Posted on 10/17/2021 7:28:31 AM PDT by Eddie01
A jury on Thursday found a Virginia man, accused of shooting his next-door neighbor, guilty of first-degree murder.
Michael Hetle, a 52-year-old former police officer and NASA executive, shot 24-year-old Javon Prather seven times, a video of which was caught by a Ring doorbell camera, local news outlet WTOP reported.
Hetle and Prather had feuded for years, arguing over mundane things like dog poop and loud music, according to local news outlets. Since 2016, Hetle has called the police to complain about barking dog noises coming from Prather's house, WTOP said.
Before the jury, Hetle's attorney argued that he acted in self-defense. Hetle said he believed Prather was armed and claimed to have been threatened by him multiple times ahead of the shooting.
Prosecutors, however, said it was "not self-defense, that it was murder in the first degree, which is murder with malice and murder with premeditation."
The video, according to local news reports, shows Hetle firing several rounds at Prather in March 2020 while other neighbors watched. Prather's wife was among the onlookers.
Prather had knocked on Hetle's door, and Hetle then fired six times at him while Prather tried to run off his doorstep, according to the Washington Post.
Prather collapsed on Hetle's driveway, and Hetle fired another time before turning to Prather's wife.
"You want it too?" he asked, according to the Post, pointing toward his gun.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Celine Dion
“Why should I change my name? He’s the one that sucks...”
Ambulatory psychopaths spreading joy throughout the land.
Snapped. I had a loud neighbor of urban persuasion move in next door to me when I lived in Rhode Island, back in the ‘80s. I was lucky enough to get a new job out of state shortly thereafter, but this poor guy may not have had that option.
arguing over mundane things like dog poop and loud musicWhy would there have to be more than one argument over those things?
Those are not mundane things when you live in close proximity to inconsiderate assholes.
They only seem mundane to others not having to live under those conditions.
I noticed this was the classic DC “house” with shared walls.
That is a disaster if you are feuding with that neighbor.
Reason #507 why we moved way out in the boonies....
—
There actually is someone in the “neighborhood” who used to play incredibly loud music—we are talking rock concert loud. They were almost a mile away and we could still hear it. That stopped quickly enough—they had several neighbors a lot closer than we were...
;-)
A lousy neighbor can make one’s life a living hell. I bet Javon’s neighbors are quietly (and guiltily) heaving a sigh of relief.
One noticeable trend in the Northeast that's been going on for decades is avoiding owning property in these neighborhoods. Too many grew up in neighborhoods that went to hell in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and are determined to not be trapped with a mortgage in an area that's red-lined. It's a self-fulfilling cycle as renters with little stake in the game don't take care of things the way property owners do.
On the flip side, it makes it harder for municipal government to crap on homeowners when there are none.
“Hey Jude”.....On a loop.
His own Ring video convicted him... what a maroon. I know an evil idiot who could be this guy’s clone.
What ever happened to being a little clever about things.
Something about “52-year-old former police officer and NASA executive” doesn’t compute.
Most people would have put up a fence or moved before resorting to cold blooded murder.
Now, he can complain about the inmates assaulting him in the showers.
Slim Whitman...
Cops here do not come out for noise complaints. Never mind that these little crimes could turn into much bigger crimes and more paperwork for them.
The correct answer is to smear it on the backside of the car door latch/handle. That is assuming the car is locked. If not, there is usually ample room under the driver's seat or in the center console for even the largest of dog turds.
Michael Hetle failed to get his nerve tonic prescription refilled troubles ensue.
Soon to be an episode of “Fear Thy Neighbor”.
White person kills or beats up a black person — it is racist act. Black person (male or female) beats up or kills a white person — it isn’t racist act because black person is victim because white person was racist.
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