Sobering Article about Garland Murders

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aerod1

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Mods, If this is in the wrong place, feel free to move. I put it here because I felt it would get the most attention.

Jim


== “No Safe Places” ==

by Don Myers

Recently, there were two Christian musicians who were leaving a recording studio and were murdered for two dollars and their car. Initially, I paid little attention to the news reports nor did I listen to the names of the two victims. Three days later, I received an e-mail from a woman friend who had received her CHL by taking my course along with her son and daughter. The e-mail read, “Hi Don, my son, Steve, was murdered Thursday. His funeral is at….”

I sat there stunned. Steve had been licensed through my instruction. I had been to a couple of activities that he and his mother attended – in both cases they were armed. I knew Steve’s mother believed as I do that you never go anywhere unarmed if it is legal to carry in those places. I did not know Steve as well as I did his mother, but I found him to be very likable and smart. In fact, I later discovered that he was probably a genius. Of course after getting that terrible news, I couldn’t help wonder if he was armed that night. I assume that he wasn’t because of the deadly results of his encounter with two heartless thugs. Both criminals were captured the next day. A television interview showed that one of them was almost proud of what they had done. Apparently, he is feeling good about being a “gangsta” now.”

I attended Steve’s funeral wishing that I could ask if Steve had been armed that awful night, but knew it would be totally inappropriate to ask such an insensitive question. After the funeral service was over, I watched as the ushers allowed the family members to leave the sanctuary first. I couldn’t help notice that Steve’s mother and sister were carrying handbags made of nylon that were an odd shape. Of course, it was obvious to me why they were carrying those bags and what was in them.

I waited my turn to give condolences to Steve’s mother. Then as I approached her, she said in a voice that was a mixture of crying and disbelief, “Don, Steve didn’t have his gun! He always carries his gun! When he comes to my house, he has his gun on him under his shirt. He doesn’t go anywhere without his gun! Don, he didn’t have his gun! In fact, when the police were telling me about the shooting, I asked them where Steve’s gun was. They said that they had not found his gun so I told them that the criminals have it. Later, we found it at his home.”

I was sick. The tragedy was bad enough, but for him to be killed on one of the few nights where he had forgotten to take his gun seemed to rub salt into the wounds of those of us who cared for him. I am always amazed at how many people who have taken my CHL class do not carry all the time. Some almost never carry a pistol. And yet, here was a case where someone who practically always heeded my advice to be armed at all times was killed while the others who continue to walk around in an un-armed condition, in a mental state of white, don’t pay the price that Steve did. No, I don’t want those others to pay that price. It’s just that they are more likely to be hurt or killed than those who do carry where it is legal. The irony cannot be ignored.

One of the reasons that I became a CHL instructor was because of a conversation I heard during my first renewal class. An elderly gentleman asked the instructor, “I live in a nice neighborhood. My wife and I go walking nearly every evening. Do you think I should take my gun with me?”

Incredibly, the instructor replied, “Well, that’s a personal decision that you will have to make for yourself.”

I wanted to scream, “Of course, you should! There are no safe places!” In fact, I was so stunned at the stupid answer that I didn’t say what I was thinking. I still feel guilty about not speaking up. However, I do speak up now. Throughout the classes that I teach I use examples, many of actual shootings, to show the need to carry all the time. One such example is an appeal to logic. I ask the students if you could turn off and on your fire insurance at will, would you ever turn it off because there was little chance of a fire on a particular day? Of course, you wouldn’t! But, that’s exactly what you do if you decide to leave your home un-armed. You have chosen to let yourself be vulnerable to a mean world that can take you or your loved ones from this world for two dollars or for your tennis shoes.

There are no safe places! One woman who took my class has for many years worked as a contractor in federal housing, i.e. high crime areas. Unfortunately, her employer will not let her carry her gun in her car (she can’t go in the federal buildings armed), but she has never needed a gun in those high crime areas. On the other hand, she has needed a gun for protection three times in “safe areas.”

She started carrying a gun at seventeen because the police would not believe that she and her boyfriend had been robbed and that she had nearly raped (she said that she was in her menstrual period or she would have been raped). The police did not believe her because at that time there had never been any crime in the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (this occurred in the 1960’s). This “safe place” soon became a hot spot of rape and murder during the following year causing it to be fenced and closed at night. Fortunately, the gang of youths were caught and convicted of multiple rapes and murders.

Those of you who are instructors have probably had many stories of similar need for a gun for protection told by your clients. I use real life stories as much as I can, but I am still frustrated at how many people have the “it won’t happen to me attitude” and don’t carry all the time. I have finally decided that few people really take to heart my cajoling and warnings. Fortunately, many have, but I want to be even more effective in getting that point across since not only are they safer being armed, but we are too.

Since many of you who are reading this newsletter are instructors, I invite you to e-mail me if you have found effective methods to get the point across that it is important to be armed. Hopefully, there will be enough information that I can pass it on to others via this newsletter. If you have something that will help, please e-mail me at [email protected]. If I do write another article on that subject I will give you credit for your ideas.

I truly believe it is important for us to teach our clients and friends that CHL holders should be armed whenever possible and this safety advice is just as important to teach as it is for us to teach conflict resolution and the use of deadly force required by the state. I hope you agree. Be armed; be safe.

Don Myers
Texas Concealed Handgun License Instructor
 
Very sobering article and can serve as a good example when someone asks, 'Why do you think you need to carry a gun?'
 
Thank you for this. I am currently just starting the process of getting a CCW. even though I cannot bring it to my work, I can leave it out in the car.

Sorry to the love ones.
 
I've heard another reason I like for carrying as often as you can.

We hear a lot of examples where someone decided not to carry, and as a result were put in a compromising or deadly situation.

However, infrequent carriers have another thing to be concerned about if they're involved in a legal shooting: The prosecutor is going to draw a pretty mean story of how you put on your gun that day because you were in a bad mood an looking for a fight. It will be hard to defend against that accusation if you haven't made a regular habit of going armed.
 
belus: I've heard another reason I like for carrying as often as you can.

We hear a lot of examples where someone decided not to carry, and as a result were put in a compromising or deadly situation.

However, infrequent carriers have another thing to be concerned about if they're involved in a legal shooting: The prosecutor is going to draw a pretty mean story of how you put on your gun that day because you were in a bad mood an looking for a fight. It will be hard to defend against that accusation if you haven't made a regular habit of going armed.

I get a chuckle out of these WHAT A PROSECUTOR MIGHT DO posts. A prosecutor might crap his pants when he stands up to question me. :what: I would appreciate a reference to a trial where a prosecutor used this tactic: "legal shoot" or a shoot that was referred with charges or even if a DA crapped his pants!

A "legal shoot" is just that a "legal shoot". It wouldn't be considered a "legal shoot" if the grand jury had returned an indictment. If it's a "legal shoot" which means the PD investigation recommended no charges to the DA, who in turn presents to the grand jury. If the GJ returns a "No true bill". It's dead. No criminal trial.


Ever consider the reason some of us do not carry 24/7 ?

I'm a schoolteacher. I can't carry on the job or even in my vehicle (which is used during the course of my job). I also do not sleep with my gun. :uhoh:
 
i think i'm gonna be sick. :fire:

http://cbs11tv.com/local/garland.double.murder.2.755040.html

Suspects Confess To Garland Double Murder

Raw Interviews With Suspects Linked At Bottom Of This Story

Steve Pickett GARLAND (CBS 11 News) ―

Two suspects offered jailhouse confessions in the murders of a Garland music studio owner and his friend.

Memorial services were held Monday for Matthew Butler and Stephen Swan. The two were found shot to death outside of Zion Gate Records last Thursday. A bicyclist discovered their bodies near State Street and Glenbrook in the early morning hours of June 19. Police said both men were shot several times.

Monday Demarius Cummings and James Broadnax, the two teens accused of killing the men, talked about what they say happened that night. The two confessions couldn't have been more different - one showing remorse, the other describing the murders with cavalier disregard.

According to authorities the music producers were victims of a random robbery and were killed because they just happened to walk outside.

Cummings confirmed the police theory and said he and Broadnax had a plan to rob someone for money. "We didn't plan to kill them, we just planned to rob them," the 19-year-old said.

According to both teens, Cummings never fired a shot. While professing his innocence of murder, Cummings explained what his cousin did that night. "He pulled the pistol out and then opened fire; ya know what I'm saying. He shot the first dude one time and then the second dude, he shot him one time and he fell and then he went back and shot the other dude again."

It was Broadnax who pulled the trigger and later described the killings in graphic detail. Broadnax, who is Cummings' cousin, said he just 'did it'. "I don't even think I got a conscience," he said.

After explaining the events of the crime, in language too graphic to be published, Broadnax was asked if his crime mattered to him. "Not no more," he responded. "I ain't got no reason to live."

The teenagers both face capital murder charges and are being held in the Dallas County Jail on $1 million bail.

Editor's Note:

Each man's interview is around 15 minutes in length. WARNING: They are heavily laced with profanity and graphic descriptions of the murders. We have posted them here because we believe we can tell this story more thoroughly by presenting the perspectives of the accused.

If you would like to watch the interviews in their entirety, click here:

http://cbs11tv.com/video/[email protected]
 
A few points:


Scumbag #1 said he'd laugh in the murdered man's wife's face.

Scumbag #2 is playing for sympathy, faking remorse but I don't believe it for a second.

* The "Chopper" (i.e. Kalashnikov) was too big for a stickup so they exchanged it for a pistol which was easier to conceal and use in a robbery... his words.
* They talked to the victims for 20-30 minutes before they murdered them.
*The victims actually offered to have the murderers come back the next day to join them in the studio for a legitimate session. Instead, they were robbed and murdered.
*Murderer "blanked out"/was in a disassociative state when he murdered the two men.
* Murderer shot each man once initially. Then he went back and shot each of them again when they still showed signs of life. He shot each of them in the head purposefully to make sure that each was dead.
* Family of murderers aided and abette, seemed to have no qualms sharing in stolen goods,credit cards, etc...
*Murderer #1 had siblings/half siblings scattered all over the place. Mother is a truck driver and gone. Murderers have no jobs, no permanent residence of their own.
*Murderer #2 specifically has a rap sheet with several prior crimes.
 
One more observation:
*Murderers crossed state lines back and forth specifically intending to commit crimes.
 
another observation- no sense feeling sorry or hesitating about killing someone if it comes to it
 
How very, very typical of "journalists" today. Note from the article...

"Suspects Confess To Garland Double Murder

Raw Interviews With Suspects Linked At Bottom Of This Story

Steve Pickett GARLAND (CBS 11 News) ―"

The writer, Steve Pickett, refers to the vicious murderers as "teens." Not as "young men," or "men." Makes it appears as if they're just kinda "little boys" who went wrong.

Nope, they are not "teens." They are vicious young men who are brutal thugs.

But... what do we expect from the liberal pap dispensers who sanctimoniously call themselves "journalists."

Oh well....

L.W.
 
Damn! A very good article that should never have needed be written.

I think dyslexia and partial senility are setting in. When I read the post's title, I thought it said Sobering Article about Garand Murders and thought, oh great now they'll want to try to ban Garands too.

It certainly made me think. I don't always carry because there is so little violent crime around here, but this really hammers home the truth that There are no safe places.
 
Apple a Day makes all the observations I was considering before I read his post (not that I'm trying to take any credit for your post - just that great minds...etc).

A couple more observations:

These cretins were apparently wandering around randomly looking for somebody to "do". They end up picking the two guys who actually befriend them and offer them something of infinitely more value than they ended up taking by lethal force. There is just no way to rationalize that kind of insanity.

The shooter asked one of the victims for a cigarette before shooting him. the last act of the victim was to look down and reach for a smoke to give to his murderer. [I have given smokes to mooches on the street before. Note to self: NEVER, EVER do it again.]

And one more thing: If these idiots were smart enough to realize you don't walk around with an "AK" to rob people - how come organizations such as the VPC can't figure it out?
 
What a heinous crime. It certainly would seem the first one will get the death penalty for sure for the murder, but I wouldn't be surprised if the second only gets life.

The fact that they talked to their victims for so long before shooting them really surprises me. That would certainly get most people to lower their guard if they didn't act suspicious anyway. That will also draw the ire of the courts to bring the death penalty to bear due to the sociopathic nature of it.

Just my thoughts. But I'm no expert.


The whole thing really makes you think hard about how you would handle the situation yourself, assuming you carry. But the details in such situations are hard to know. Hopefully everyone is well versed in a quick draw from concealed. However, due to the brutality in which this crime was committed, shooting then robbing, you may not have much reaction time. That said, it could also be the tenth of a second that saves your life too.

Now I am going to practice drawing from concealed and dry firing.

Prayers to the family of the victims.
 
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