Nathan's Law Research Paper

In my home state of Mississippi, we have not had many laws passed, which are named in honor of crime victims. One of the most recent laws of this nature would be what is known as “Nathan’s Law”, named in honor of Nathan Key, who had been struck and killed by a vehicle, as he exited a school bus at his house. This incident occurred in Jones County, Mississippi on December 11, 2009, and Nathan was five years old at the time of his death. The origins of “Nathan’s Law”, as stated, began on December 11, 2009, as five year old Nathan Key exited a school bus, after school, and attempted to cross the road to get to the his house (Gebben v. State of Mississippi, 2012). Nathan had exited the stopped school bus, after his 11 year old brother, …show more content…
The Key children lived at the second stop on the bus route, and had all left North Jones Elementary School on the bus. The bus had stopped at the first stop on the route with no problem, and the maroon Nissan, driven by Dominic Gebben, had stopped behind the bus. At the second stop, the bus driver activated the bus’s warning lights, stop sign, and stop bar, so that the Key children could exit the bus. Gebben, initially stopped behind the bus at this stop, but then pulled into the oncoming traffic lane and accelerated in an attempt to pass the bus (Gebben v. State of Mississippi, 2012). It was as he was passing the bus, that Gebben struck and killed Nathan. After Nathan was struck, and knocked to the ground, Gebben fled the scene of the accident, running over Nathan again. Another motorist followed Gebben from the scene, and was in contact with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, keeping law enforcement advised of Gebben’s direction of travel and location. Gebben attempted to elude capture by abandoning his vehicle and fleeing …show more content…
The legislation increased fines and punishments for passing stopped school buses, engaged in the loading and unloading of students. The law originated, with the encouragement and support of the mother of Nathan Key, a five year old child, who was struck and killed as he exited a school bus, and attempted to cross the road to get to his house. The driver, who struck and killed Nathan, was subsequently charged, and convicted for his crime, and is serving 22 years in prison. The down side to this legislation, if there is one, is that it does nothing for the victims, who are injured by offenses of this