Actions Have Consequences

There comes a point in every person's life where doing dumb things just gets old quickly. The variety of dumb things being done will go from mundane to wild, but when it comes to a disabled person's wheelchair it seems pretty obvious that one shouldn't mess around with it. Carson Briere somehow skipped that life lesson during his 23 years on the planet, and it seems that his actions on March 11 when he pushed Sydney Benes' unoccupied wheelchair down a flight stairs will come with some serious consequences thanks to Erie, Pennsylvania police. In knowing the police are involved, let this be a lesson to everyone: actions have consequences, and it doesn't matter what your last name is, who your dad is, or who he works for when it comes to making things right.

According to this Associated Press article, "[t]hree misdemeanor charges were filed Monday" against Briere and Mercyhurst lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi over the March 11 incident at Sullivan's bar. Charges of criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy to commit mischief, and disorderly conduct were filed against the two Mercyhurst students - Briere and Carrozzi - and they will appear in an Erie, Pennsylvania courtroom on May 22.

Some may roll their eyes at these charges, but "[p]olice say their actions posed a potential danger to anyone coming up the stairs, while also creating a hazardous condition by blocking the staircase." It should also be noted that Miss Benes' wheelchair will require some significant repairs: damage to the left brake handle, a broken right arm rest's plastic molding, a bent a rear handle, and damage that caused the wheels to drag when moving forward. For Sydney, we're talking about her mobility being limited thanks to Briere's and Carrozzi's actions, so this is more than just some dumb prank or an inconvenience.

Eric Palattella of Erie Times-News noted that "a conviction for a second-degree misdemeanor carries a prison sentence of up to two years and a fine of up to $5,000 and a conviction for a summary offense carries a maximum prison sentence of 90 days and a $300 fine" in the state of Pennsylvania, and that "[c]onvictions for misdemeanor and summary offenses can also lead to probation, particularly if the defendants have no prior record."

While both Carson and his father, Daniel Briere, released a joint statement on Saturday through the Philadelphia Flyers, there was a glaring omission in the statement. The statement read, "I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday. There is no excuse for my actions, and I will do whatever I can to make up for this serious lack of judgment."

Why is he sorry for his behaviour, yet can't apologize to the woman whose life has been signficantly affected by that behaviour? Why can he do whatever to make up for his lack of judgment, but can't reach out to the young woman whose life has been dramatically changed due to that lack of judgment? If you're going to show remorse and make things right, it starts with the word "sorry" in the direction of the person who was affected by whatever was done.

I'm not saying that an apology would erase the charges that were filed by the police against him, but it's amazing how taking responsibility in the eyes of the person suffering because of one's stupidity goes a long way. Sydney Benes isn't asking for an apology, but she shouldn't have to ask either. This should be a moment where Carson Briere pledges to be better to Miss Benes directly, and follows that up by paying for the repairs to her wheelchair. Those actions would certainly prove that he's remorseful for the "lack of judgment" he showed, and it might buy him some goodwill in the court's eyes when he appears at the end of May.

Perhaps Carson has alread reached out to Sydney privately to do this. Perhaps he's making arrangements to cover the repair costs for her privately as well. One would hope that happened, but let's just say that my faith in privileged hockey people has been tested far too often for me to believe that it has. My hope is that it happened, but my brain is saying that I shouldn't hold my breath on this one.

I'm not asking for Briere to be found guilty through vengeance or anger. Based on what he did, he should be found guilty, and it's very likely that he'll get probation based on what Eric Palattella wrote above regarding Briere having no prior record. Briere, though, should be found guilty to send a message that if you do stupid things, you need to be responsible for those things. Actions, as we all know, have consequences, and the consequences of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar should result in a very sobering slap on the wrist, an apology directly to Miss Benes, and paying for any and all repairs required for her wheelchair to operate as it did before Briere touched it.

Part of being young is making mistakes. The key is whether or not one learns from those mistakes, and this moment is a prime example where a guilty conviction for these misdemeanors would allow Carson Briere to learn a great deal about being mature, being responsible for one's actions, and being a good human being.

We'll see what comes of this case on May 22.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!