Police: Homeowner Didn't Have To Use Deadly Force

NBC5 Internet ^ | January 14, 2004 | Staff

[tberry]

Police: Homeowner Didn't Have To Use Deadly Force Shooter Says 2 Men Tried To Rob Him

POSTED: 9:54 AM CST January 13, 2004 UPDATED: 5:49 PM CST January 14, 2004

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- Police now say they think a shooter in Grand Prairie did not have to use deadly force.

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Homeowner Fatally Shoots Men

SURVEY A Grand Prairie homeowner, with a concealed handgun license, says two men stormed his home and forced him to withdraw cash. He says he felt his life was in danger before he fatally shot them. Should he have been arrested on capital murder charges?

Yes, the shooting was not justified No, the shooting was justified Unsure

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Foyil Edward Deal, 63, says two men stormed his home and forced him to withdraw cash from an ATM Tuesday morning.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Live Vote Should Homeowner Be Charged With Capital Murder? Discussion: Was Man Justified? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the drive home, Deal, who has a concealed handgun license, says he pulled out a pistol from his pocket and shot Wesley Lewis Duncan, 40, and Wylie Bailey Casey, 35, in the head.

"They may have known about him, may have known he had monies," Detective John Brimmer (pictured, left) said.

Deal is in the Dallas County Jail after a judge set bond at $750,000.

A grand jury will hear the case to decide if there is enough evidence to prosecute the case.

Consuelo Mendoza is standing by her neighbor's story.

"I can only tell you that people have been coming in and out of there that we don't know, that is not normal for him," he said.

"For him to have done this, he would have been extremely threatened," he said.

Duncan had a lengthy criminal record that included burglary charges.

[Living Free in NH]

Headline the Police wanted:

Local Man Found Dead In Ditch

Funds Withdrawn From Account - Police Stumped

[Condor51]

Those '336 Unsure' should be rounded-up and put in a 'home' - and definitely be kept away from a voting booth.

[Agnes Heep]

If people enter your house and commit felony robbery on you, you've got no way of knowing what they intend to do once the robbery has been consummated. Many criminals have a "leave no witnesses" mentality. You simply don't know. A person shouldn't have to prognosticate as to the likelihood of his being physically harmed.

[VRWCmember]

The problem is that burglary "charge" - if there's a felony conviction he isn't allowed to legally possess a firearm at all, whether his use of it in this case is justified or not.

The burglary charge was one of the perps, not the homeowner. The homeowner had a concealed carry permit which would not have been possible if he were a felon.

[Condor51]

AMEN - with a bullet! (Pun intended)

[Billthedrill]

Yes, yes, (sound of hand smacking forehead). You are, of course, correct.

Sounds like a no-brainer (so to speak). Well, there is that littering thing...

[DB]

"There has been speculation in the local press that Deal did, in fact, know these two and that they were coming to collect a drug debt."

Now that makes a BIG difference...

[RISU]

This one should be really investigated. Just because you have a deal that is going south doesn't give you the right to kill, and this sounds like it could be a situation where those in his home were in there with permission to start with.

[Condor51]

The dead perp, 'Duncan' had a lengthy criminal record that included burglary charges. The shooter, aka the good guy Mr. Deal was 'legal'.
No offense meant, just thought I'd clarify.

BTW, I agree with the littering charge -- at MOST. LOL

[Texican72]

As a Dallas County resident, this is one jury I would be happy to serve on if the procecutor is idiotic enough to pursue charges. Are they honestly saying that being kidnapped isn't enough reason to use deadly force?

[doodad]

Consuelo Mendoza is standing by her neighbor's story. "I can only tell you that people have been coming in and out of there that we don't know, that is not normal for him," he said.

I am still trying to understand that one. Anyone know what that is about?

[steve-b]

There has been speculation in the local press that Deal did, in fact, know these two and that they were coming to collect a drug debt.

The lengths to which some presstitutes will stretch to disparage armed self-defense....

[philman_36]

There has been speculation in the local press that Deal did, in fact, know these two and that they were coming to collect a drug debt.
Now isn't that an interesting twist!
A 63 yo "druggie"!

[Only1choice____Freedom]

"They may have known about him, may have known he had monies," Detective John Brimmer (pictured, left) said.

Maybe they should have done a little more research and they would have known about the CCW permit.

Welcome to Texas.

[Wolfie]

Deal the Dealer?

[Mark17]

86 to 6 for the right thing to do...

Yes, but did you see how many said they were unsure? Do these people walk and chew gum at the same time?

[philman_36]

Deal the Dealer?
LOL! You're quick!

[Lazamataz]

A 63 yo "druggie"!

It happens. One half of the Rightous Brothers died of a cocaine overdose at 67 recently....

[philman_36]

Deal dealt with dealers during dealings.
A whole plethora of potential.

[Mr. Bird]

If the guy was truly a victim of what he claims, I think he's fully justified in making them dead. His claims are what need to be investigated.

He presumably had his weapon at the time of the home invasion, right? I mean, the perps would be unlikely to allow him to strap on a firearm, wouldn't they? So why does he wait until the ride home from the ATM?

Again, I have no idea what happened. It just seems strange that bullets wouldn't have flown immediately. I know if I was the target, we'd never get to the car.