Man Shoots McCain Sign Thief

[tekisui]

Dover Street is lined with election signs, most are supporting democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama but one homeowner, Kenneth Rowles, sports a John McCain sign in his front yard.

Rowles told police over the last few weeks, he had signs stolen and vandalized. And on Saturday morning he thought it was going to happen again.

Police say Rowles told them he saw a boy run towards his sign, screaming this one is for Obama and that is when he went inside his house and got a rifle.

Rowles told police he didn't want to hurt anyone.

"He claims he fired warning shot but our evidence shows that he fired into the van at least two times," said Lt. Don Bishop of the Warren Township police department.

And police say he also struck one of the boy...a 17-year-old who lives next door to him, in the arm. Neither the boy or his family members could be reached Monday.. But neighbors and officials say they find the allegations, shocking.

"It's crazy," says neighbor, Robert Sisco. "Yell at them, tell them to get out of your yard but don't shoot at them, it's crazy."

Warren City Law Director Greg Hicks, agrees with Sisco.

"We are talking about a plastic political sign, they give them away for free," Hicks said. "I am not advocating stealing signs but you cannot use this type of force for someone knocking over a political sign."

Rowles has plead not guilty to charges of felonious assault and bond has been set at 10-thousand dollars.

Prosecutors and police say they do not believe the boys will face any charges.

http://www.wytv.com/news/local/33405944.html

:popcorn:

[Mojorabbit]

1. The election cannot come

soon enough for me. I am on pins and needles. The tension is becoming palpable.

[IntravenousDemilo]

2. He will need to have his gun privileges removed. n/m

[denverbill]

20. And voting rights. n/t

[patriotvoice]

22. Ownership is a right, not a privilege.

Nonetheless, he exercised his right recklessly and, likely, criminally. Castle Doctrines really do not cover $10 yard signs.

[R. P. McMurphy]

33. That right is forfeited, however, if you are convicted . . .

of a felony and the judge says you can no longer posess firearms.

[Motown_Johnny]

3. Felonious assult? Why the fuck isn't this attempted murder?

[Zuiderelle]

7. At least attempted Manslaughter. Insane.

[Guaranteed]

26. "Attempted manslaughter"?

Interesting.

[RollWithIt]

31. There is no such thing as "attempted manslaughter"

Manslaughter basically means killing someone without planning it.

[Zuiderelle]

34. Well then, there you go, I guess assault make sense.

Since it wasn't premeditated, or certainly didn't seem to be. If his assault had actually resulted in death, then it probably would have been manslaughter.

[PermanentRevolution]

18. Because they can't prove intent to kill

Just firing a gun in someone's direction isn't attempted murder - there has to be proof that you intended to kill them. Felony assault is a more certain conviction in this case.

[Motown_Johnny]

23. If you say so... but if someone shoots a rifle at me I assume he is trying to kill me

[patriotvoice]

27. Because attempted murder is difficult to prove.

To prove in criminal court the charge of "attempted murder," a prosecutor must show convincing, specific evidence of a plan to murder a particular individual or group of specific individuals. The standard for specific proof is quite high, requiring discovered physical evidence and often corroborating eye witness (usually accomplices) accounts. Building such a case requires thorough investigative work and evidence far in excess of reasonable doubt.

Because attempted murder is a difficult argument, prosecutors will often take a lesser plea in order to guarantee a conviction. In this case, felonious assault is trivially demonstrable, and though perhaps not serving justice, the charge is an expedient way to punish the offender.

[Thrill]

4. Hope they lock his ass up

[frickaline]

5. Oh my , this is getting really crazy.

[yardwork]

6. I wonder if the boys were really trying to take his sign or if he just used that as an excuse.

[HughMoran]

8. Motherfucker

This shit is pissing me off.

[boppers]

9. ..And this is why "stand your ground" laws are problematic.

Morons who don't realize that use of deadly force *requires* a deadly threat seem to be hell-bent on making sure they're never going to be allowed to touch a gun again.

Maybe that isn't so much a problem, in some ways, but I feel for their victims.

[tekisui]

11. I am waiting for the Joe Horn defenders to come out....

[AlCzervik]

10. oh boy Halloween is gonna be a real scream this year.

kids, don't make sign swiping part of your halloween fun.

[BlueIdaho]

12. I hope this fucker can't make bail...

I'd love to see him behind bars on election day!

[Montauk6]

13. I suppose The Machine will spin this as...

"See how those cowardly Obama people are so desparate to avoid a humiliating landslide that they resort to stealing signs now..."

I can EASILY hear Rush or Savage or O'Reilly pushing that one.

[tekisui]

15. And they will praise him for defending his property.

[mitchum]

14. Have McCain and Palin called to offer words of comfort to poor pitiful Mr Rowes?

[louis-t]

16. Did they find a McCain sign in the van? Confirm he

"knocked it over"? Is there another witness that confirms the kid was screaming "This one's for Obama" like some sort of suicide bomber? How long did it take for the guy to go into his house, grab the rifle, come back and shoot the would-be sign thief? Sounds like an excuse to shoot someone he didn't like (black folks who moved in next door).

[bushisanidiot]

35. Exactly! He sounds just like Ashley Todd who claimed the big bad black man

said "I'm gonna make an Obama supporter out of you!". It sounds like the same sort of odd thing that no one would say before committing a crime.. except a villain in a really badly written movie. Seriously.. "this one's for Obama"? I don't think so.

[RagAss]

17. Motherfucker...Trix are for kids !

[goletian]

19. in texas hed get away with it.

[kestrel91316]

21. I think shooting them with RUBBER bullets in the patootie would be fair enough.

[Danger Mouse]

24. But you do realize there are DUer's who say they would do the exact same thing given half a chance.

Heh.

[tekisui]

25. That's why I brought the popcorn.

[Phoonzang]

28. Yes....the hypocrisy is stifling. nt

[cynatnite]

30. And they'd be morons, too, for shooting someone because they stole a sign...

it doesn't make it any less stupid.

[dbmk]

38. Running your mouth off on an internet forum is hardly comparable

Unless you assume people would actually do it.

[Danger Mouse]

39. I would certainly hope they wouldn't.

I just find the hypocrisy amusing.

[cynatnite]

29. What kind of fucking moron shoots someone for stealing a sign? n/t

[EmeraldCityGrl]

32. "they do not believe the boys will face any charges???"

I hope they sue this guy and take his home away. He doesn't deserve to live in a civilized society.

[lady raven]

36. I'm telling you, they're completely unhinged. I actually have concerns for our safety.

Stealing signs bad, but trying to end someone's LIFE over it? Jesus.

[Forkboy]

37. What a fucking dipshit.

:eyes: