Gearfuse Technology, Science, Culture & More
A cell phone’s auto-correct feature is, simultaneously, the most convenient and most infuriating feature of most cell phones. On one hand it can decipher “wssu” into “easy.” On the other hand, it has a tendency to diffuse tense moments when the target of your rage tries to figure out what you mean by calling them a “ducking idiot.”
It’s a common occurrence, having auto correct fail miserably. There’s even a website dedicated to chronicling the failures. But this is the first time that I’ve ever heard of auto correct getting somebody killed!
The incident occurred after 27-year-old Josef Witkowski sent his friend, 33-year-old Neil Brook, a text message. In the text, the word “mutter” was auto-corrected to “nutter,” which is a British slang that, ironically, means “crazy.” After a string of text messages, Witkowski made his way to Brook’s home, where he was allegedly looking for a fight.
Brook, believing in the Under Armour mantra of “we must protect this house,” outfitted his front door with knifes, which cut Witkowski’s leg when he entered the home. After retreating to the bathroom, Brook kicked the door in and proceeded to assault Witkowski without mercy until a knife wound to the heart ultimately killed him.
A Manchester Crown Court jury ultimately cleared Brook of murder charges, as he was the one defending himself. He was found guilty of manslaughter. While no sentence has been handed down as of yet, the judge points out that “obviously the sentence will be a long one.”
Wait, what? Brooks will receive a long sentence? It seems like a clear case of self-defense doesn’t it?