[Mark Tyson]

Laurel Man Shoots Suspected Car Thieves, Kills One

Updated: Wednesday, Sep. 3, 2003 - 6:53 PM EDT.

LAUREL -- A 16-year-old boy is dead and a 23-year-old man has been wounded after they were shot by a man who told police they were breaking into his car.

The shooting happened at about 2:30 Wednesday morning at the Fox Rest apartments in Laurel.

A resident tells police he was awakened by his car alarm and saw two people trying to break into his SUV. Police say the man took a gun outside and confronted the alleged car thieves and shot them both. The 16-year-old died at the scene and the 23-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he's listed in critical condition.

The shooter is in police custody and is being questioned. Police say there's a strong possibility he will be released. Police recovered a weapon in the parking lot that they believe belongs to the two men.

State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says he understands how people feel when their cars are stolen because he's an auto theft victim himself. But he says it's inappropriate to use deadly force.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Norton]

Police say there's a strong possibility he will be released

Hmmm.....that would be a strange turn of events here in MD.....my understanding that actually being able to defend your property is forbidden. Person has to be in the house and an imminent threat to bodily safety.

If he is indeed released, that could signal a real change of heart here from the powers that be.

[Standing Wolf]

State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says he understands how people feel when their cars are stolen because he's an auto theft victim himself. But he says it's inappropriate to use deadly force.

I've got old windshield wiper blades in the trunk that are worth more than the life of any criminal who breaks into my garage. I had no legal right to defend my property when I was a subject of the People's Republic of California, but I live in Colorado now.

[Double Naught Spy]

In Texas, this would be a justified shooting!

[444]

"Police recovered a weapon in the parking lot that they believe belongs to the two men."

[Chipperman]

"Police recovered a weapon in the parking lot that they believe belongs to the two men."

This may prove to be his saving grace. He can argue self defense if they had a weapon.

[444]

Obviously, as is the case every single time, there is a lot to this story that the "news" media is downplaying or completely leaving out.
The headline says, car thieves. The part about them being armed is limited to one brief sentence.
But reading between the lines (which you have to do when dealing with the so called "news" media), I think that statement combined with the statement made by the police, strongly imply that there was a threat of deadly force.

[gun-fucious]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22944-2003Sep3.html


Md. Man Kills Suspected Car Thief
Prince George's Resident 'Had Enough,' Opened Fire on Group

By Jamie Stockwell and Hamil R. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, September 4, 2003; Page A01

It happened at 2:30 yesterday morning. Glenn R. Ellis said an alarm alerted him that someone was tampering with his blue 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe, parked outside his Laurel apartment. Like other residents of the Fox Rest complex, Ellis said later, he has been a victim of thieves before. This time, he said, he "had had enough."

Ellis, 37, a tow truck driver, said he grabbed his 9mm Ruger handgun and rushed outside. "Things just went crazy," he recalled. He said he opened fire on four young men who were near his SUV. Police said later that the four were in the process of stealing it. Two were standing next to the Tahoe and the other two were in it when Ellis pulled the trigger.

Ernest Sockwell, 16, was killed. A 23-year-old man, whom police declined to identify, was hospitalized in critical condition. Two other men, who were uninjured, were questioned by police and released while the investigation continues.

Ellis was questioned by Prince George's County homicide detectives for hours yesterday, then was released pending the outcome of the investigation. Late in the afternoon, he stood outside his apartment, in the 13800 block of Briarwood Drive. He stood not far from where the blood had spilled, and he spoke slowly, appearing to fight back tears.

"My biggest regret is for the families of the two kids," said Ellis, wearing pressed tan slacks and a brown dress shirt. Friends and supporters stood with him. "One is dead, and one is fighting for his life. If I could do things over again, I would."

Ellis said he had installed a device in his Tahoe that alerts an alarm company by wireless signal if the vehicle is tampered with. The alarm company then pages Ellis to warn him.

"The pager went off," Ellis said. "It tells me that something was in my truck. I came out, and things just went crazy."

A county police spokesman, Cpl. Joe Merkel, said such devices "can be very useful in helping to notify potential victims that a crime is being committed." He said, however, that victims should call the police. "We would not recommend the victim confront the suspect," Merkel said.

It was unclear yesterday whether Ellis shouted a warning to the four young men. Police said he has a permit for the gun.

"I don't want to say too much," Ellis said after arriving home from police headquarters. "I need to get a lawyer."

Ellis, who works for the D.C. Department of Public Works, said he lives at the complex with his girlfriend and his three children. He did not elaborate on his decision to open fire but voiced regret.

"I feel bad," he said. "I have a 16-year-old. I'm crushed about this."

According to police, two of the suspected thieves fled in the Tahoe after the shots were fired, and another fled on foot and was apprehended later. Sockwell was found on the parking lot pavement. The two who were in the vehicle stopped at an Extra Mart at Fort Meade Road and Ethel Drive in Anne Arundel County, where they called authorities, because one of them had been wounded.

Police said none of the suspected thieves had a weapon. Police said a screwdriver was found on the ground near where the Tahoe had been parked outside Ellis's apartment.

State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said the case would be reviewed by his office after detectives complete the investigation. He said that it was unclear whether Ellis acted in self-defense and that it was "premature to talk in those terms."

"We want to make sure the facts are in, and then we will make a legal decision," he said. "We want to be careful not to rush to judgment. We want to make sure we are very deliberate in how we handle it."

In the interview, Ellis did not say whether he believed his life was in danger.

Robert C. Bonsib, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor, said a person is allowed under the law to use a reasonable amount of force to defend his property but "not deadly force."

"If it was strictly a man defending his property, then it may very well be an issue of whether it was proper" to shoot, he said. "Jury instructions for this type of case say that you may not use deadly force to defend your property or to prevent someone from interfering with your property. Was there something that happened that put the shooter in reasonable fear for his life and that it would justify this level of force? [That] is what will have to be answered."

Many residents of the apartment building said yesterday that the shootings were the culmination of months of frustration and anger over a spate of break-ins and auto thefts in the community.

Andrea Harris, 37, a Fox Rest resident, said: "Everybody is alert because of concerns of recent break-ins. Their apartments and cars are being broken into."

But authorities cautioned the residents to call 911 if they see crimes in progress.

"We are all frustrated over the number of cars stolen in the county," Police Chief Melvin C. High said through a spokeswoman yesterday. "We need the help of our citizens to put a stop to this crime, but not at the expense of that citizen putting himself or herself in harm's way. . . . We encourage citizens to call and let us handle the situation if they can, rather than resort to violence on their own."

Prince George's ranks first in the state and in the region for auto thefts, with more than 15,000 vehicles stolen last year, according to department statistics. Slightly more than 10,000 vehicles have been stolen since January, a 17 percent increase over the same period last year.

In comparison, slightly less than 8,000 vehicles were reported stolen in the District in 2001, the most recent figures available, and about 700 were reported in Fairfax County that year.

The high rate in Prince George's has taken on greater significance in the wake of yesterday's shootings, said Ivey, whose office has focused in recent months on educating residents about vehicle anti-theft devices.

"Clearly, we know that auto theft is a major problem," he said. "Many people have been victimized, including me, and I know how frustrating it can be to have your car stolen. But as a community, we need to be careful not to overreact. We need to be careful how we address this problem."



Staff writer Darragh Johnson and staff researcher Bobbye Pratt contributed to this report.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

[Standing Wolf]

"We are all frustrated over the number of cars stolen in the county," Police Chief Melvin C. High said through a spokeswoman yesterday. "We need the help of our citizens to put a stop to this crime, but not at the expense of that citizen putting himself or herself in harm's way. . . . We encourage citizens to call and let us handle the situation if they can, rather than resort to violence on their own."

We can't do anything about criminals, but we don't want mere commoners doing anything about them, either. What rot!

[anapex]

"Police said he has a permit for the gun."

I wonder what kind of permit they're talking about. If it's actually a CCW I would be very surprised but my guess is the writer didn't know what they were talking about.

[444]

"Police said none of the suspected thieves had a weapon. Police said a screwdriver was found on the ground near where the Tahoe had been parked outside Ellis's apartment."

The Plot Thickens

I wonder which story we should believe, the first or the second. Or I wonder if they are both true, the weapon in the first story was a screwdriver ?

Or maybe the Butler did it with the candlestick.

[JPM70535]

My only question about the whole story is why they hung horse thieves in the old west, and shooting car thieves is wrong? In both instances the thief was depriving the victim of his means of transport. Why was the crime any more heinous then? It seems to me that a mans car is as vital today as was his horse then. I say that getting shot should be considered an occupational hazard.

[C.R.Sam]

"I don't want to say too much," Ellis said after arriving home from police headquarters. "I need to get a lawyer." I don't think he should be saying anything. "I need to get a lawyer."...gross understatement.

Sam.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

the first place he needs to be is in his attorney's office. The last place he needs to be is in front of a reporter with a camera crew.

In Texas, at night, if someone was trying to steal your vehicle, odds are that you would likely get a call from the DA's office within a day or so to discuss it. If it were a little more sticky than your standard 'shooting thieves' deal, they'd present it to a grand jury so they could no-bill you on an official level.

Had plenty of this happen over the past several years, but not much comes of it for the property owner, from a legal standpoint. Trouble is, they keep breeding stupid thieves who step up for the next nocturnal cycle.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[4v50 Gary]

After he talks to the police he wants his attorney. Opps!

In Calif., if the perpetrators did not threaten him and approach, it would be a bad shooting. By NV standards, it would be a good shooting.

Still wainting for the Nevadans to invade and liberate us.

[TheeBadOne]

Anyone think the shooter may have tossed a "drop gun" at the feet of the car thief suspects? :confused:

[jimpeel]

He shoulda moved to Texas where this type of shooting is legal.

Note to Self, Mr. Ellis: Don't shoot someone if you are going to feel worse than they do afterward.

[243_shooter]

If it went down like the second story said, and he was just starting to think about getting a lawyer as the media was grilling him in front of his apartment, then I'm afraid he's in deep, deep trouble.

Personally while I have a serious dislike for any type of thief, I'd find it very hard to justify shooting somebody for attempting to steal my car. It is after all, just a car.

Do I think he should be charged / jailed for this, no.. Do I think he used very bad judgement, yes.. Do I think they'll string him up, oh yea.

Leo

[chaim]

"Police recovered a weapon in the parking lot that they believe belongs to the two men."

This may prove to be his saving grace. He can argue self defense if they had a weapon.



Not quite, this is Maryland. By MD law the castle doctrine only applies in your home, everywhere else you must retreat. Even if he just happened to stumble upon them during the theft if they had less than a gun the prosecutor will probably argue that he could have (and thus under MD law, should have) run away. That is if he happened upon them. Since he knew they were stealing his car, under MD law the only legal course of action would be to call the police, you certainly aren't allowed to charge out and confront them with a weapon. Since he went out the door with his gun to go after the car thieves (plus the fact that he and the entire complex were previously victimized and fed up) he will probably be charged with first degree murder since it was "clearly" premeditated.

[444]

" I'd find it very hard to justify shooting somebody for attempting to steal my car. It is after all, just a car."

Not picking you on, but I see thoughts like this expressed often in threads like this. This is only the most superficial part of it. In reality that car represents thousands of hours of your time that it took to pay for it. Time that you could have spent with your family, time you could have spent enjoying your hobbies but instead, it is time you spent to pay for that car; time you will never get back. It also represents money in the same way. It is money you could have spent on a house, or your kids education or whatever now taken from you. It also takes away your piece of mind. You have been violated. You will never have the same degree of trust for your fellow man. If you ever felt sucure, now you don't. Mentally, you will never be the same.
On the surface, it is just property that can be replaced but in reality what it represents can never be replaced.
Then of course we get into the whole impact on society. The people who steal the car or strip the car have it reinforced in their minds that crime does pay. They will almost certainly victimize someone else. Their friends will see them and want to do the same thing. Who knows if these guys were violent or not. I would imagine as the idea that you can commit crimes and suffer no consequnces for it, that the crimes you are willing to commit become more numerous. Allowing someone to steal a car contributes to the break down of our society. Then of course there is the insurance issue. You might break even on the insurance but probably not. The cost to the insurance company will be passed on to the customer. As the guys continue stealing cars the insurance rates will continue to rise. With each rate increase again, it takes your time to earn it, and your money away from something else more productive. It also makes more and more people that simply can no longer afford to own a car because the insurance rates are too high for them to pay.
It isn't just a car, it is a part of your life. If it was a nice car, it was a significant part of your life that you will never get back. They are stealing a part of your life.

[greyhound]

Police said he has a permit for the gun.

Yeah, *** kind of reporting is that? In Md, you do not have to have a "permit" to own a gun. You do have to fill out a form that gets sent to the Md State Police, who mark it "NOT DISAPPROVED" and you get your handgun.

As far as a CCW (and you PA folks will love this) you have to have:

a) Police reports documenting threats against your life, or

b) Bank receipts showing you carry large amounts of cash, and if the permit is granted you can only carry to and from the bank.

To prove all this you will have to go before a panel of ex-Md State Police who will approve or deny your application.

So I will eat my hat if he has a Maryland CCW.



"We would not recommend the victim confront the suspect," Merkel said.

Of course you wouldn't. Heaven forbid people take responsibility for themselves.

Police Chief Melvin C. High said through a spokeswoman yesterday. "We need the help of our citizens to put a stop to this crime, but not at the expense of that citizen putting himself or herself in harm's way.

What a bunch of bunk! The authorities could care less about a citizen "putting himself in harm's way", its the rights of the criminals they're concerned about. Remember, the parents of these POS vote, and its Prince Georges County and Baltimore City that control politics here in MD.

Gotta stop now before my head explodes!:cuss:

[FPrice]

"State's Attorney Glenn Ivey says he understands how people feel when their cars are stolen because he's an auto theft victim himself. But he says it's inappropriate to use deadly force."

I had my car stolen on my 36th birthday. Was working nights, came out at 5:00am and found it gone, with just a little pile of broken window glass where it had been parked. At that time in my life it was almost all I owned and was absolutely necessary to get me to work so I could keep myself going. I was very lucky (afterwards) in that it was found and returned later that day, albeit with over $1,000 in damages. And though I had insurance it still cost me a lot out of my own pocket to make up the difference.

I have much more sympathy for Mr. Ellis than for the dead teen. Mr. Ellis sounds as if he was trying to live within the boundaries which honest citizens set and live by in order to help make this a better society. The other one chose to violate these boundaries.

For those of you who think that it is "just property", well you are entitled to your opinion. But in a larger sense it is more than "just property", it is the idea that one man (or men) can just take a part of your life without regards to the pain and problems it can and will cost you if they are successful. And the state has very little if any concern about what you will have to go through to regain that part of your life.

[Spot77]

We in Maryland do have a right to confront a suspected thief and use reasonable force to prevent the crime. but what is reasonable force? Do we approach somebody without our arms in hope that THEY won't be armed? Unrealistic. Do we approach them armed, and upon determinig that they are unarmed, holster our weapon so we can engage in a hand to hand battle where they have an opportunity to disarm us and use our own weapon against us?

If the facts are straight in this, than let's be happy that there's likely a few less car thieves harrassing us.

I HATE Md politics.

[TallPine]

But authorities cautioned the residents to call 911 if they see crimes in progress.

Yeah, right ... so then the police saunter by a couple days later to take a report .... yawn.

Unless of course it is a bank robbery. A couple thousand dollars of a corporation's money is worth more than a private citizen's forty thousand dollar vehicle.

Police won't/can't protect, and they want to make sure (in general at least) that we can't protect ourselves. Just whose side are they on, anyway?

[gun-fucious]

What is a 16 year old school student from South East, DC doing
25 miles away in Laurel at 2:30 AM on a school night?

getting educated?

Theres a lot of media focus on the man who's truck was stolen
but the criminals are being brushed off as "normal".

[Carlos Cabeza]

Well stated 444, my sentiments exactly.

[TallPine]

What is a 16 year old school student from South East, DC doing 25 miles away in Laurel at 2:30 AM on a school night?

Stealing cars, apparently ... :rolleyes:

[seeker_two]

If the DA charges him with ANY violation, that would be a travesty to justice and, hopefully, a wake-up call to the community to oust the rat...:fire:

If any judge chooses to hear a lawsuit brought by the families of the :cuss: criminals against the man, it would be another travesty....:fire:

[TheeBadOne]

What if the shooter used a drop gun?

[gun-fucious]

i kinda doubt a DC tow truck driver carries a drop gun at 2:30 am

the "weapon" found was a screwdriver

[TallPine]

What if the shooter used a drop gun?
That's why we are suppose to leave these things to the police. They are the specialists in those special techniques. :D

[hammer4nc]

TBO sincerely queried:

What if the shooter used a drop gun?

TBO, you know full well that tactic has only been approved for use by LE! What, are you trying to rub it in or something?

:confused:

[Daniel T]

The shooter is a murderer. He statement that he "had had enough" pretty clearly indicates he had already decided to use deadly force before ever confronting the car thieves.

The punishment must fit the crime, and a death sentence is not the punishment for Grand Theft Auto.

[TallPine]

The punishment must fit the crime, and a death sentence is not the punishment for Grand Theft Auto.
But a death sentence is often the punishment for failing to respond to a LEO's orders to halt, etc ...

But a private citizen cannot act in his/her own behalf, but instead must rely on an agent (LEO or private security guard) to apprehend criminals (at least, whenever they may or may not get there). :rolleyes:

[TheeBadOne]

But a death sentence is often the punishment for failing to respond to a LEO's orders to halt, etc ...
...and an apple is often compared to an orange.

[Carlos Cabeza]

The punishment must fit the crime, and a death sentence is not the punishment for Grand Theft Auto.

Then quit stealin' cars !:fire:

[RustyHammer]

This answers the question of what to do with that old beater pistol in the back of the safe.

"Yes", officer, "that looks like the pistol they had pointed at me." ("He must have wiped the finger prints off before he dropped it?" ;) )

Dead men tell no tales.

[MessedUpMike]

Hmmm
Could go either way. The hard part will be getting around taking the gun outside in the first place. When I was in the Criminal Justice program in college it was explained that a justifiable shooting was one where the shooter felt his life was in danger. This is how we ended up with a wild west police dept around here. Therefore if he can prove that the theives were a "clear and present danger" then he is justified shooting, the problem is auto theft is not a justification for putting yourself in that sort of danger.
Juries in Md. PG county in particular are notoriously unpredictable. If the DA does charge him (expect that), then we'll have to wait and see.
I know the nieghborhood he was in. I don't blame him for taking a gun outside. As far as to the right or wrong of the shooting I won't guess.

[243_shooter]

It isn't just a car, it is a part of your life. If it was a nice car, it was a significant part of your life that you will never get back.

But, it is just a car, not worth killing someone over..

If they had managed to take it, at worst he's out $1k, maybe $2k (assuming he had proper insurance, and didn't pay twice what the car was worth when he bought it).

Instead he went out blasting. Now IF HE'S LUCKY he will only wind up owing the lawyers a couple years pay, and not be living in the crowbar hotel. More likely than not he's purchased a one way ticket to a fun filled vacation spot, where he'll likely be the main course.

So when you boil it all down, it's just a car, and he's made some pretty poor decisions.

If I thought for a second my car was worth shooting someone over I'd immediately sell the car, and seek some help..

Come after me or my family, I'll be dialing 357 not 911, come after my car and I'll be dialing allstate thank you very much.

Leo

[MAKOwner]

Your short road to the victim mentality is complete it appears.

In my opinion, right or wrong currently legal wise, a person should have every right to try to prevent a serious $$ property crime such as this. You shouldn't just be able to run out and shoot them (which may be what really happened in this case for all I know...), but if the theives then threatened force on the victim with something even as minor as a screwdriver I say they deserve what they got. You can forget your run and hide at the first sign of criminals junk, they will run wild and rob your ??? blind if you act like that.

If the police showed up and the theives presented a grave danger to them with weapons, especially a gun, the police would be right in using deadly force. I see no difference here... The thief is the one who escalated the situation by attacking the victim or police... The criminal should be the one obligated to run from a confrontation, not the other way around...

I think we should lobby for changing laws in states that say you have zero right to protect your property, that you have to give it to the criminals and go on...

It's not so much that is car is worth killing over, it's that you should have the right to try to stop your car from being stolen. And if the response is deadly force from the theives, you should be perfectly legal in protecting your life with deadly force in return...

[243_shooter]

Your short road to the victim mentality is complete it appears.

?

The point I was trying to make is he's going to be far worse off now, then if he'd just let them take the car. It's a rough old world, and in many instances the law's are just plain wrong. But winding up in the slammer over a car just isn't worth it.

I wouldn't try to argue if he was right, or wrong, I'm sure 90% of the pertinent details are missing from the story.

It's not so much that is car is worth killing over, it's that you should have the right to try to stop your car from being stolen. And if the response is deadly force from the theives, you should be perfectly legal in protecting your life with deadly force in return...

I agree 110%. Unfortunately that's not the way it works in most places (if this would have happend here in NY it could easily go either way, but he would stand a high probability of being charged, and convicted).. In todays world you also have the bottom feeding lawyers to contend with, who regardless of the law will swoop in to try and scrounge some money for their pocket. If he's lucky by the time the car is rusted away in some junkyard he will have this whole mess straightend out, without spending any time in jail.

So in the end, it's just a car.

[greyhound]

I don't think in this day and age we have the right to shoot someone for stealing cars, but every time I see this post I keep thinking that at one time in this country, we hung people for stealing horses. I am not really sure how that relates, but it keeps popping into my mind......

[FPrice]

"I keep thinking that at one time in this country, we hung people for stealing horses. I am not really sure how that relates, but it keeps popping into my mind..."

I suspect that this was because your horse was VERY imporetant to your life at that time and losing your horse could seriously impact your life.

[JohnBT]

Md. Man Who Shot At Youths Is a Felon


By Fredrick Kunkle and Nurith C. Aisenman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 5, 2003; Page B01


A Laurel man who said he fatally shot a teenager to prevent the theft of his sport-utility vehicle early Wednesday has a felony conviction record from the 1980s, according to court documents, prompting authorities to focus part of their investigation on whether he violated Maryland law by possessing a handgun.

Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said yesterday that authorities are continuing to investigate the death of Ernest Sockwell, 15, and the wounding of one of his companions, a 23-year-old man. The SUV owner, Glenn R. Ellis, 37, said in an interview that he was in his apartment about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday when an alarm alerted him that his SUV was being tampered with. He said he rushed outside and opened fire on four young men, two of whom were in the vehicle.

Ellis, a tow truck driver for the D.C. Department of Public Works, was convicted of assault in 1985 and armed robbery in 1987, according to Prince George's Circuit Court records. Maryland law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. Although authorities said Wednesday that the 9mm Ruger used in the shootings was legally registered to Ellis, they said yesterday that the gun is registered to a woman with whom Ellis shares the Laurel apartment.

As prosecutors decide what charges, if any, to file in the shootings, Ellis's criminal history will be "a significant factor," Ivey said. "It would be relevant to our consideration."

In 1985, Ellis was convicted of assault with intent to maim and assault with intent to disable in the nonfatal stabbings of his then-girlfriend and her mother, according to court records. Ellis pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. A panel of mental health professionals concluded that Ellis had "a mixed personality disorder" but said he did not suffer from a mental illness that would make him legally not responsible for the stabbings. A judge sentenced him to five years in prison but suspended all but 90 days of the term.

In 1987, while he was on probation, Ellis and an accomplice were arrested and charged with robbing a Hechinger store in Langley Park at gunpoint, according to court records. Ellis pleaded guilty to armed robbery and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Reached by telephone yesterday, Ellis declined to comment on his criminal record or talk about the gun used in Wednesday's shootings. "What I did, I went to jail for," he said. "I did my time, and that was it."

Ellis was questioned at length by homicide detectives Wednesday, then released pending the outcome of the investigation. In an interview after he returned home, Ellis said his 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe is equipped with a device that alerts a security company by wireless signal if the vehicle is tampered with. The company then pages Ellis.

He said that after receiving a page early Wednesday, he picked up a gun, hurried outside and opened fire on the four young men. He said that "things just went crazy" and that he regretted the shootings. Sockwell collapsed to the pavement while two of his companions, including the 23-year-old man who was critically wounded, rode away in the Tahoe, police said. A fourth person fled on foot. The two who were uninjured were later questioned by police and released pending the outcome of the investigation.

Several friends and other supporters of Ellis at the Fox Rest apartments, where the shootings occurred, said the complex is a frequent target of thieves and vandals. They said they sympathize with Ellis, who said in an interview Wednesday that he opened fire because he "had had enough."

But neighbor Lisa Jones, 45, a mother of four, said Sockwell did not deserve to be shot. "You don't come out of your house and use a firearm," Jones said. "You can get a car back, but you can't get a life back."

Under Maryland law, a person can be justified in the use of deadly force if acting on a reasonable belief that he or she is in immediate danger of death or serious bodily harm. The law also conditionally recognizes a person's right to take a life in defense of the home. But even that principle has been narrowed, said Paul F. Kemp, a former Montgomery County prosecutor now in private practice as a defense lawyer. "In the modern day and age, this is not Dodge City," he said.

"It strikes a chord, these kinds of cases," said Robert L. Dean, a former Montgomery prosecutor who is now deputy state's attorney in Prince George's. Dean, who declined to comment about the specifics of Ellis's case, said he saw some parallels between him and a Bethesda jeweler who killed two people after a holdup.

The jeweler, Vahag Babayan, emptied a .38-caliber semiautomatic at the men as they sat in a getaway car outside Babayan's Prestige Jewelers in the 7700 block of Wisconsin Avenue on the afternoon of June 16, 1990. The trial stirred passionate debate over the boundaries between self-defense and vigilantism.

At his December 1990 trial, Babayan testified that he regretted shooting the men but that he felt his actions were justified. The courtroom erupted in applause after a jury cleared Babayan of all charges, including second-degree murder.

The Babayan case "needed to be tried" because he had taken the law into his own hands, Dean said.

"To me, it pointed out how resorting to violence like this has a potential to do a lot of social damage," he said.

Staff writers Jamie Stockwell and Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.



© 2003 The Washington Post Company

[hammer4nc]

But authorities cautioned the residents to call 911 if they see crimes in progress.

"We are all frustrated over the number of cars stolen in the county," Police Chief Melvin C. High said through a spokeswoman yesterday. "We need the help of our citizens to put a stop to this crime, but not at the expense of that citizen putting himself or herself in harm's way. . . . We encourage citizens to call and let us handle the situation if they can, rather than resort to violence on their own."

Prince George's ranks first in the state and in the region for auto thefts, with more than 15,000 vehicles stolen last year, according to department statistics. Slightly more than 10,000 vehicles have been stolen since January, a 17 percent increase over the same period last year.

In comparison, slightly less than 8,000 vehicles were reported stolen in the District in 2001, the most recent figures available, and about 700 were reported in Fairfax County that year.

The high rate in Prince George's has taken on greater significance in the wake of yesterday's shootings, said Ivey, whose office has focused in recent months on educating residents about vehicle anti-theft devices.

"Clearly, we know that auto theft is a major problem," he said. "Many people have been victimized, including me, and I know how frustrating it can be to have your car stolen. But as a community, we need to be careful not to overreact. We need to be careful how we address this problem."


10,000 car thefts in 8 months...works out to ~42 cars being stolen every day (7 days a week)!!! And the chief say don't overreact!!!! I must be missing something here!

[greyhound]

Family Copes With Teen's Violent Death

By Sewell Chan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 5, 2003; Page B01


Ernest Sockwell would have turned 16 next Wednesday. Short and husky, he was an avid fan of rapper Pastor Troy, as well as the Green Bay Packers and Washington Wizards. He dreamed of playing quarterback for a high school team, acquaintances said. And though he was too young to have a driver's license, he had an interest in automobiles.



Sockwell's family and friends struggled yesterday to come to grips with the violent end of his life -- a life that revolved around his father's apartment in the impoverished Washington Highlands neighborhood of Southeast Washington.

Prince George's County police say that about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sockwell and three other young men were trying to steal a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe in Laurel when the SUV's owner emerged from his apartment and opened fire with a 9mm Ruger handgun, killing Sockwell and wounding another youth.

In August 2000, Sockwell was arrested in the District and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle -- he allegedly was driving it -- and with receiving stolen property, according to juvenile court and social work records. The charges were dropped that November at the request of the city's lawyers, though it is unclear why.

Last October, the records show, Sockwell was detained briefly at the District's Oak Hill Youth Center on a charge of being a juvenile fugitive from justice in Prince George's. Caseworkers with the city's Department of Human Services reported that Sockwell tested positive for drugs and that he told them he regularly smoked marijuana. It was not clear yesterday what charges Sockwell faced in Prince George's.

Sockwell lived in a three-story brick building on Fourth Street SE. He shared a crowded basement apartment with his father, Woodrow Givens, a 57-year-old tour bus driver, and several siblings. The teenager often slept on a love seat in the living room, his legs up on an ottoman.

The building's front door was unlocked yesterday. In the hallway, most of the floor tiles were missing. In the door to Sockwell's home, the knob and lock were gone, a white athletic sock stuffed into the hole.

Givens declined to comment on his son's life and death. He said he had hired a lawyer who advised him against discussing the shooting.

The teenager's half brother, Cedrick Givens, 15, said Sockwell was happy-go-lucky. "He wouldn't even be serious right now," Cedrick Givens said. "He would try to make everybody laugh, in any way possible."

Bob McCray, 62, a handyman in the building, said Sockwell would help him. "To me, Ernie was the picture of a teenager his age," McCray said. "He was never insubordinate. He never talked back. He was never violent."

Although almost 16, Sockwell was still in seventh grade, according to school records. He had just transferred from Johnson Junior High School to the Patricia Roberts Harris Educational Center. Both schools are in Southeast Washington.

McCray said he urged Sockwell this summer to pay more attention to his studies. "He wanted to go back to school, to play football," McCray said. "Ernie had the physique, the intensity and the mind to accomplish that."

McCray and other friends of Sockwell's criticized the self-acknowledged shooter, Glenn R. Ellis. "If he gets away scot-free, he is creating a vigilante effect," McCray said. "If someone violates you, don't take the law into your own hands."

Ellis, 37, a tow truck driver for the District government, said in an interview Wednesday that he regretted the shooting. He was questioned by police for several hours, then released pending the outcome of the investigation.

Kelly Sowell, 18, who lives in an adjacent building, said Sockwell frequently cared for her 3-year-old son. She was planning to buy Sockwell a pair of adidas sneakers for his birthday. She said he did not deserve to die. "He was just there at the wrong time," she said, fighting back tears.

Another neighbor who was friendly with the teenager, Jerome Washington Sr., 46, said Sockwell was easily influenced by other young people. "When you ain't got something, and you want it bad enough and can't afford it," he said, "you're going to go out and take it."

Staff researcher Bobbye Pratt contributed to this report.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Read the last line again. :fire: :fire: :fire:

[Norton]

He was just there at the wrong time

As if he just "happened" to be there?:banghead:

[Sportcat]

Fortunately/ unfortunately looks like the shooter will no go down because he is a convicted felon with a weapon. Can't say I don't agree with his actions. Maybe someday the whole story will come out.

Now the media/ family is portraying this kid-thug as a victim.

[gun-fucious]

the people that move out of the city
are preyed upon by the element they thought they left behind

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=472564

[TheeBadOne]

Ellis was convicted of assault in 1985 and armed robbery in 1987

In 1985, Ellis was convicted of assault with intent to maim and assault with intent to disable in the stabbings of his then-girlfriend and her mother

In 1987, while he was on probation, Ellis and an accomplice were arrested and charged with robbing a Hechinger store in Langley Park at gunpoint
Sounds like a nice guy. It does bring back the question of who really owned the gun at the scene atributed to the car thief. :confused:

[MessedUpMike]

the people that move out of the city are preyed upon by the element they thought they left behind

Eh that's not completely true. Crime in PG county has skyrocketted as crime in SE DC has dropped in recent years. The Hope IV plan by HUD was supposed to take all of the public housing project like then one mentioned on fourth st and turn them back into private apartments. The problem is the is nothing in that end of the city but projects. Closing them down is simply pushing section 8 renters out into the county. Fox Rest is no picnic either. It's not the bowels of hell that 4th st is but not great either. The numbers show it to, way more cars stolen in PG county than in DC.
The problem is most of what's in SE DC are a lot of people going no where. Some of their own accord, some because there's not much in the way of oppourtunity. Not to mention a lack of anything looking like a role to follow. Trouble is easy to get into when don't have anything better to do. Heck most of us here have probably found some at one point in our youths. We may not have stolen cars, but that would have been because we were brought up better, an advantage you don't even apperciate until you see someone without it. I can't defend the peole who got shot. What they did was definatly wrong, but working in that part of town I see how it happens. Prayers are needed for all involved. And some stronger help if it can be found.

[WAGCEVP]

too bad I can't be a juror in this case ...............