I see you deleted my post bj. That is okay, but still fix your post. Too many mistakes.

im not sure if he intended on killing johnson, it kind of seems like he was provoking a fight, not intending that he would die!

It's called second-degree murder. Things don't always go as we plan them to; there are, sometimes - as in this case - complications. 

Reed go away long time.

i would like to stay on topic oldtimer...are you able?a.d.d.d.d.d.ddddddddddddddddd

I have been in two fist fights(I know,me?,but it was many moons ago).Both times I took great care to drive home my point,that the "opponent" should back off.And I took greater pains to follow the rules of "fair fighting"~face to face,no bottles etc.,and thankfully no one died.

This was a charity event and apparently Mr.Reed had none,nor the character to be fair,or think ahead.Sad~he should have used his head and his heart,for his children's sake and for the friends and family of Mr. Johnson

Killing another human is called murder the last time I checked (sometimes justifiable homicide if you look at possible self defense reasons).  I really don't think that reed should worry about what he is called after he took another's life. If he was truly worried about what others thought of him he could have avoided the whole mess.  Maybe it was only an open hand slap that went wrong.........   Oh I feel so sorry for him that people have branded him a murderer!  Step back and look at it from the victim's view.  What do you think Johnson feels now?  TJtheDS - I know its hard to look through those bars from the outside in but get a perspective man!  The only one Reed needs to worry about now is the almighty God when he leaves this earth.

From the reports I've seen, he hit him from behind with a blunt object. That's not a fight, that's an ambush. I don't think it will be Murder 1, but 2nd degree murder is certainly a great possibility.

 I have been in two fist fights(I know,me?,but it was many moons ago).Both times I took great care to drive home my point,that the "opponent" should back off.And I took greater pains to follow the rules of "fair fighting"~face to face,no bottles etc.,and thankfully no one died.

I slammed a truck door on a guy's head outside a honkytonk one night, and shortly thereafter I learned how to box so that I didn't have to resort to felonious means to get my point across. The last time that I got in a fight was years ago also, when I flattened Glass Jaw Gene with a left jab for continually putting his hands on my girlfriend's butt.

When you sucker punch someone from behind and he dies-I do call it murder. I know he probably didn't wake up and say today I'm going to kill someone but fact is he did. 

Also, I wouldn't be fighting over my ex and never have. They're called EX's for a reason. 

If you sneak up on a person from behind and hit them and kill them...you are a murder. If you are fighting a person face to face it is a totally different story.

Whether he intended to kill Johnson or not, Reed was responsible for his death.

The circumstances of the incident dictate the appropriate charge.

Reed was charged with second degree murder as opposed to 1st degree probably because of the lack of intent to kill and an apparent absence of premeditation.

He was not charged with a lesser charge of manslaughter, assault or battery probably because the resulting homicide could have been avoided and it doesn't seem that there was mutual combat or that Johnson in any way contributed to his own death.

In other words, there was not a fist fight. It seems to be clearly an unprovoked attack on the part of Reed - a huge contributing factor.

Unless in self defense, intelligent, thinking, disciplined adults shouldn't be involved in physical altercations. If so, they deserve what's coming to them including a possible murder charge.

If you are indeed affiliated with Judge Hoover, perhaps you should consult with him on these legal matters. I'm sure he could advise you better than a bunch of bloggers.

Meanwhile, although the answer to your query seems clear, the rest of us can only apply layman's legal logic to these sorts of questions.

But it is remarkable that you seem to be defending Reed as though he is a victim of overzealous prosecution.

Reed is merely another unthinking, violently aggressive sociopath who merits severe punishment for his crime like all the other dummies languishing in prisons for bashing on other peoples' heads.

It's really very simple. You bash on heads and you take your chances of going to the joint or worse. There's no excuse. Period.

Reed's only hope is for a plea bargain to a lesser charge.

If he's lucky, Reed could do a few years hard time, be paroled, and with some psychiatric help turn his life around.

It has been asserted on this site that you are a convicted wife beater, a fact which might explain your apparent concern for Reed and people like him who engage in fistfights and such.

Is that true?

im not a convicted wife beater, i was however involved in a domestic dispute with my now ex wife. in most cases like mine with a decent lawyer i would have recieved a misdermenor charge, with lack of better judgement i accepted a plea bargain for a felony that resulted in me getting out of jail right away instead of risking a loss at trial and possible prison time...my views on the reed case are just real life, i have been involved in a fist fight when i was young and never did i ever imagine someone would die. the only reason im interested in the public view on this matter is because the jury is made up of citizens, like you.

He should be held responsible for his actions.  Intended murder or not, he killed the man.  He obviously has serious issues and should not be drinking.  So he went to the Beer Festival, had a few drinks, his brain twisted and he kille a man.  What should we do?  Let him go and put him behind the wheel to kill someone else. 

TjtheDJ: "my views on the reed case are just real life, i have been involved in a fist fight when i was young and never did i ever imagine someone would die. the only reason im interested in the public view on this matter is because the jury is made up of citizens, like you."

If it is proved conclusively that Reed indeed attacked Johnson from behind without provocation, he's not likely to find sympathy with any jury anywhere.

TjtheDJ: "im not a convicted wife beater, i was however involved in a domestic dispute with my now ex wife. in most cases like mine with a decent lawyer i would have recieved a misdermenor charge, with lack of better judgement i accepted a plea bargain for a felony that resulted in me getting out of jail right away instead of risking a loss at trial and possible prison time."

What specific felony did you bargain for and plead guilty?

What was the original charge?

Did you have prior convictions?

sorry saberhagen, i would love to discuss my case in full detail but i dont think its appropriate for this blog site... i will say however that it was the first time anything other than an arguement happened and the charge i pled to was unappropriate, it was an isolated incedent during a horrible divorce...thats all folks

In other words, saberhagen, it wasn't bj's fault. He is a victim of the system. An isolated "incedent".

We are adults. By now we should have learned fighting is unacceptable. With or without weapons. Like guys fighting and one kicks the other with his steel toe boots, and the guy dies. So to fight, means to be agressive, and when agressive, someone can (and did) get killed in this case. He'll go down for 2nd degree murder.

This incident was about as much a fight as Pearl Harbor was.

Yeah, but you get my meaning antiextremism. A cheap shot, a blow to the head, or a bullet execution style is "fight", so I hope you weren't being sarcastic.

A "Fight" is when two people engage in fistacuffs if I am not mistaken. Hitting someone in the back of the neck when their back is turned is called a "sucker punch". Its not done by real men but by those throwing temper tantrums.  We call those people "girlie men" for lack of a more socially acceptable term. He became enraged and hit someone from behind and killed them. Wether intentioned or not he has anger management issues and should do some prison time.

Which was my point. It doesn't qualify as a fight.

But I agree entirely with everything else you're saying Bako, and I do get your meaning.

Yeah Saberhagen, TJ doesn't like to discuss his personal life on the Blogs.......  At least when it comes to him.  We all know how his ex is fair game.   Back to the harsh title of  Murderer thats been tagged to Reed.  It all comes down to perspective huh TJ.  Are you looking from the outside in through the bars or from the inside lookin out?

why are you guys always on his a$$ so hard?? Did he steal your girlfriend cost you money what?? Its just a blog and you guys keep pounding the crap outta him over his personal life everytime he writes in on a blog.. it gets tiring for us out siders to keep reading this banter over and over..Come on..Havent you ever screwed up? During a firey divorce everyone is at fault. Both sides are throwing blows whether its physical or verbal.. sometimes verbal can cut deeper than physical..believe me I know..been "happily married" for 35 years

LIGHTEN UP..try usin email for ur hate mail to each other if you really feel the need to continue this onslaught or maybe matched pistols at 100 paces..one on one though ..no rat packin like you do here

To intentionally cause bodily harm to another person, and have that harm result in death is close enough to being called murder to me.

He may not have intended the death, but he certainly intended the harm.

TJ..you've been discussing your wife and situation all over other blogs.  Why so circumspect now?

Hay Nancy...cause hopefully its finally getting old...all of this is gettin old..go to his account page where they display the comments you have made..these guys arguing and put downs go on and on..Personally if the woman in TJ's pics is his new girlfriend Id put all this crap behind 'IMMEDIATLEY' and move on..shes gotta be tired of it too..be tuff to lose her because he cant get out of his past.

On the blog subject  I do agree that he was pissed when he hit the guy. Had he not been drinking he might have pulled his punch nor used the ol cheap shot with a weapon, Im sure he meant to knock him out doing what he did but he didnt count on it killing him.

His "friend" might be alive today. Might not be his friend, but non the less alive.

I think it is funny how people will use their past for their own self pity but when others comment on it they immediately withdraw and act offended. If one is openly attaching one's personal life to any blog then be prepare for the good and the bad comments.  If one didn't want the pity then he/she wouldn't even share one's own personal experiences. This is a public blog and therefore open to the public to comment. Don't hide behind the bush when the turd hits the fan. Accept responsibility and face the music. If one is trying to get run away from the past then one will not mention the past. I agree if it is in the past then move on and stop coming back to it. People just mention their past to convince others they are the victim in a situation.