Lansing shooting

[METL]

They are still apparently deliberating on whether to charge this man who shot and killed a night time intruder in his apartment...     


http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110202/NEWS01/102020326/Prosecutor-still-mum-on-charges-in-Lansing-shooting


Seems like a no brainer to me!   Also, according to the comments, the article is pretty short on actual details, including the "fact" that the man refused to leave and got combative...

[METL]

Seems like a pretty clear cut castle doctrine case to me...  guy comes in at 5am..  is extremely intoxicated...  refuses to leave and is combative...     I'm not sayin I'd plug him, but I'm not sayin I blame this old man for doing so.

[Bronson]

I think the last line says it all:

"There are so many people that are mad because anyone that knew Jeston knew that he would never, ever try to harm anybody," Clisch said. "He was not that person at all."

That's just it, the guy in the apartment DIDN'T know him.  He didn't know he was a great guy or that he had three kids to take care of.  All he knew, or needed to know, was that there was a strange, young, bald headed, goateed freak, who was under the influence of something, in his apartment.  I am not an old man but in the same situation I too may fear that I was about to face great bodily harm or death.

We all make our choices in life and have to deal with the consequences.  It's sad but this young man choose to drink his mind into oblivion and paid the ultimate price.

Bronson

[METL]

I can't believe that there are people actually saying that the old man needs to face justice and are calling it murder... as if the old guy invited him in then plugged him...       frankly, the old man is the REAL victim... he has to deal with the fact that he killed someone... IN HIS HOME...   how many people would want to stare at the spot where someone else died.. that YOU killed?!?!   

[13mile9]

O.K....  what is being missed is the 1 hour or so prior to the shooting.  The "so-called friends" left him at the stupid strip club:  "he was very intoxicated" (quote from article).   This could have been prevented at this point.   Did they leave him to drive to this complex??!!!   

One other point.  The article stated (a couple of times) that "he walked into" the man's apartment.  I find it hard to believe that a 64 year old man living in a apartment complex sleeps at night with his apartment unlocked!!    How did he just walk in?   Did this just happen to be the one night that he forgot to lock his doors?  Maybe so...?

This also wasn't his complex...just a place he was supposed to be staying the night.  He was a stranger to the complex.  Open and shut case.

I think his friends need to face some justice.   

780.951 Individual using deadly force or force other than deadly force; presumption; definitions.
Sec. 1.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), it is a rebuttable presumption in a civil or criminal case that an individual who uses deadly force or force other than deadly force under section 2 of the self-defense act has an honest and reasonable belief that imminent death of, sexual assault of, or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another individual will occur if both of the following apply:

(a) The individual against whom deadly force or force other than deadly force is used is in the process of breaking and entering a dwelling or business premises or committing home invasion or has broken and entered a dwelling or business premises or committed home invasion and is still present in the dwelling or business premises, or is unlawfully attempting to remove another individual from a dwelling, business premises, or occupied vehicle against his or her will.

(b) The individual using deadly force or force other than deadly force honestly and reasonably believes that the individual is engaging in conduct described in subdivision (a).

I think he is covered. 

[TheQ]

My email to Dunning:

Mr. Dunning,

I think it's very unfortunate that Mr. Lawrence elected to go out and get hammered with his friends.  I think it's even less fortunate he didn't have friends who cared about him enough to make sure he made it somewhere safely for the night.  It's unfortunate Mr. Lawrence became combative when asked to leave the home of an older man that he stumbled into.  I think it's sad his three children will now grow up without a father. If someone I don't know is in my house uninvited at 5 AM, you can bet I'm going to be afraid for myself and my family.

What infuriates me is your office refuses to enforce the laws, as written.  Please review MCL 780.971-780.974.  This seems like a pretty open and shut case to me.  Get your office in front of the press and tell them you won't be holding this man liable for defending his home and his life/welfare.  Voters will be watching, Mr. Dunning.  Home owning voters with families will be watching.

[scot623]

Shocking the prosecutor even has to think about charging the real victim...the homeowner.

[METL]

Nice letter...   Dunnings (or as I like to call him, "bowtie) is a tool.   Corrupt, incompetent, typical politician.

[TheQ]

Reply from Dunning:

Dear Mr. X,

The delay is do [sic] to the fact that some of the information regarding the investigation has not yet been received. As soon as I have it the announcement will be made.

Stuart J. Dunnings III
Ingham County Prosecutor
303 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI. 48933
517-483-6272

[METL]

Did he really write "the delay is -DO-"??    Wow..   intelligent!

[BTAvery]

Did he really write "the delay is -DO-"??    Wow..   intelligent!

LOL didn't even notice it.

[METL]

Good news!  No charges.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110204/NEWS01/302040010/Prosecutor-Lansing-man-justified-in-killing-intruder-who-entered-apartment

[METL]

Additionally, does anyone else see the correlation between TheQ's letter and the NEXT DAY announcement?   WOW!   Talk about results!  hahaha...  awesome.

[TheQ]

Did he really write "the delay is -DO-"??    Wow..   intelligent!

I included the [sic] so people wouldn't think it was me or my copy/paste.

[CrossPistols]

Gotta love those Nice guys who get drunk and hang out in Strip clubs till 4am.

[13mile9]

.......and Rochelle Riley (freep.com) thinks America should "stop treating gun ownership as sacred."      The life of this couple is sacred.  Our beautiful 2nd Amendment secured their tomorrow.    For this couple, the sacredness of gun ownership is no longer a philosophical stance or conviction kept alive in hypothetical "what if's."   It is now real...

[METL]

Amazing that someone in his position doesn't know the proper uses of "DO" and "DUE"....     unbelievable.

I agree...  "nice guys" who hang out at strip clubs, but the guy who keeps a gun in his bedstand is a menace to society.



Yes Rochelle Riley... we should stop treating constitutional rights as sacred and start treating unwed parents of 3 children as sacred.... but that's a different forum....

[TheQ]

Gotta love those Nice guys who get drunk and hang out in Strip clubs till 4am.

I like strip clubs. Never been drunk, but like strip clubs...