the age differences, I think I could handle a 67 year old man quite easily if he swung at me. I can't imagine it being such a serious situation that punching the man was necessary.

 

[shutupchico]

if someone hits u first, i can see why you'd hit back regardless of age. you don't think with a levelhead when u get punched in the face, u fill with rage. now i don't mean just pummel the shit out of the person, but you are gonna wanna get your shot back. if it happened off one punch, i say not a homicide, if he kept hitting him, then yea, homicide. what was he mad about, no cheese on his burger? c'mon.

 

[SAL]

Homicide is not murder. When they declare it a homicide, all they're saying is that the punch caused the death. And for the record, murder is more than just intent to kill. It's murder if you intend to kill someone, if you know your actions are very likely to cause death, or if you act with "extreme recklessness." All of your instincts are right, this won't be murder, and might not even be manslaughter depending on what exactly when down.

 

[Chuck Norris]

What asshole 20-year old would punch out a senior citizen? I mean, self-defense my ass. Hold him down, put him in some sort of lock, it's just an old man.

 

[Rush]

Homicide is not murder. When they declare it a homicide, all they're saying is that the punch caused the death. And for the record, murder is more than just intent to kill. It's murder if you intend to kill someone, if you know your actions are very likely to cause death, or if you act with "extreme recklessness." All of your instincts are right, this won't be murder, and might not even be manslaughter depending on what exactly when down.

Okay so legally, homicide is not murder, legally.

 

[SAL]

Yes. Calling it homicide doesn't even necessarily mean it's a crime.

 

[Rush]

It is murder though, unless its manslaughter which I don't think it is. Because he's hit him in the head, and that is a dangerous attack under any forms of attack. I'll stick by the notion that he had the upper hand and did not need to punch him in order to restrain him.

 

[SAL]

No way is this murder. You can't expect someone to die just because you punch them. This is what manslaughter is meant to cover.

 

[Phenomenal1]

Iirc Sal is going to college for criminal degree or something so I'd advise people to not argue with him.