No details. But the fact he was charged with 1st degree murder does suggest that it might not be self defense. Even a questionable self defense shooting probably only would have been been 2d degree or manslaughter.
Some of you guys want to tell me again that a CCW holder would never do such a thing because he wouldn't want to give up his permit after jumping through all the hoops it takes to get one.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...FEF6F0B58A05C2A38625716200121CD1?OpenDocument
Some of you guys want to tell me again that a CCW holder would never do such a thing because he wouldn't want to give up his permit after jumping through all the hoops it takes to get one.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...FEF6F0B58A05C2A38625716200121CD1?OpenDocument
Man with gun permit is charged with murder in shooting
By Bill Bryan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/02/2006
ST. LOUIS
A man charged with first-degree murder in a weekend street shooting appears to be the first person with a concealed-carry permit to be accused of using a firearm in a violent crime in St. Louis, police said Monday.
Randolph Stevens, 58, held a valid Florida permit, police said, which allowed him to carry a concealed gun here under an agreement between the states. Stevens lives in St. Louis.
Once Missouri's concealed-carry law was passed, it became common for residents to obtain permits from concealed-carry states that offer reciprocity but do not require residency. Some applicants found they could take advantage of the new Missouri law more quickly that way, as St. Louis and St. Louis County were slower than most Missouri jurisdictions to implement the permit provisions.
"It's the first case I've heard about here in St. Louis where a person accused of a violent crime has had a concealed-carry permit," said police Capt. James Gieseke, commander of the Crimes Against Persons Division. Several other officers also said they could not recall such a case.
Stevens, of the 3400 block of Giles Avenue, was charged Sunday with first-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon in the killing of Henry Kotyla, 52, of the 3700 block of Gravois Avenue.
Kotyla was shot to death with a .45-caliber handgun during a quarrel on the street about 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the 3400 block of South Grand Boulevard. Police recovered eight shell casings at the scene, where they also got information that Stevens was the shooter. The charges said Kotyla suffered 14 wounds.
Stevens was arrested later Saturday night at his home, where police reported finding six guns.
Police were not certain of the nature of the quarrel between the two men. Stevens said he was on his way to the store at the time. The two men might have known each other, police said.
Robert Patrick of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
[email protected] 314-340-8950