A Just Verdict

The Michigan white man who killed a young black girl who banged on his door seeking help, because he was afraid, has been convicted of second-degree murder and other related offenses. What did him in was the fact that he shot through the door, testified that he thought she was attempting to break in, and wasn't going to "cower" in his own home. In other words, his defense was a combination of "standing his ground" and the "I-thought-there-was-a-burglar" excuse by Oscar Pistorius.

Luckily, the jury didn't buy that theory. They saw through it, and rejected that defense. Concern for one's safety does not grant one a license to kill, unless one is reasonably certain that one's life is in danger.  Shooting through doors is extremely dangerous and reckless with regard to the safety of others who may be in a vulnerable position through no fault of their own. A civilized community cannot tolerate that degree of violence in the name of self-defense.

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