Judge stops murder trial, acquits shooter, calls victim "animal"

[Ben Shepherd]

Our courts are getting too powerful.

Aparently the can levey charges against dead people and make them stick.

But hey if you are enough of a piece of garbage to think you are entitled to take something someone else owns for free, and are stupid enough to end up dead in the process, maybe it's good to know that you'll still be under the laws juristiction.

 

[Third_Rail]

Mac Shannon, a prosecutor in the case, confirmed that the judge had called the dead man an animal, but both he and Steve Tedder, a spokesman for the commonwealth's attorney's office, declined to comment on the remarks.

"The judge will have to answer to that," Tedder said.

McDonald could not be reached for comment last night.

As for the murder trial, "it was a tough case," Tedder said. "We felt like it should go to trial and be decided at trial."

Al Kurdi, who worked at the Shelby Food Mart at 311 S. Shelby St., fatally shot Abdul-Shajee in October 2002 as he tried to rob the store armed with a knife. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Al Kurdi on one count of murder in March 2003.

How is this a "tough case"? A man was in the store (owner?) and it was being robbed. Black and white case, he deserved to be shot, he was a threat. Oh no, antis will squirm at that. Someone robbing ME with a KNIFE is a threat, plain and simple.

 

[longrifleman]

If that's so, I'd also bet money that the prosecution was racially motivated, but with an eye to scoring political points with the deceased's race instead of animus towards Mr. Al Kurdi's race.

DING DING DING

We have a winner.

This is also an example of the English stupidity regarding unequal force seeping into American legal thought (kinda like the blob-the Steve McQueen version). How dare someone use a gun when the other person has a knife. Just isn't cricket, you know.

Sorry agricola et al. Too easy a target.

 

[Augustwest]

Abdul-Shajee was charged posthumously with first-degree robbery.

 

[Nightfall]

Abdul-Shajee's record included a half-dozen convictions for armed robbery, including a 1994 holdup of the Star of Louisville dinner boat. He was 19 when he tried to rob Brother's Pawn Shop on Market Street with a sawed-off shotgun in 1988. He briefly took a customer hostage, holding the shotgun to his head, according to court records.

Yet he still walks the street while we spend our time and money on the next pot raid. At least Al Kurdi finally dispensed what our courts could not. Justice.

 

[Tom Servo]

The judge stood up for the victim and the victim was Jordanian. How is that racist?

Whenever someone doesn't get what they want, whether or not they've earned it, and the offending party is of a different race, it's racism. Come to Atlanta sometime. Sheesh. I don't know how many times I've been called a racist. I have a friend who's Atlanta PD, and his partner keeps a tally-sheet in the car of how many accusations of racism they get. The average? 22/day.

I say, good job to the defendant. Perhaps this will serve as an example to others in the community.

 

[sturmruger]

I agree with what everyone has said we need more judges to take a stand and throw out crap like this.

 

[griz]

It's pretty sad when a violent career criminal attacks a man during a robbery, gets properly disposed of, and the victim is charged with murder.

Thank God for this good judge

 

[gunsmith]

Can anyone post

phone numbers and emails so we could send our warm regrds to the judge?
How about letters to the EDitor?

 

[Jake]

"Al Kurdi, who worked at the Shelby Food Mart at 311 S. Shelby St., fatally shot Abdul-Shajee in October 2002 as he tried to rob the store armed with a knife."


Never bring a knife to a gunfight.

 

[standingbear]

seems simple to me..the idjit tried to rob someone and got what was coming to him.An old friend once told me"if you take the dance..youll have to pay the fiddler later....Everything must be this way".Wise words.

 

[CarlS]

It's great to read a thread like this where the good guys win. I like that judge! Thanks for the post, Preacherman.

 

[flatrock]

Abdul-Shajee's record included a half-dozen convictions for armed robbery

Isn't armed robery a felony? Isn't there a three strikes rule? How was this animal not locked up and was able to attack yet another victim?

The shooter did the world a favor.

 

[El Tejon]

Prosecuting the dead? What is this Monty Python.

Was anyone else thinking of the Python skit was Cleese was the QC with the coffin on the dock? "I put it to you that you are in fact . . . dead. Knock twice if you are dead."

 

[CaesarI]

Good judgement, poor delivery

The real story here is the media coverage. They did their best to hide the facts behind the judge's decision. While all of us are of the proper mindset to see through this biased reporting, the general public is not.

The tragedy in this story is twofold:
1. Al Kurdi had to pay a lawyer to defend himself.
2. This judge is getting smeared, and may be removed from the bench.

While an accurate statement, it was not prudent on the judge's part to make the statement about the quality of the criminal in this case. Reminds me of the Rachel Corrie crap. I was talking to an official (who will remain unnamed) who was intimitely involved in the case, and he felt as I did, that the girl was an idiot, it ain't like the Bulldozer was movin' real fast. Of coruse he couldn't say such to Corrie's family, but anthing he was going to say they weren't going to like anyway.

Furthermore, the judge's lapse in tact may cost him his job, when we *need* people like him on the job desperately.

-Morgan

 

[stevelyn]

Abdul-Shajee was charged posthumously with First Degree Robbery.

I guess they'll have to find a groundhog to serve him the charging documents.

 

[Dex Sinister]

Abdul-Shajee was charged posthumously with first-degree robbery.

Hmmm, well that's a felony, and since a weapon was used in the crime, and someone died during the commission of that felony, so shouldn't we charge him posthumously with first-degree murder -- of himself?

That'd show him!

Dex

 

[jimpeel]

Yeah, and I'll bet he won't be doing it again soon either!

 

[Bubbles]

Ok, place your bets folks... how long do you think it'll be before a wrongful death civil suit is filed against Al Kurdi by the "animal's" family?

I say tomorrow (Friday) at the latest.

 

[OrvilleYertleson]

I like this one:

"he's a judge. You don't cast your opinion"

Because I was under the impression that judges were supposed to.....judge.

and he judged this guy to be an animal.

I don't see why this ever came to trial, it looks like a good shoot to me.