[John Galt]

People from Baltimore: Please post on this page court dates and locations, etc. Everyone who can, please show up in court. Picket outside, etc.
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Baltimore Businessmen to Go on Trial Today for Murder of Intruder
Baltimore - Two Baltimore businessmen are scheduled to go on trial this morning for first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a man they say broke into their warehouse.

Kenny Der and Darrell Kifer are charged in the death of 37-year-old Tygon Walker in June of 2001. Walker was shot after the men say he broke into the warehouse in the 1300 block of North Wolfe Street and threatened them with a hammer.

Supporters of Der and Kifer have gathered at the Clarence Mitchell courthouse this morning. They say it's a case of self-defense and the charges should have been dropped by the State's Attorney's office. The supporters say the men are legal gun owners and respected businessmen.

Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.

[Capital Punishment]

Wish there was something i could do for him. :( I'll certainly say a prayer for his case, however.

Maryland = :(

[KMKeller]

Here are the TFL threads concerning these two gents for those who are unfamiliar...

Kenny Der and Darryl Kifer (http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=583036&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending)

[John Galt]

Thanks. I did a search here, but not at TFL....

Here is a web site setup to take in donations and keep us updated:
http://www.kennyder.org/

This case is such a good example of what could happen to any of us.

[John Galt]

Email from Kenny:

Dear Friends,
I do not have enough words to express my feelings of thanks. We (myself and Darrell) will be facing our last day of court tomorrow (January 23). We need all those who can attend this court session to be there as to show the judge the level of support we have from the community. So I say please try to attend and tell all your friends and family, we need to come together. Once again, on behalf of myself and Darrell we thank you very much.

Kenny Der

www.kennyder.org
_____________

Ayoob gave testimony yesterday but it sounds like the judge is somewhat of a pompous jerk...

**Anyone going to show up???

[chaim]

According to a local radio news report they were acquited (sounds like the judge didn't waste any time either). So no harm no foul, the guys were innocent, they can get on with their lives, no problem. Unless you count harassment of two crime victims and putting them $90K in debt from legal fees a problem (that's their debt people, it doesn't count what they've already paid off- another report said their bills were well in excess of $100K).:fire:

A local talk show host said something about people should be donating money to try to help them pay their legal bills. Doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Oh wait, I almost forgot. I guess its probably time for round two. My money says that the "wrongful death" lawsuit filed by the family of the criminal is brought within days.

[John Galt]

Their web site has a page for giving donations.

Where I live, they would next need to have yet another hearing and a court order directing the police to return their impounded guns. Police department "policy", whatever that means, not a law.

[Blackhawk]

About the only reason I go to Maryland is to get to DC, and I only go there when absolutely necessary. MD does not endear itself to me by the governments it elects.... :(

[Standing Wolf]

I just read a report at http://www.lucianne.com that they were acquitted.

They should have been issued citations of civic merit instead of being prosecuted.

[chaim]

They should have been issued citations of civic merit instead of being prosecuted. I couldn't agree more. These guys were defending their property. I repeat, they were on their own property when this happened. Instead of the prosecutors filing charges claiming they shouldn't have investigated the noise (which they weren't 100% sure what it was) and that they should have left their business when they knew they were invaded instead of defending themselves (probably leading to being shot in the back if the guy had had a gun, and since it was "only" a hammer they still could have been bludgeoned to death), these guys should have been commended. They were in the right being on their property (one of the few times MD laws allows you to keep a loaded gun for self defense is in your home or in your own business) and the guy was a career criminal with a record a mile long.