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Comment by tommu | Hacker News Reader

Is attempted blinding really the intention? They should be locked up for overestimating the power of laser pointers if nothing more.

I keep reading 'attempted murder' too. Hyperbolic nonsense. Shooting at a plane maybe but shining a light - give me a break!

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When a plane or helicopter cockpit at night gets hit with a strong laser, it can leave the pilots with blindness or severely impaired vision for up to several minutes.

BTW, it was not a laser pointer. Laser pointers are 5 mw or less in the US. He was using a 65 mw laser.

Anyone who is shining a laser at a plane knows that it is dangerous and can impair the pilot, if not they will find out how dangerous it is at their sentencing hearing. Stupidity doesn't absolve you from putting someone elses life at risk.

I disagree. Stupidity does absolve people to some extent. Intent to harm is extremely important.

Would you jail a 2 year old who stabbed someone with a knife because they the poor kid didn't know what they were doing? If someone crashed into someone in a road accident(read "accident", they just fucked up, it happens), how would they like 14 years in prison? Do soldiers get imprisoned when they willingly murder innocent civilians abroad if they get in the way?

I can't accept "if not they will find out how dangerous it is at their sentencing hearing". WTF? We can surely do better than that. This isn't North Korea.

I can't comment on the intents of this dude with the 14 year charge, though.

This story isn't an accident, or a 2 year old. It is someone knowing what he is doing and knowing it is dangerous.

A laser that can dazzle from half a mile or more is not your standard $10 lecture-hall laser pointer. They don't put "AVOID EYE EXPOSURE TO DIRECT OR SCATTERED RADIATION" stickers on those things for funsies. There are consequences for reckless use of dangerous equipment.

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