Breaking: The man who murdered Renisha McBride has been found guilty of 2nd degree murder

[etherealtruth]

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/jury-returning-for-deliberations-in-porch-shooting-that-left-unarmed-woman-dead/27348264

DETROIT -

A jury has found a Dearborn Heights man guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for the deadly shooting of an unarmed woman on his porch.

The jury met for about three hours Wednesday after hearing closing remarks from prosecutors and a lawyer for Theodore Wafer. Jurors returned Thursday to Wayne County court and announced their verdict about 2:45 p.m.

Wafer fired his shotgun through a screen door, killing 19-year-old Renisha McBride before dawn on Nov. 2.

Renisha McBride and Theodore Wafer front porch

Wafer said he felt terrorized after a series of loud poundings at two doors. But prosecutors said he had other options, including a call to police.

[rocktivity]

1. Wafer, fearing that someone was about to break in,

Last edited Thu Aug 7, 2014, 05:37 PM - Edit history (1)

...loaded his 12-gauge shotgun, opened the front door and fired, hitting McBride in the face...

Helpful hint for the day: If you believe there is someone at your door who intends to harm you,

[CENTER][FONT SIZE=6]DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!!!![/FONT][/CENTER]

rocktivity

[Fred Sanders]

3. I think that was the winning argument in the 3 hour jury deliberation....irrefutable.

[RebelOne]

19. My question is: Why did he not call 911?

I would if I heard someone banging on my door at that time.

[MissDeeds]

36. I asked the same question

Wouldn't the first response be to call 911? If he truly felt threatened, why open the door? This is so wrong; poor woman did nothing more "threatening" than knock on his door seeking help. Good grief, I think we're becoming a trigger happy society that chooses to shoot first and ask questions later.

My heart goes out to this young victim as well as her family and friends.

[csziggy]

47. He claimed he could not find his cell phone

And did not have a land line. But after he murdered the young woman, he miraculously discovered his cell phone in the pocket of the pants he was wearing.

[tblue37]

54. I did exactly that many years ago (in the late 1980s) when someone pounded on my door at

3:00 a.m.

I was awake, with my bedroom light on (since I often stay up late reading or writing). Suddenly there was a fierce pounding on my door that went on and on and on. I used the peephole to see who it was. The person slouching out there was obviously a teenager, but since he was wearing a hoodie that concealed his features, I couldn't tell who it was--but I was pretty sure it was not someone I knew.

I called the cops, who arrived within about 3 minutes. As it turned out, the person was a teenaged girl, someone whom I did not know at all. I had assumed she was a teenaged boy, but in fact I would not have opened the door at that hour to a female stranger, either--not only because she could potentially be dangerous to me, but also because men sometimes use women to convince intended targets that there is nothing to fear.

But by calling the cops, I also made it so that even if the person at my door actually needed help, s/he would be able to get it from the police.

The girl was just passing through, saw my lights, and figured it would be okay to pound on a stranger's door. She wasn't hurt or in danger, but she was pissed at me and cursed me out for calling the cops when I opened my door to them so they could ask me if I recognized her.

Ours is a relatively small university town, and back then it was much smaller than it is today. The cops are pretty decent here, and at the time I lived a block away from two 24-hour gas stations and two blocks away from a 24-hour grocery store, both of which had pay phones available, as well. If she had needed help, it would have been much more logical to go to one of the gas stations or the grocery store than to pound like that on a private citizen's door at 3:00 in the morning. I suspect she was high and therefore not thinking clearly.

[Turbineguy]

28. Replacing the screen is cheaper

than replacing the door 'cuz he blew a hole in it.

[Fred Sanders]

2. Three hours.....that is the ideal time to send the message, " we thought about it, it took not too

much thought."

Despite the gun lover insanity defending the man.

Very good to hear.

[etherealtruth]

6. I truly had faith in the prosecutor and Metro Detroiters

I just couldn't see the crazy sh*t that has happened in Florida (the acquittals of folk killing young black teens because they were scared simply because the victims were black teens) ... I am very glad that the just did not let metro Detroit or Ms. McBride's family down.

[Phentex]

7. I could not wrap my brain around either case...

and still can't wrap my brain around the case of the teenager who opened the door to police and was shot because he was holding a game controller!!!!!!!

[etherealtruth]

9. I know ...

I refused to entertain the idea of it happening here ... I just couldn't.

[petronius]

4. Good... (nt)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. A small bit of Justice.

Good job, jury.

[AverageJoe90]

8. Thank you to the jury. Miss McBride has been vindicated, and her family has gotten justice.

[redqueen]

10. K&R nt

[rocktivity]

11. There's another case where a woman heard knocking,

thought it was her angry boyfriend, opened the door, and fatally shot her daughter...who was holding her grandchild...
http://www.theledger.com/article/20131126/NEWSCHIEF/131129330
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4108488


rocktivity

[JI7]

13. she deserves prison also, if she thought it was her boyfriend she should have called the cops, but

this is the problem with guns being so easily available.

[rocktivity]

14. Her charges are currently second-degree murder and "child abuse

without great bodily harm." She's lucky they're not tossing in the attempted murder of her boyfriend, too. I could see a plea deal down to manslaughter happening, but I agree she should get some hard time for having opened the door.

On edit: Hold the plea deal -- the murder weapon seems to be missing!


rocktivity

[etherealtruth]

15. At some point people need to think ....

If "I" am afraid of someone knocking on my door, perhaps "I" should call the police .... not grab a gun and shoot .

This particular (McBride) murder occurred in Dearborn (suburban Detroit, for those that do not know) .... the police have quick response times!

[sarisataka]

12. Sounds like the correct verdict

I can think of very few situations where a person on the other side of a locked door can be an imminent danger to the person on the inside.

[etherealtruth]

16. Why would someone OPEN the door ....

... if they were afraid of whoever was on the other side?

[sendero]

18. Not only that..

.... but why would someone intent on doing harm KNOCK on the door? They would kick it down and hope to surprise, not make themselves a sitting duck by knocking on the door.

[etherealtruth]

21. ??????

I cannot even fathom what went through that man's mind .... what would have or could have led him to murder this young woman (a total stranger) .....???????

[sendero]

23. Probably ..

... just a drunk racist that thought he had a license to kill.

[etherealtruth]

26. Mercifully, the jury appeared to agree with that!

[calimary]

32. I guess it would depend on which of his several conflicting explanations you'd be willing to buy.

Glad they didn't. Glad the prosecutors this time did their jobs, and went after those conflicting stories he told. He was angry and shot. He was scared and shot. The gun discharged accidentally. His excuses were all over the place. I was afraid, seeing some of the coverage including his "tearful" testimony and his purported sorrow over taking his victim's life, that the jury would fall for it. They DIDN'T!!!!!! I'm almost shocked that this one went the way it was supposed to, the way it seemed mighty clear what the results should be. I was expecting to lose another one. So glad it turned out this way!!!!! SOME justice done. Won't bring her back, but it will put him away, at least for awhile.




MAN! For ONCE! The prosecutors AND the jury did the correct thing. He took the law into his own hands, shoot first/ask questions later. And at least for this one asshole, that didn't work. Too bad it didn't go this way for Trayvon Martin's murderer.

[etherealtruth]

35. The Prosecutor in this case, Kym Worthy ...

... is extremely competent. I always had the feeling in the Trayvon martin murder trial ... the prosecutor used the B or C team

[navarth]

43. Kym Worthy prosecuted that? Well now.

If you're a Detroiter you would probably remember she got the convictions in the Malice Green trial.

[etherealtruth]

44. Yes I do!

[rocktivity]

45. I thought I recognized that name

Last edited Fri Aug 8, 2014, 12:19 PM - Edit history (1)

I watched that case on Court TV, and didn't think she had a chance. But I also recall seeing her on Court TV as a judge... (Gets of shiftless lazy ass and does her own research)

Worthy started as an assistant prosecutor in Wayne County in 1984...trying over 800 cases. The most notable was the trial of Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers in the beating death of Malice Green. Among the cases Worthy had go to trial her conviction rate was over 90%.

From 1994 - January 2004 Worthy was a judge on the Wayne County Circuit Court. Worthy was appointed Wayne County Prosecutor to replace Michael Duggan who resigned to become the head of the Detroit Medical Center...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kym_Worthy

It sounds like going from Circuit judge to district attorney would be a step backward, but I'm glad she took it!


rocktivity

[navarth]

52. To take you a bit farther....

That wiki article mentions replacing Mike Duggan as a judge on the Wayne County Circuit Court....Duggan is now the mayor.

[sarisataka]

27. I find that indefensible

Though laws vary, it is morally and ethically wrong to leave a safe area to go into a conflict.

Tactically it makes no sense either as the person who must pass the doorway is at the disadvantage.

[safeinOhio]

17. "Stand your ground" turns into

"Stand in your cell".

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. Some people buy a gun HOPING for the opportunity to use it....

What's pathetic is they like to think of themselves as "tough guys" but then they justify their brutality by claiming "they were scared".



And of course RACE had nothing to do with it.

[etherealtruth]

22. +1

[Logical]

40. I own guns and have my concealed carry and agree, some CC idiots are wanting to use their gun. nt

[Spitfire of ATJ]

41. These CC guys in restaurants need to be in restraints.

[Logical]

46. Open Carry is about as stupid as you can get. n-t

[calimary]

50. DAYUM!

You sure summed up the very heart of the matter here, Spitfire!

What's pathetic is they like to think of themselves as "tough guys" but then they justify their brutality by claiming "they were scared".

Spot-On.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

51. Thanks.

[Ikonoklast]

24. Another "law-abiding gun owner". Right up to the moment he decided to commit a murder.

[Rex]

25. What is it with people that shoot first and THEN look to see who they are shooting at?

The stupid, it burns!

[savalez]

39. Ready, fire, aim!

[VA_Jill]

29. I'm very glad

he was found guilty. I'm also angry at ABC and other media, who continually referred to this as the "porch shooting" case. He did not shoot a PORCH, he shot a HUMAN BEING! She had a name, and it was RENISHA McBRIDE! It just makes me so furious when they do that…like referring to the case in Florida as the "loud music" trial instead of the killing of JORDAN DAVIS.

[etherealtruth]

33. Without doubt!

He murdered a human being (as did the others)

[Enthusiast]

30. It's a better outcome than I expected.

She was black, after all.

[etherealtruth]

31. The Wayne county Michigan prosecutor is extremely competent

I had faith in prosecutor Kym Worthy and I also had faith in the residents of Metro-Detroit (I live in Metro Detroit and really needed to believe the folk in SE Michigan /jury would do the right thing!)

[navarth]

53. Perhaps you would like to be added to my list of Detroit DUers?

We are strongly represented on DU, it might be nice to get together with everyone and have a beer in Midtown sometime...

[etherealtruth]

56. Sounds good!

[navarth]

62. Done. nt

[Enthusiast]

55. I'm so glad they did the right thing.

We see so much overt racism now.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. love your sig line. nt

[etherealtruth]

37. Thank you

[Logical]

38. A firearm instructor told me what people should do in that situation.......

Hide in a closet with your gun. Call the police. Wait for the police. If the bad person comes in your closet, shoot them. Simple.

[etherealtruth]

49. Very good advice!

[freshwest]

57. I suffered a few break ins (while in the house, OMG) and asked police what to do.

I'd put up floodlights as was suggested, retreated to my safe area, etc, as I lived alone. I remember hiding, literally, under the bed in my bedroom with phone calling the police until the robbers ran off one time. I surprising another one in the kitchen, the other time. They ran off.

I had a chance to ask the police when an officer came to my door and we talked. He said the law (30 years ago) went as follows:

If anyone is at the door, or in the yard, don't open the door. Don't shoot in the yard, we'll arrest you.

If they get into the house, not at the door, but in the house, you can shoot them and never be charged with anything. That's my understanding of 'castle doctrine.'

Long before the SYG laws, and the NRA and GOA got their cult thinking main streamed, and people got this incredible gun fetish going. It's mostly induced by media, now. It used to induced by Bircher talk.

Although I think this guy was freaked out about the noise - I did have two guys banging on my back and front door one day - they were bill collectors going after a previous resident - and scared me witless.

That was in broad daylight. One had nearly got into the door in the back as I was dealing with the one in the front. I called the cops, I had no idea who they were.

When they realized the person they wanted no longer lived there, they apologized and left but not before I got their license plate and reported them.

But IIRC this guy opened the door and aimed, and I'm guessing he could see what he was doing, too, with a light on the porch. Or else he should not have been at an open door?

I'd forgotten most details of this case, but I think he shot her through the screen door?

He. Did. Not. Need. To. Do. That.

Looks like Detroit is still functioning despite a lot of misery being forced upon it and that prosecutor is going to get justice for a lot of people over time. Now it's time to rebuild the infrastructure of Detroit and take it back from those who are trying to loot it.

[etherealtruth]

59. Sadly, the City of Detroit is still in dire straits ...

This happened in a suburban city surrounding the city.

This guy .... for whatever reason opened the door (later claiming he was afraid) and yes, he did shoot her through the screen door.

It was a hideous act of murder ... one he actually thought he could get away with.

[freshwest]

61. If he'd been given the talk I had from police years ago, he might have not done this.

That 'blew her face off' comment...

He saw her face and shot anyway?

Did it intentionally?

Wonder where the hell did that come from?

What's the need or desire to DO THAT?



Just think, this woman was nurtured in a mother's womb, survived all these years to growing up and BANG it's all gone with the brutality of headshot...

And you say this was in the suburbs. Correct me if I'm being unfair:

Didn't rural and suburban areas vote in this grosteque monstrosity of a state government that has systematically starved and destroyed Detroit?

I see racism in all of this. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

42. What a sad state of affairs when this passes for a "good news day".

[maced666]

48. A little justice break.

Finally, some.

[Dawson Leery]

58. The Wayne County DA is no lightweight.

The (6 remaining) FReepers need to see this and understand that they must obey laws.

[etherealtruth]

60. Agreed ... Kym Worthy is the polar opposite of lightweight! n/t