The Charges Against Dr. House. Is there a Trial In His Future?

Here,in conjunction with two practicing NY attorneys are the crimes House would be charged with under NY law. 

The Charges: From Least Severe to Most Severe

1. Attempted Vehicular assault- E felony 1 1/2 years to 4 years

2. Class A Misdemeanor: up to 1 yr  Leaving the scene of the accident

3. Reckless Endangerment- Class B misdemeanor Up to 3 months

4. Criminal Trespass: Class A misdemeanor- Up to a year

5. Criminal Mischief_ Class D felony 1 1/2 yrs- 4 yrs

6. Reckless endangerment of Property- B misdemeanor up to 3 months

7. Manslaughter B felony charged as a C felony because it is attempted. 3/ 1/2 yrs to 15 years.

8. Attempted Murder- 2nrd degree: A1 felony Becomes a B felony 5-25 years

-THIS is a PUBLIC CRIME. It no longer matters whether Cuddy or anyone else charges House with anything. The public must be protected under the law. 

-The police were called to the scene, they have notes on the crime,statements from those "involved" and are aware that Dr. House has fled the scene of the accident. This will be pursued through the courts.

 

-House did flee the scene of the accident.  If House's drug use (either the new “rat” drug or the vicodin usage) comes into play, this might increase the charges against Dr. House. I don't know if these will ever be seen as "mitigating" under these circumstances however but how else would House be allowed to practice medicine again and not serve extensive jail time? Either it's a "fantasy" or these fantasy courts will allow certain information in as mitigating. Fantasy Island Court is possible, as a House in jail for an extended period of time with no license- is not an option for this show.

-Does he escape the law? Is he “on the run” playing piano in a bar in Bora Bora or practicing medicine under another name? (yet another crime?). Has House morphed into “The Fugitive”? and where is the man with one arm? Does he have amnesia and can’t remember certain things? Is this one possible  reason for the time warp? (the lack of the Cuddy character being another obvious reason)Does he eventually turn himself in?

How do  we KNOW this is either in House's head or Legal Fantasy Land? Simple. Because in Real Life:

 

-House's license to practice would be revoked permanently. He would be a convicted felon. End of show OR is it possible House will be
pardoned? Maybe he's called in to work on a VIP and because of his good work is pardoned? Anything's possible in TV Land.

Or just a Fantasy?-The Writer's "Escape" Clause

We have all been privy to discussions about the “real” meaning of the last scene and voiced our opinions regarding whether that scene is “real” or some sort of dream/coma/hallucination. We can see both sides of this argument and it will be very interesting to see how the House writers solve this. The scene was indeed confusing.

-We are expected to believe that: House was in the same suit on the beach that he'd left the scene of the crime in?

-That after his “self surgery” he just upped and left the hospital and was fit enough to commit this crime and then just “walk away” to Paradise?

-Taub's ringtone of Rupert Holmes' "Escape (the Pina Colada Song)" foreshadowed House’s Paradise Journey, but  we need to ask if this is another “drug” trip  caused by the trial medication he self administered.

 

 

-Why if  the  the crash happened in the middle of the afternoon, do  the emergency vehicles arrive at night? Quite odd.

-For many, the last scenes simply “do not compute”. House seemed willing to harm everybody in the home and himself as well. Is “the brush” is playing the same sort of role as the lipstick did in "Both Sides Now"? Thinking about the brush, does this signify a “brushing away from from the past? A brush with death…a brush aside? These all make sense if this was a dream/coma/hallucination. It all plays like a fantasy/revenge scheme which is running through House’s Head. He could imagine a new boyfriend for Cuddy and breaking her house (like she broke him, House),when he's suddenly on a beach with all his troubles behind him-the song that's playing has great resonance and they pull away. Is he in a coma? Hallucinating?Dreaming?

 

-His doctor was Dr. Hourani, who was the doc he impersonated back in Two Stories (possible meaning: He’s his own doctor?)

Song playing was Spoon "Got Nuffin'" Lyrics: When I'm with you, all my brothers, oh "I feel like a king..It feels like I'm dreaming."

- Is Wilson's mentioning of all the Vicodin House took to be a clue to the audience that the end wasn't set in reality?

-How was House able to get out of the ICU and walk around on crutches?  How was he able to meet Cuddy in the cafeteria fully clothed? What was the timeline in this episode? 

 

Some other observations

-Could this be a "fever dream" from the previous episode? Is House still bleeding in the bathtub?

-Can this go back much further? Is this all a hallucination starting at "Bombshells."

-Is this  a dream under anesthesia because they have to remove a tumor from his brain.

Note: Every time we've been witness to a House dream or hallucination, House has been *in* the scene, either observing it ("Three Stories") or being part of it ("Locked In," "House's Head," "No Reason," the Amber arc-when she was dying). 
-How does he escape this crash without so much as a scratch?

 

Convincing arguments exist on both sides. 

Of course,many in the fandom hope the writers do not rely on the "dream/coma/hallucination/ solution but it’s tough to know which path they will follow. The concept of a House- fugitive from justice- appeals to me and then finding his way back home. Many want to see House face the consequences for his actions..if they are indeed 'real" as we've been given to understand by the writers/ Producers. Things can seem very real in a dream or hallucination though. 

 

If the ending turns out to have been real (and I'm not convinced it is), I do think, despite what I might have suggested, lots of ways for it to go in Season 8.Looking forward to the final journey as House enters what is probably it's final Season.

"You don't know which of my symptoms are real and which are fake" says the patient in this episode to Dr. House. We're in a similar situation.

Do you see a trial in House's future and what do you see him being charged with?

Please note that Domestic Violence is not one of the crimes we are charging Dr. House with and there may be other less included offenses he will be charged with.Also note that this is NY law not that of New Jersey.New Jersey law may differ.