Hi fellow shooters:
I thought I would share with you some interesting things my wife told me after she concluded her jury duty today. Her case was a murder case what and the defense contented it was self-defense. I've asked her to write up a summary of the case and I will post it here, but here are some of the basics details:
-the defendant was leaving his apartment in a high-crime area of town at 6pm. He was carrying his laptop bag with his computer and a Ruger 45ACP (sorry not sure exactly what gun).
-when the defendant went through a gate in his complex, he literally bumped into another man (the deceased). They exchanged words.
-the deceased took his shirt off (even though it was raining) and yelled verbal threats and a scuffle ensued.
-there is debate over how long the scuffle lasted, the defendant said 2 minutes while the girlfriend of the deceased said 20 minutes.
-the defendant separated from the scuffle and proceed to continue walking towards his car.
-at this point the deceased re-appeared in the parking lot, this time holding a knife, stabbing at the air, yelling verbal threats, and blocking the path of the defendant.
-the girlfriend of the deceased appeared and threw a rock which struck the defendant in the shin. At this point the defendant believed he was facing multiple assailants.
-the defendant drew his gun. He was carrying in condition 3 (no round in chamber). Defendant racked the gun and shot. He was unsure if he hit the deceased on his first shot, so he fired a second. They were about 3 yards apart.
-the deceased turned and started to run. The defendant fired one more shot (which supposedly missed). At this point the defendant's gun jammed.
-the deceased ran to his apartment where he started to bleed out. He was shot twice, once in the arm, consistent with his arm being out in front of his body holding a knife, and once in the side, with the bullet traveling diagonally through his abdomen.
-the deceased's girlfriend called 911. The defendant also called 911.
-the deceased was transported to a hospital but died from injuries three days later.
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Those are the facts. He are some interesting bits of "quality" police work:
-only 1 piece of brass was ever recovered and it's location of recovery was unknown. Seriously. Someone (police) just picked it up and didn't photograph where they found it. :banghead:
-there were no 911 tapes.
-the deceased's apartment was never searched and no knife was ever recovered.
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Disputed:
-where exactly the shooting took place. The girlfriend contends it was in a courtyard while the defendant says it took place in the parking lot.
-the girlfriend claimed the defendant shot at her.
-how many rounds were initially loaded in the gun and how many were fired. The police recovered the gun in a jammed state, but they cleared it and removed the live ammo without counting it. :banghead:
-the two rounds exited the body of the deceased but the bullets were never recovered.
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This happened in 2007. The defendant has been facing murder charges since then. His first lawyer was dismissed *by the judge* for gross incompetence.
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Madam Foreman (my wife), how read you the verdict?
NOT GUILTY.
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This real-life case makes you consider a few things:
1. Almost no one ever goes down from a gun-shot. Jim Cirillo said he only saw two one-shot-stops in his career and that was from a 30-carbine and a 12ga.
2. Condition 3 probably isn't the best to carry in, but in this case the defendant made it work.
3. There was not testimony as to the kind of ammo the defendant used, but my guess is that it was not hollow-point as there were two exit wounds.
Just thought I would share with you guys.
I thought I would share with you some interesting things my wife told me after she concluded her jury duty today. Her case was a murder case what and the defense contented it was self-defense. I've asked her to write up a summary of the case and I will post it here, but here are some of the basics details:
-the defendant was leaving his apartment in a high-crime area of town at 6pm. He was carrying his laptop bag with his computer and a Ruger 45ACP (sorry not sure exactly what gun).
-when the defendant went through a gate in his complex, he literally bumped into another man (the deceased). They exchanged words.
-the deceased took his shirt off (even though it was raining) and yelled verbal threats and a scuffle ensued.
-there is debate over how long the scuffle lasted, the defendant said 2 minutes while the girlfriend of the deceased said 20 minutes.
-the defendant separated from the scuffle and proceed to continue walking towards his car.
-at this point the deceased re-appeared in the parking lot, this time holding a knife, stabbing at the air, yelling verbal threats, and blocking the path of the defendant.
-the girlfriend of the deceased appeared and threw a rock which struck the defendant in the shin. At this point the defendant believed he was facing multiple assailants.
-the defendant drew his gun. He was carrying in condition 3 (no round in chamber). Defendant racked the gun and shot. He was unsure if he hit the deceased on his first shot, so he fired a second. They were about 3 yards apart.
-the deceased turned and started to run. The defendant fired one more shot (which supposedly missed). At this point the defendant's gun jammed.
-the deceased ran to his apartment where he started to bleed out. He was shot twice, once in the arm, consistent with his arm being out in front of his body holding a knife, and once in the side, with the bullet traveling diagonally through his abdomen.
-the deceased's girlfriend called 911. The defendant also called 911.
-the deceased was transported to a hospital but died from injuries three days later.
--------------
Those are the facts. He are some interesting bits of "quality" police work:
-only 1 piece of brass was ever recovered and it's location of recovery was unknown. Seriously. Someone (police) just picked it up and didn't photograph where they found it. :banghead:
-there were no 911 tapes.
-the deceased's apartment was never searched and no knife was ever recovered.
---------------
Disputed:
-where exactly the shooting took place. The girlfriend contends it was in a courtyard while the defendant says it took place in the parking lot.
-the girlfriend claimed the defendant shot at her.
-how many rounds were initially loaded in the gun and how many were fired. The police recovered the gun in a jammed state, but they cleared it and removed the live ammo without counting it. :banghead:
-the two rounds exited the body of the deceased but the bullets were never recovered.
---------------
This happened in 2007. The defendant has been facing murder charges since then. His first lawyer was dismissed *by the judge* for gross incompetence.
---------------
Madam Foreman (my wife), how read you the verdict?
NOT GUILTY.
---------------
This real-life case makes you consider a few things:
1. Almost no one ever goes down from a gun-shot. Jim Cirillo said he only saw two one-shot-stops in his career and that was from a 30-carbine and a 12ga.
2. Condition 3 probably isn't the best to carry in, but in this case the defendant made it work.
3. There was not testimony as to the kind of ammo the defendant used, but my guess is that it was not hollow-point as there were two exit wounds.
Just thought I would share with you guys.