Update-Thurs 8 am: I just got a call this morning from my very conservative friend in Milwaukee, and he was beside himself over how wrong the home owner in this case. He said the guy did everything wrong. He's referring to what he learned in his gun licencing class, which he believes should be a requirement. Bottom line: He thinks the Slinger home owner should have been responsible for killing a 20 year old man, and charged.
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Castle doctrine or not, the Slinger home owner who shot and killed a 20 year old man would not have been found guilty of anything. He's a proud gun owner who was just protecting his home. But there are some important questions to ask. It proves just how valuable life is now, once it's gotten past the fertilization stage. TMJ4:
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Castle doctrine or not, the Slinger home owner who shot and killed a 20 year old man would not have been found guilty of anything. He's a proud gun owner who was just protecting his home. But there are some important questions to ask. It proves just how valuable life is now, once it's gotten past the fertilization stage. TMJ4:
CBS58: The first test of Wisconsin's new "Castle Doctrine" has resulted in no criminal charges against the homeowner who shot a man dead on his porch. The district attorney says the homeowner acted in self-defense when he shot 20 year old Bo Morrison Friends who were with Morrison that night say he was just hiding after police arrived at an underaged drinking party next door.
I don’t want to pretend the shooter had lots of time to
think that night, but I can’t help but wonder why this is such an open and shut
case. You’ll notice the homeowner went to check his door
locks, and for whatever reason, unlocked the main back entrance to his home and went out on his enclosed three season porch
without turning the light on? What would make him do that? A loaded gun.
Lighting conditions of the room of shooting were dark (the lights had not been turned on). The reason the homeowner went into the room-he heard a noise and thought someone might be breaking in.If a person goes so far as to arm himself, why didn't this guy locked his porch? Some people don’t because doorbells are on the inside, or no one can hear someone knocking on what is not part of the main home. But this guy could have arm himself with a very cheap motion sensing porch light. $30 for a light vs $400 to $600 for a gun.
When the homeowner walked into the room, he initially didn't see anyone. As he walked further he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He was startled to see someone in his house at that hour. After homeowner spoke to Mr. Morrison, Morrison raised his hands and took a step towards the homeowner. The homeowner had very little time to react.
This guy felt like most gun slinging hobbyists; he’s
got a gun and he's going to use it. Why startle the intruder by turning on the light, when you’ve got a
loaded gun? Bam. No questions.
Not one reporter or TV editorial suggested external security
measures as a solution. It would have save a life. What we've done is changed the mindset of armed losers; we've given them a reason to not have to think, to secure their premises or be wary of their surroundings They've taken the "shoot first" short cut.
the reason to not turn on a porch light (or any light) is the same reason NO police officer will turn on the lights. Coming from a lighted room, you are perfectly silhouetted to an intruder. if the intruder has a gun (or any weapon) you will NOT be able to see him, but he will see you.
ReplyDeletea motion sensing light on the porch might indeed have helped since it doesnt put you in the spot light, but how many people think of this ahead of time? how many homes do you know install motion sensors? we had one in our neighborhood.. and the number of neighbor complaints about the light flashing on all night made them remove it.
MY porch light hasnt worked in 20 years. It had faulty electrical when we bought the house, which the home inspection didnt catch.
to put in a motion sensor would require re wiring the entire porch and house front. the estimate to merely FIX the porch light was over 10 thousand because the law requires that i upgrade the wiring to suit the new codes if i do any repairs.
Replacing a porch light does not require you to upgrade the wiring on your porch.
ReplyDeleteI was in real estate and know this for a fact. Any home inspectors would tell you that. Not only that, I have a 60 year old house and have done upgrading and contracting. Nice try. The wiring would have to be upgraded only if you replace the porch.
As I've mentioned in the story, a light costs less than a fire arm if he was so concerned. It was the first thing I did when I bought my house, and I'm not a paranoid conservative gun carrying lunatic.
The outside porch would not have created a perfect silhouette, since the house was dark, but the porch was lighted.
The shooter was the one who called in the noise complaint. He was watching as the police arrived and the kids scattered. He already had his gun out. He was waiting for someone to run onto his property.
ReplyDeleteHe killed in cold blood. He is a murderer.
If you want justice for someone who murders a member of your family you may need to administer it out yourself. Welcome to the new Wisconsin.
So, let's hope some gun-wielding homeowner doesn't blow away a Girl Scout or the paper boy or a food drive volunteer or a candidate for political office knocking on doors or the UPS man. Studies show that when you're armed, you tend to be more fearful, not less.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should be wondering why the young man thought it was ok to enter a dwelling not his own, without permission in the middle of the night? Regardless of porch light etc the person did not belong there. The outcome is tragic not matter what side you view it from. But none of it would have happened if the young man had owned up to his personal responsibilty and not tried to hide from the police.
ReplyDeleteYes, lets make this tragic event all about what the homeowner did or didn't do to suit your agenda.
ReplyDeleteLets not make it about the 20 year old man with blood alcohol content twice the legal limit.
Lets not make it about the 20 year old man with a lengthy criminal record he accumulated since age 18.
Lets not make it about the 20 year old man under court order of total sobriety.
Lets not make it about the 20 year old man than ran from police while attending an illegal under age drinking party.
Lets not make it about the 20 year old man that illegally entered another persons residence at 2 a.m..
Lets not make it about the individual(s) responsible for the illegal under age drinking party the the 20 year old man attended prior to illegally entered another persons residence.
Lets make this all about the sober 35 year old homeowner without a criminal record. Lets make this about 2nd amendment rights. Lets make this about the Castle Doctrine. Lets make this about Scott Walker. Lets make this about the Washington County DA.
Really, I only thought Rosie O'Donnell was that far out in left field. Its nice to know she won't be lonely.
Mark L USAF MSgt (Retired)
Richfield WI
To the person that posted the ignorant comment about blowing away the girl scout, paper boy, food drive volunteer, political candidate or UPS person.
ReplyDeleteReally, did you stop to think about how ignorant a statement you were making before you posted it? None of the people you mentioned would be going about their business at 2 a.m. Most all of them would be going about their business during daylight hours, or at least a respectable hour before most homeowners retire for the evening.
You too should join Rosie O'Donnell in left field. From the sound of some of the posters on this blog, you should have enough for a card game.
Mark L USAF MSgt (Retired)
Richfield WI
The fact that the porch light was on or off, the porch door locked or unlocked, motion sensors or not, soesnt make a single bit of difference as to weather this man was justified in using leathal force. The suspect had violated this mans home with the intent to commit a crime. The homeowner has the right to defend his home against any intrusion. the sole responsiblity for this incident rests entirely on the man who at 2 am, decided to attend an underage drinking party, run from the police and then break into someone elses home to try to hide.
ReplyDeleteIf i choose to leave my doors unlocked and the windows open and someoone breakes into my home you better believe that such action will be met with deadly force.
Aaron...it's thinking like that, that simply makes my case. I wouldn't trust you to make that kind of decision based on your comment, so it would be crazy to give you a gun.
ReplyDeleteHaving a loaded gun seems make up for irresponsibly leaving your "castle" open for anyone walking by, including a cop, a neighbor reporting a prowler..anything. You sound like a cold brutal killer.
You'r part of the rot eating away at what was once a united nation.
I wonder what you left fielders would be blogging if the under-aged drunk man with a criminal record got all the way into the house and assaulted this mans wife or went after the children. What are you people thinking? Obviously some of you have never been in a life or death situation or cannot understand how fast things can happen at 2am when someone who is not invited is in your house. When someone breaks into one of your tree hugging homes be sure to interview them thouroghly and see if your still around to call the police.
ReplyDeleteDemocurmudgeon,
ReplyDeleteI don't go around looking for people to open fire on, however I am prepared to do what is needed to protect myself and my family. If I accidentally (or intentionally) leave the door to my home open while not the smartest thing in the world to do, does not give Joe Stranger the right to just come in just waltz right in uninvited.
I have heard several people (both right and left) trying to compare this to the shooting in Fl by the Neighborhood watch guy. When in fact they are two vey sepparate incidents. From what I understand of the FL incident it was a case of an overzealous neiborhood watch guy following someone around who's only crime it appears was that he was acting suspiciously only because he was black and wearing a hoodie. In the WI case this is a clear cut case of a homeowner defending that home and his family.
Have you seen this "kids" CCAP record? Pretty impressive for a innocent little 20 yr old.
ReplyDeleteConvictions in FIVE different counties! I don't wish him dead, but he was no angel either.
(ie. Man MKE said, "Girl Scout or the paper boy or a food drive volunteer or a candidate for political office knocking on doors or the UPS man") Because studies show that if you don't know the difference YOU ARE AN IDIOT!
Here are "some" (but not all) of his more impressive decisions in JUST the past couple years:
Resisting Arrest
Obstructing an Officer
Bail Jumping
Resisting / Obstructing an Officer (again)
Battery
Underage Drinking-Possess-17-20
Disorderly Conduct
Bail Jumping (again)
Possess Open Intoxicants in MV as a Driver
Violate Absolute Sobriety Law
Speeding on Freeway (11-15 MPH) - attached to the Open Intoxicants Charge
Underage Drinking-Possess-17-20 (again)
Bail Jumping (AGAIN)
Resisting Obstructing an Officer (AGAAIN)
Possess Drug Paraphernalia
Disorderly Conduct (AGAIN)
Resisting / Obstructing an Officer (and again)
Underage Drinking-Possess-17-20 (again)
Possession of THC
There is more but they look petty compared to this list. And just think, this is only the stuff he got "caught" doing. Imagine the shit he got away with?
To be fair I also checked CCAP for Adam Kind of Slinger. He has NO record. None.
Now move along.