There’s a 50-50 chance that Caitlyn Jenner could be charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with a motor vehicle accident that took a life back in February 2015. That, however, has little to no impact on her status as a transgender icon. Regardless of whether the accident occurred while Caitlyn Jenner was still living life as Bruce or not, the accident that she was involved in took a life. It required an investigation, and should Caitlyn Jenner be found in some way criminally negligent, she should go through the appropriate legal proceedings.
Caitlyn Jenner is a member of the driving public, like many millions of adults are in society. Sometimes, drivers make mistakes. Speeding is one of those mistakes. If, tragically, the choice to speed – even a subconscious choice, as often happens – leads to injury or death and the driver might be responsible, then the appropriate measures must be taken. As a result, whether or not Caitlyn Jenner ultimately gets charged for her role in this traffic accident has more to do with her conscious efforts to remain a safe driver on the roads than it does with her role as a trans icon in society.
Would it be terrible if Caitlyn Jenner gets charged with vehicular manslaughter? Absolutely. However, as Alan Jackson , defense attorney and former prosecutor with the Major Crimes Division of the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office explained to Today, “There’s no felony here because I don’t believe that any of her conduct rises to the level of gross negligence and I don’t believe it would be filed as a misdemeanor because I don’t believe her conduct can be said to have been reckless or even ordinary negligence or what an average person would or wouldn’t do in that same scenario.”
That, of course, does not mean that Caitlyn Jenner will not get charged for her role in the February 2015 accident. While the Sheriff’s Department is recommending charges, a recommendation does not necessarily lead to charges being filed. The recommendation has been handed over to prosecutors for their consideration, and it is the prosecutors who ultimately make the decision.
While some on social media have commented about the possibility of charges having an impact on Caitlyn Jenner and her transgender icon status, one has nothing to do with the other. Caitlyn Jenner and her impact on the LGBTQ community has been profound, whether people love her or hate her, and while the District Attorney’s office takes a look at the investigation into the fatal February 2015 crash and Caitlyn Jenner’s role in it, it can only be hoped that people continue to realize that she is still trying to make a difference.
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