Posted on 09/14/2013 1:49:59 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
A French jeweller who shot dead a teenager who held him up at gunpoint was under house arrest at a secret location Saturday after being charged with his murder.
Stephan Turk, 67, shot his 18-year-old victim in the back as he and another robber were fleeing on a scooter with gems stolen from Turk's shop in the centre of Nice on the French Riviera.
The thieves had punched and kicked the jeweller before forcing him to open his safe at gunpoint, behaviour that Turk's supporters believe should be taken into account when judging his heat-of-the-moment decision to run after them and fire three shots as they sped away from his shop.
The two examining magistrates in charge of the investigation did not agree.
After a court hearing, Turk was charged with murder on Friday evening but released from custody on condition that he stays at an agreed residence and wears an electronic tag.
"Armed, aggressive thugs attacked me," Turk said in a brief statement to French television. "I regret what happened, I regret that he is dead. But it is him who decided to do what he did. It is normal that I would defend myself."
If convicted of voluntary homicide, the jeweller could spend the rest of his life in prison, and his fate has triggered a national debate over what constitutes reasonable self-defence.
By Saturday morning, a Facebook page set up in Turk's support had attracted nearly a million "Likes".
French law allows for killers to escape conviction for murder if they can show they acted in "legitimate defence".
But the prosecutor who recommended Turk be charged does not believe that can be applied in this case as the jeweller's life did not appear to be in immediate danger when he fired an unlicensed semi-automatic pistol.
The jeweller reportedly told the magistrates that he had fired his first two shots with the intention of demobilising the scooter and a third one in response to his victim threatening to shoot at him with a rifle.
The dead teenager had a string of previous convictions for assault, theft and driving offences.
The strong reaction to the case reflects widespread exasperation in France with current levels of gun crime and a perception that the perpetrators of violent robberies get off too lightly.
Mainstream politicians have generally avoided comment on the case, saying it is a matter for the courts. But it has been seized upon by the far-right Front National.
"When people feel obliged to defend themselves with such dramatic consequences, it is a sign that they no longer have any confidence in the state or the forces of order," FN leader Marine Le Pen said Saturday.
“”When people feel obliged to defend themselves with such dramatic consequences, it is a sign that they no longer have any confidence in the state or the forces of order,” FN leader Marine Le Pen said Saturday.”
Well, duh.
Any description of the “victim?”
Gosh, I wonder what the perp looks like, right?
I JUST WONDER.
France: The country that made cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal (formerly Wesley Cook before he decided to worship a pederast) an “honorary citizen of Paris”.
isnt trayvonne a french name?
personally he deserves a medal, if robbers thought they may just get a shotgun in the back they may think twice about being douchebags in the first place.....the guy should be commended.
It is quite understandable, but shooting a thief in the back when they are leaving is not smart.
Yep. He’d get the same charges in most states here. Can’t shoot ‘em the back, no matter how much they need it.
“”When people feel obliged to defend themselves with such dramatic consequences, it is a sign that they no longer have any confidence in the state or the forces of order,”
I think this means don’t complain until after you are dead by the robber’s bullets. Your after death statement would be, “I no longer have any confidence in the state or the forces of order.”
Thank God I live in Texas - to robbers: I will kill you if you break into my house ‘cause you are going to do me harm or you wouldn’t be in my house. Your death will be sudden since my security measures will tell me you are about to be in my house. Maybe you should go somewhere else.
“but shooting a thief in the back when they are leaving is not smart.”
Yes it is smart because a back is a large target. I would recommend several bullets in that back.
And the “president” of France wanted to bomb Syria.
My thinking is owner and dead thief are both Arab - Stephan being Christian Arab and the dead dude one of Allah’s misbegotten minions
Rock Salt & Pork Rinds in the back,.... defend himself & insult them at the same time.
That depends on whether by "smart" you mean an action that is good for society or an action that looks good in court.
It is quite understandable, but shooting a thief in the back when they are leaving is not smart.
You're right, expat2, but that doesn't mean I care for such laws. Where the bullet holes end up in violent criminals really shouldn't matter.
Well, I hope your bark is worse than your bite, because if you actually do that, you may bitterly regret it.
The following is from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables," paperback - page 598, describing French customs ...
Such are our customs. We do not devour, we gnaw; we do not exterminate, we clutch.
i agree. legally in colorado, even if they are in your house, shooting them in the back is an indication your life was not in imminent danger. shooting them after they left the house, especially in the back, is not legally defensable. these are situations where the right decision, even perhaps the morally correct decision, is legally the wrong decision.
They had a gun and beat him and stole his property, had his property with them. In Texas, you can protect your property as well as yourself. I would have shot them.
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