Update- trial ongoing for MI homowner claiming self-defense

[EVT1]

Being billed by some as Trayvon Martin part two, this is not a case about race at all, just an unfortunate component of it- because maybe the fear of black people by white people might be seen as justification for killing someone down the road if this man walks.  It could set a dangerous precedent.

The defense already attempted to take the 'thug' route and demonize the victim by introducing photos or text messages that have no bearing at all- and rightly thrown out by the judge.

But this is not part two- this guy has weak if at all support from those that praised Zimmerman.  Yet, still this is a scary case for what it means if the guy walks.

www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2014/07/23/opening-statements-set-in-porch-shooting-trial

Lord help us all if being afraid equates to justification for murder. 

[Tennesseer]

I'm following it.

[EVT1]

Jul 23, 2014 22:10:11 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I'm following it.

More people should be.

[zibazinski]

We are. Just don't care to discuss it.

[jkapp]

I could see him geting off...Detroit is a very violent city, with inadequate police to protect citizens.  IMO, I could understand not wanting to waste time calling police that would have little possibility of saving him if danger was outside his door.

Here is an article that's about 2 years old, but the situation in that city is not any better (even the police warn that they may not be able to help you):

usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/08/14294269-visit-detroit-at-your-own-risk-police-union-warns?lite

The Detroit Police Officers Association is warning citizens and out-of-towners that they enter Detroit at their own risk, saying that the "grossly understaffed" and overworked police force cannot adequately protect the public in the increasingly violent city.


---So if you have the police warning you that they cannot adequately protect you from danger, would you run to the phone to call them?

[Shooby]

I don't know. Should we be fearful of getting gunned down just to knock on someone's door? We need to tell kids don't knock on anyone's door for help but find a convenience store instead.
On the other hand we had someone pounding on our door at 4 am and it is frightening.

[EVT1]

Anyone that knocks on your door at a late hour should be shot on sight

And people believe this shit.

[EVT1]

And Wafer takes the stand- contradicting his statements to police.

     "I wasn't going to cower in my house," Wafer told jurors at his trial  

     He said he opened the front door slightly and saw that the outer, screen door was damaged. He then opened the inner door further and "this person came out from the side of my house so fast. I raised the gun and shot," he told jurors after taking the stand on the seventh day of testimony.

     Wafer, 55, also said he thought there could have been more than one person outside of his 1,100-square-foot home near Detroit's far west side. He said he pulled the trigger "to defend myself. It was them or me."

www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/26192685/wafer-takes-stand-in-renisha-mcbride-fatal-shooting-case

Sounds well coached.   Sounds like jail.  Can the defense sell enough fear to the jury?

IMO the smarter move would have been to stick with the original statement- that he freaked out and armed himself and the gun went off while he was trying to figure out what was happening- much more believable.  Could have gotten off with involuntary- maybe probation- now he is effed IMO.

[zibazinski]

We will see.

[mmhmm]

I'm watching this one, as well. I try to stay current on all of these. Sometimes, there is no doubt deadly force is required. There are other times when the lines are not so clearly drawn, and still others where it's pretty clear deadly force was not required.

[Tennesseer]

'Porch Shooter' Theodore Wafer Found Guilty of Murder

A Detroit jury ruled today that Theodore Wafer was guilty of murder in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Renisha McBride on his porch.

The jury, which consisted of seven men and five women, began its deliberations on Wednesday after nine days of testimony. The verdict came on the second day of deliberations.

Wafer, 55, was charged with second degree murder and manslaughter for shooting and killing McBride, 19, last November when the teenager showed up inebriated on his porch at 4:40 a.m. The jury found him guilty of second degree murder.

He will be sentenced Aug. 21 and could face a maximum of life in prison with parole.

'Porch Shooter' Theodore Wafer Found Guilty of Murder

[mmhmm]

I just saw that a few minutes ago, Tenn. I think it's a righteous verdict.

[Tennesseer]

Me too. mmhmm.  Me too. 

[EVT1]

Juries usually get it right. 

Cases like these need to be used in gun classes, carry classes, etc. When I took mine there was a short video about the law on self defense- not near enough information on the potential liabilities and/or criminal charges you might face if you make the wrong decision.

The posters here generally seem reasonable- but if you ever read the blogs or comments surrounding these cases there is a small group of people that just don't seem to get it- and I'd like to think they are not really armed, just spouting off- but I like the message a trial like this sends- that what these people think you can do with a gun or claim they would do is not reality.  That you better be damn sure before you pull the trigger, and do not take the law into your own hands.

 

[Deleted]

This guy was nuts, the Jury got this one right.

[EVT1]

Aug 7, 2014 20:58:46 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

This guy was nuts, the Jury got this one right.

Curious as to your response to what one of the prosecutors said: that the current push to expand gun rights has led to some people thinking, and/or acting on the idea that it is now ok to shoot first.

I am hoping these recent cases serve to restrain some folks- but sometimes the jury goes the other way- such as when the man in GA went outside and confronted (an old unarmed man with alzheimers) and shot him dead- he got off.  I think that man is more deserving of prison than Wafer is. The police were on the way and that guy exited a safe area to confront that person armed- and shot him dead because the man 'didn't follow his commands' as if he has the right to give them.  He has to live with that- shooting an unarmed senior citizen- a 72 y/o air force veteran at that- and was mute due to the disease.

Reminder:

     Ronald Westbrook rang the doorbell of a home at 4am on Wednesday after wandering around in the dark for almost four hours in rural Walker County, Georgia, wearing just a light jacket and a straw hat in the cold 20 degree temperatures

    Joe Hendrix, 34, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who had moved into the house two weeks earlier with his fiancé, went outside to confront the man carrying his handgun.

     Hendrix's fiancee, whose name Wilson declined to give, called 911 and stayed on the phone with an emergency dispatcher who sent two sheriff's office patrol cars en route.

     The sheriff said the dispatcher who stayed on the phone with Hendrix's fiancee wasn't aware Hendrix went outside the house with a handgun.

 www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2515417/Homeowner-shot-mute-Air-Force-veteran-charged.html

That IMO is taking the law into your own hands.  They got it way wrong here.

[Deleted]

Outside the home, absent a PROVABLE threat, it's murder. Sorry.

[EVT1]

Aug 7, 2014 22:58:01 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

Outside the home, absent a PROVABLE threat, it's murder. Sorry.

Amen- that's my take on it. If someone bursts into your house and you shoot them dead- fine with me.  There has to be a solid understanding that if you bust into a house you are putting your life on the line. That's what they will get here.     I didn't look at the gun in the wafer trial- but I have a Mossberg with a pistol grip and I think he had the same thing. 

What I am doing is rethinking my ammo- it is currently loaded with 000 buckshot- but I have read #1 is better and the cops use it.  And after reading a lot of these stories I am thinking maybe load the first round with bird shot- good idea or no?

I think I am going to do that. 

[Deleted]

First round... rocksalt.