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Detroit-area man gets 17 years in porch shooting

danarhea

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Wafer was convicted last month after a nine-day trial that centered on whether the 55-year-old had a reasonable and honest belief that he was in peril. He testified that he was awakened by pounding on his doors and shot McBride because he feared for his life. A jury rejected his claim of self-defense.

A good sentence, which places limits on stand your ground. If you kill someone merely because you are paranoid, then you will do time. In order for stand your ground to prevail, there must be an acutal threat, which there wasn't in this case. There is a difference between someone using a gun to defend himself and a coward who hides behind a gun, and I hope this sentence makes cowards think twice before doing something they will regret for the rest of their lives.

Article is here.
 
He got off lightly.
 
A good sentence, which places limits on stand your ground. If you kill someone merely because you are paranoid, then you will do time. In order for stand your ground to prevail, there must be an acutal threat, which there wasn't in this case. There is a difference between someone using a gun to defend himself and a coward who hides behind a gun, and I hope this sentence makes cowards think twice before doing something they will regret for the rest of their lives.

Article is here.

I thought the problem wit the defense was that he originalyl told the cops that the gun went off accidentally. If he had truly been scared for his life and not made that initial comment, he most likely would have gotten off under self defense laws.

Basically, it sounds like it was a good decision (manslaughter), but doesn't have much to do with limiting self defense as claimed in the OP.
 
I thought the problem wit the defense was that he originalyl told the cops that the gun went off accidentally. If he had truly been scared for his life and not made that initial comment, he most likely would have gotten off under self defense laws.

Basically, it sounds like it was a good decision (manslaughter), but doesn't have much to do with limiting self defense as claimed in the OP.
Exactly.
 
A good sentence, which places limits on stand your ground. If you kill someone merely because you are paranoid, then you will do time. In order for stand your ground to prevail, there must be an acutal threat, which there wasn't in this case.
Article is here.

I'm not sure there must be an actual threat, but there must be a reasonable expectation that there is a real threat, which prompts the person to shoot in self-defense. Subtle but significant.
 
Why does it seem like those who weren't plotting or being malicious get time, or more time than ppl like Zimmerman??
 
Why does it seem like those who weren't plotting or being malicious get time, or more time than ppl like Zimmerman??

Though I would have convicted Zimmerman of involuntary manslaughter, Zimmerman could at least articulate an actual threat, and there was a reasonable expectation that the threat in question was real.
 
Though I would have convicted Zimmerman of involuntary manslaughter, Zimmerman could at least articulate an actual threat, and there was a reasonable expectation that the threat in question was real.
:doh:lamo:doh

There was no involuntary manslaughter involved. It was self defense.
 
Why does it seem like those who weren't plotting or being malicious get time, or more time than ppl like Zimmerman??

Zimmerman clearly acted in self defense. So why shouldn't those convicted serve more time?
 
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