Elderly St. Petersburg Man Arrested for Firing Gun at Assailants

The Ledger (Lakeland, FL) ^ | 12-2-03 | Associated Press

[FlJoePa]

Elderly St. Petersburg man arrested for firing gun at assailants

The Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

A 71-year-old man was arrested for firing a gun at three men beating up his 63-year-old friend, striking one of the men in the arm, deputies said.

Melvin B. Spaulding held up his .22-caliber pistol and told the men to stop hitting and kicking his friend George Lowe. When they didn't listen, he fired the gun, Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman Tim Goodman said.

"I'm sure he was concerned for his friend's safety...," Goodman said. "The use of a weapon to stop a confrontation is not the right way. He would have been better off calling 911."

James T. Moore, 20, was treated for the gunshot wound at Bayfront Medical Center and was arrested for an unrelated battery charge earlier the same night.

Lowe said the altercation began Sunday night when he heard loud noises outside his home and discovered a group of young men pounding on cars and shouting. When he told them to stop, they attacked him, he said.

Spaulding, who had no criminal record in Florida, acknowledged firing the gun, according to sheriff's records. He was being held without bail in Pinellas County Jail.

The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's office would carfully investigate the case before deciding whether to file an attempted murder charge against Spaulding, prosecutor Bruce Bartlett said.

"As far as I'm concerned, he's my hero," said Lowe, who suffered a torn leg muscle, bruises and a sore back in the fight. "He's my friend, but he's also my hero."

It could not be determined whether Spaulding or Moore had attorneys.

[FlJoePa]

Just saw this story on my local news. They are indeed charging this man with attempted murder. I guess he was just supposed to stand and watch as they beat his friend to death. Amazing.

[sourcery]

I see a false arrest/imprisonment lawsuit in the making.

[HiTech RedNeck]

this is a county where the courts major in ignoring the obvious.

[dasboot]

He would have been better off calling 911." LOL

[glorgau]

He would have been better off calling 911.

Maybe he'd rather be "judged by 12 than carried by 6"

[RandallFlagg]

Sick! Hope they throw this out.

"Call 9-11" indeed!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Three young punks, two geezers. Think an equalizer might be needed? Nawwwwwwwwwwwww....

[dasboot]

Can't imagine the DA's office would be stupid enough to prosecute this case in front of a jury...a sure loser. More likely the DA will offer to reduce the charge to misdemeanor A&B in return for a plea of guilty just to save face. Or the DA will nol pros the matter in a couple months after no one remembers it happened.

Go to trial, old timer!!!!

[hellinahandcart]

He was being held without bail in Pinellas County Jail.

Unbelievable. I'll bet the thug he shot got bail...

[raybbr]

Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman Tim Goodman... "The use of a weapon to stop a confrontation is not the right way. He would have been better off calling 911."

Alright, you SOB. Let's take your guns away and force you to patrol the streets without it. What an idiotic thing to say.

[FreedomPoster]

Ping. And Just Damn.

[bullseye1911]

The ghost of Nelson "Pete" Shields (the father of Handgun Control) once again arises to cast his pall on the living!

"Give them what they want or run!"

[Jaxter]

"I guess he was just supposed to stand and watch as they beat his friend to death."

No. He was supposed to call 911 and then stand and watch as they beat his friend to death.

[Adder]

Naww...he was supposed to call 911 and wait for 20 minutes while they decided if it was important enough to send a car "now" or "soon".
I hope he beats this charge and makes them look stupid in the process. He should be getting a medal.

[from occupied ga]

"I'm sure he was concerned for his friend's safety...," Goodman said. "The use of a weapon to stop a confrontation is not the right way. He would have been better off calling 911."

Typical law enforcement attitude toward citizen self defense. After all, if people were allowed to protect themselves there wouldn't be as many taxpayer funded jobs for them.

[R. Scott]

“He would have been better off calling 911” must refer to Mr. Spaulding, as it surely could not apply to Mr. Lowe.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Er, Sheriff Badman, this was a BIT more than a "confrontation" -- it was a battery risking serious injury or loss of life of a bystander. In some states (dunno about FLduh) that would be sufficient justification.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Why not bump the Terri list to show them another picture of what passes for "justice" in Pinellas. The law enforcement there, if this story is accurate, appears to be comprised of clowns.

[tbpiper]

In some states (dunno about FLduh) that would be sufficient justification.

It is in Florida, too. Pinellas County is just really screwed up. I hope they get their heads handed to them.

[mewzilla]

"I'm sure he was concerned for his friend's safety...," Goodman said. "The use of a weapon to stop a confrontation is not the right way. He would have been better off calling 911."

Note to FL Chambers of Commerce: I have now scratched FL off my list of places to vacation.