Homeowner: 2 teens shot were 'vermin,' not human

"Smith, 65, claims he feared for his life that Thanksgiving Day in 2012 and shot the teens in self-defense."

I am of the mindset that if you break into someones home and get killed in the process than it sucks to be you.

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/homeowner-2-teens-shot-were-vermin-not-human

 

Dunno much about this case, but while reading... why premeditated? I have firearms in my home, and am planning to shoot at anyone breaking in, so long as they're inside of my home. Just because I'm planning for it, will it also be called premeditated?

 

Clearly, the dude is a little weird. Who has audio and video recorders with a cell phone jamming device? There is clearly more to the story. But at the end of the day if you break into someone's house and get shot, tough shiite.

 

Exactly my thought. Why premeditated?

 

Premeditated murder? Over charged, at best manslaughter. No jury will convict them. But, we are talking about Minnisota. When some breaks into a house they have opened themselves up to being percieved by the home owner as being a criminal and the distinct possability of then being killed by said homeowner to protect his property. It indeed sucks to be stupid, as is clearly the case of the theives.

 

That's where the detail is clearly missing. Here's another story with a little better explanation.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/11/27/reality-check-explaining-minnesotas-self-defense-laws/

Apparently, once the threat is over in Minnesota and you keep shooting it can deemed that you meant to kill, not just defend yourself. There is a duty to retreat there. I guarantee his case was hurt because he said what he said while doing it.

 

There has been another thread here on this case. Premeditated would fit for the second death. After he shot the girl and badly wounded her, he changed weapons and shot her to end her suffering.........something very disturbing about that

 

I think waiting 24 hours before calling the police really hurt him as well. Also dragging around the bodies so they wouldnt stain his carpet.

One thing I found odd is why would the girl go down the steps/ towards the steps after hearing multiple gun shots ?? Like straight out of a bad movie.

 

Another report says that one of the little miscreants whom he shot was bleeding on his nice carpet so he dragged the body off to the side. Don't blame him. I would have put them both in the garbage can where they belong.

It's the parents of the miscreants who should be charged. They should be charged with malicious manslaughter for letting their little Frankensteins go outside to terrorize the village.

 

It sounds like he executed the girl.

I think the homeowner had a right to defend himself, and I don't agree with the premeditated part because how could he have known those teenagers were going to break into his house. But I think the guy is probably a bit crazy and the audio certainly shows some oddities and not only because he was recording the whole thing in the first place. And why didn't he call the police after it happened? That's quite a bit odd.

1st degree murder is the wrong charge though.

 

If someone breaks into your house and you shoot them and don't kill them, who's to say a number of years later, they won't shoot you or your family? You think they won't want revenge? I certainly wouldn't want to take that chance. You can't possibly know whats going on in their head, so you take care of it. That's what multiple cops have told me. As long as they're in your house, you don't let them leave alive. In FL they have no legal action against you and besides, dead men don't tell tales. Gotta protect yourself and your family at all costs. How horrible will you feel if you show restraint and weakness and one day your daughter is followed, raped and killed by the guy or guys you showed compassion for. How could you EVER forgive yourself?

 

The kids got exactly what they deserved.

However, the man handled the whole thing about as badly as it can be handled.

 

I think the dude is half crazy. Under Minnesota law when he did that it was premeditated murder. She was no longer a threat and he fully intended to kill her. Again, people who break into other people's houses get what they get, but tossing this guy in jail is not going to break my heart.

 

I actually think something like that would deter crime in the future. A person willing to break the law has no constraints, if you're a 'law-abiding citizen', when exactly is the 'right to retreat'? How can you be sure that they are in fact, retreating? For all you know, that criminal could be arming themselves!

It's the same thing in the FT Hood case, laws only weaken the law-abiding, while the criminal has the advantage. Giving people more flexibility in these cases will lower crime. In Switzerland, safe and responsible carrying is encouraged. The thugs therefore know that over there, (*)(*)(*)(*) can hit the fan.

Give the dude manslaughter, but not premeditated. Giving him premeditated would be like forgiving their crime of attempted theft and trespassing.

 

Yeah, some people should have stupid filters installed.

 

I completely agree that this guy like anyone, has the right to defend himself and home against these young criminal intruders.
In many other states he probably would not face charges.
In MN however, this does not seem to be how the laws were written.
It appears that he may have incriminated himself by recording the whole thing.
The part where he says “a good, clean finishing shot” will likely land him in prison.
Very ironic in the way he handled this situation.

 

These girls got what they had coming.

If you break into someone's house and get shot, tough (*)(*)(*)(*). I feel no sympathy for you. On the other hand, he did break the law, so he should go to jail.

 

Pretty much this. He broke 'the law' but if most people did, other people would think twice about committing a crime. Or at least the sane ones among us. I don't want my head cemented to the ground, but who knows what mr.crazy of the world thinks.

 

The idea that you have to retreat in your own home is nuts....

 

Like a Roach Motel, Roaches checkin but can't checkout.

 

Lesson to be learned.

Don't break into peoples home.

Additional lesson.

Most certainly don't break into crazy people's homes.

 

Disturbing? Try compassionate. The poor girl obviously wasn't going to make it, so he ended her suffering.

 

Yeah. But in this case I can see what the issue is. The guy is clearly nuts and the girl was clearly no longer a threat (assuming she was one in the first place). That was the law in most places for a very long time. You could protect yourself, but only to the "reasonable person" standard. Once an unarmed person is lying in a puddle of blood you need to stop shooting. Now, I say whatever. Don't break into my house. But I also get where the law was coming from. You can sometimes go a bit overkill.

 

His home had been broken into several times before.
He's sick with cancer, affected by the drugs he's taking for it and a Vietnam vet.... I think he either went into shock or had a flashback...


Whatever, he legally shot them, I don't know why he's been charged....it isn't a crime to be glad you killed people who broke into your house before they killed you....

...and let's note: I am a Liberal....

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This Liberal agrees with you

 

Another reason not to break into someones home eh? They might be nuts and hunt you down... Either way they deserve what they got.