How to get away with murder (non-state actor edition)

[BatmanUSA 105]

was her husband black? white ? or Hispanic.?? not that it makes a difference.... but this is an example of our screwed up justice system....

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57433184/fla-mom-gets-20-years-for-firing-warning-shots/

NEVER fire warning shots. EVER. They actually teach you that in conceald carry classes. To even produce and show a firearm is "deadly force" and if you do not have a reasonable belief you are in danger of imminent death or serious injury you CANNOT use deadly force. This woman was rightfully imprisoned under the law. GZ was rightfully acquitted under the law.

There is absolutely no comparison

You can work to change the law and get the woman and others like her acquitted. Why do I doubt you will?

Again, NEVER fire warning shots. Aim for the center of the chest. Be the only one showing up in court to claim self defense.

[Karee 4,191]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57433184/fla-mom-gets-20-years-for-firing-warning-shots/

Wow. Seems 20 years is way to harsh for that. It's not like anyone was hurt. I'd think that would be something like discharging a firearm in public maybe.

[Pooky 3,835]

Ultimately the bad guy went to the morgue and the good guy went home so who am I to nit-pick?

George Zimmerman is not a "good guy" either. Ultimately, it was his lapse in judgement that predicated the death of a 17 year old boy. Sure, he was acquitted of manslaughter, but his initial actions are the root cause of The incident.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Wow. Seems 20 years is way to harsh for that. It's not like anyone was hurt. I'd think that would be something like discharging a firearm in public maybe.

Florida has a firearms enhancement for any felony. That is why if Zimmerman was found guilty of manslaughter, he would have done time that plus another 10-20 mandatory for the use of a firearm.

[Pooky 3,835]

Again, NEVER fire warning shots. Aim for the center of the chest. Be the only one showing up in court to claim self defense.

If she had done that, it would have been a straight-up murder charge and she wouldn't be looking at 20 years.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Pooky

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

was her husband black? white ? or Hispanic.?? not that it makes a difference.... but this is an example of our screwed up justice system....

It is not screwed up at all. She used deadly force without justification. She endured the same type of trial GZ did. She was found NOT to have justification for deadly force, GZ was found TO have justification.

The rulings are exactly consistent with the law. The use of deadly force does not always entail death. Even pointing a gun at someone in self defense is a use of deadly force, firing a shot is aggravated assault unless you can claim self defense. She had the same burden of proof GZ had and failed to meet it. Mostly because her assailant was in the courtroom.

NEVER fire warning shots

[BatmanUSA 105]

+1 Val Erie

But the real way to get away with it is ....show up in court.

In my opinion GZ made some errors I would not have.

1. He used a 9mm. Risky. I prefer a .45

2. He called 911 before he was sure TM was dead. While it ultimately may have helped him "Why call 911 if you plan to kill someone?" It also created most of the confusion about "who hit John" and all that nonsense which was irrelevent but people like you thought otherwise. Live and learn.

The key to any of these things is to make sure "only one person testifies" which, essentially, he did. Ultimately the bad guy went to the morgue and the good guy went home so who am I to nit-pick?

How did Zimmerman, "essentially" make sure he was the only one who testified.???

Did he shoot Trayvon multiple times.???...

perhaps he wanted to follow the boy to give the police a location... then the boy approached and attacked Zimmerman...

maybe Zimmerman was a diabetic and he was afraid that Trayvon would shove the skittles down his throat...

but I agree that a 9mm was a poor choice, however I prefer the .357 JHP

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

If she had done that, it would have been a straight-up murder charge and she wouldn't be looking at 20 years.

No. It would have been self defense. "i was in fear of my life, he said he was going to kill me" If you don't believe it...ask him.

NEVER fire into anything except center of chest.

[Pooky 3,835]

No. It would have been self defense. "i was in fear of my life, he said he was going to kill me" If you don't believe it...ask him.

NEVER fire into anything except center of chest.

Except she went out to her car, after the initial argument, got her gun and returned to his house. There's no self defense there.

[Karee 4,191]

Funny watching CNN. They spend 58 minutes of an hour on this case, and then 10 seconds on bombs in Iraq that killed 16.

[Rattlehead 69]

Wow. Seems 20 years is way to harsh for that. It's not like anyone was hurt. I'd think that would be something like discharging a firearm in public maybe.

Mandatory sentencing from some of those "common sense" firearms laws.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

How did Zimmerman, "essentially" make sure he was the only one who testified.???

Did he shoot Trayvon multiple times.???...

perhaps he wanted to follow the boy to give the police a location... then the boy approached and attacked Zimmerman...

maybe Zimmerman was a diabetic and he was afraid that Trayvon would shove the skittles down his throat...

but I agree that a 9mm was a poor choice, however I prefer the .357 JHP

TM was dead, there were no other eye witnesses that disputed his story. I say "essentially" because we had this phone call analysis and other BS. There should have been no phone calls to analyze, it was messy but it worked in the end.

Meh...357 does not impress me for a private concealed carry cartridge at all. More usefull for cops and such that may have to fire into automobiles, through light barricades and other stuff. For us regular guys who are not called to rescue people who don't have guns, the penetration and velocity are fairly useless. A .45 penetrates a hoodie just as well and makes a much bigger hole (mine is loaded with hollow points also). The US military dropped the use of .357 diameter bullets in 1909 in favor of a .45 because it killed people better. They used it until 1985 because it killed people better. The 9mm switch was mostly political and people in the military that actually use handguns to kill people, special forces for example, still use the .45

Not to say that a .357 is a BAD choice. I have one .357 I use occasionally as a carry gun. It is my "dress gun" for weddings and stuff. Goes well with a tux. 1970s vintage S&W M19, 2.5" barrel, round butt engraved, Small, "magna" ivory grips and my initials scrimshawed in black. It is a 2/3 scale version of George Patton's M27. I load it with .38 specials for carry use.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Except she went out to her car, after the initial argument, got her gun and returned to his house. There's no self defense there.

Oh, yes, there would be.

The woman has an argument, goes to her car, retrieves a gun, comes back and starts shooting...and you wonder why she went to jail?

Compare to GZ...takes the gun with him when he leaves the car (NEVER leave the gun in the car) he gets attacked, shoots and kills and is the only one to show up and tell his story.

are you STILL confused why the woman went to jail?

Her other mistake. She used the "stand your ground" law. She had an attorney maybe like RG. You cannot use "stand your ground" when you went to the car and came back with a gun! This is why GZ did not invoke "stand your ground" Have you been paying attention? His defense waived the hearing for SYG because he really could not claim it after leaving his truck. Some idiots here were all gleeful when he did this. Fools. Each motion they "LOST" was to his benefit. His defense was brilliant but we knew that going in. The prosecution was forced...and we knew that going in. THIS along with the fact that TM was dead is why GZ walked and the woman did not. Defense attorneys are not created equal.

Funny watching CNN. They spend 58 minutes of an hour on this case, and then 10 seconds on bombs in Iraq that killed 16.

16 people killed by bombs in Iraq do not promote gun control or racial arsonists in the USA

[BatmanUSA 105]

I found the recoil on the .45 to be more harsh than the .357.... thus making a longer recovery and reacquisition time....

for me anyway....

and I usually load the 38 +p for carry... well 4 rounds 38 and 2 @ .357..

but I rarely carry as it seems to have become a novelty... and with people like Zimmerman around, and being in Florida.... I think most people assume that someone around is carrying... so no worries...