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Police: Man Killed Teen for Walking on Lawn (Ohio)
Las Vegas Sun ^ | 21 Mar 06 | Lisa Cornwell

Posted on 03/21/2006 3:03:05 PM PST by xzins

Police: Man Killed Teen for Walking on Lawn By LISA CORNWELL ASSOCIATED PRESS

BATAVIA, Ohio (AP) -

0321dv-lawn-shooting A man who neighbors say was devoted to his meticulously kept lawn was charged with murder in the shooting of a 15-year-old boy who apparently walked across his yard.

Charles Martin called 911 on Sunday afternoon, saying calmly: "I just killed a kid."

Police, who released the call's contents, said Martin also told the dispatcher: "I've been harassed by him and his parents for five years. Today just blew it up."

Larry Mugrage, whose family lived next door, was shot in the chest with a shotgun. The high school freshman was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Martin, 66, allegedly told police he had several times had problems with neighbors walking on his lawn. He remained jailed without bond Monday. His jailers said no attorney was listed for him.

Neighbors said Martin lived alone quietly, often sitting in front of his one-story home with its neat lawn, well-trimmed shrubbery and flag pole with U.S. and Navy flags flying.

Joanne Ritchie, 46, said Mugrage was known as "a good kid," but she always also considered Martin to be friendly.

Union Township is near Batavia, about 20 miles east of Cincinnati.

---

Associated Press Writer Dan Sewell in Cincinnati contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: bang; banglist; cincinnati; deathcultivation; donutwatch; getoffamylawn; heyyoukids; homicideohio; homicidepennsylvania; lawn; murder; murderinohio; ohio; shooting; teen
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To: You Dirty Rats

"You have no idea what this kid was like..."


Apparently he wasn't very big into respecting private property.

There's gotta be a lot of backstory to this.


101 posted on 03/21/2006 11:17:19 PM PST by PLMerite ("Unarmed, one can only flee from Evil. But Evil isn't overcome by fleeing from it." Jeff Cooper)
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To: greccogirl
We only have the man's word for it that he was harrassed for years, and we also do not have HIS definition of the word, "harrassed". I'm sure there are more facts that will be reported in the near future, but until then, I personally wouldn't be jumping to conclusions regarding the cold-blooded murder of his neighbor.

Thanks for the information. I know that there must be more to this story than we have been hearing so far.

102 posted on 03/21/2006 11:26:03 PM PST by Irish Eyes
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To: Politicalmom
"The fact that you think that it is fine that he hunted the kid down in the middle of the street is just unbelievable"

You keep posting the same damn line about hunting the kid down, shooting him in the street...bla bla bla.

Read the article. It says the kid was dead in the guys yard.

Its right in the damn 911 call transcript.
103 posted on 03/21/2006 11:27:32 PM PST by Beagle8U (An "Earth First" kinda guy ( when we finish logging here, we'll start on the other planets.)
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To: PLMerite
There's gotta be a lot of backstory to this.

That's what I'm suspecting. I wouldn't be too surprised to hear that this kid had been tormenting this guy constantly, and he snapped.

With what I know now, the best outcome is this: Guy pleads guilty to manslaughter, gets fifteen years, dies in prison, and parents warn their kids to stay the f--- off of other people's private property.

104 posted on 03/21/2006 11:31:43 PM PST by hunter112 (Total victory at home and in the Middle East!)
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To: Suzy Quzy

The guy was wrong no doubt, but I'll be willing to bet the kid would be alive today if the parents had taught him to respect. That's what is missing today.


105 posted on 03/22/2006 1:06:43 AM PST by lula (Starving the disabled is OK, go to jail if you do the same to an animal...go figure)
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To: William Tell

I wouldn't particularly mind someone walking on the grass, but actual vandalism gets old pretty quick. Some idiots drove down my street recently and knocked down every mailbox.

My new mailbox post is made of reinforced concrete sunk three feet into the ground. They'll have a heck of a time knocking it down!


106 posted on 03/22/2006 5:11:41 AM PST by Restorer
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To: Beagle8U

That isn't what at least one of the articles said.


107 posted on 03/22/2006 5:34:23 AM PST by Politicalmom (Must I use a sarcasm tag?)
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To: higgmeister

Mislead?

For crying out loud. Where I have been there are a lot of unfenced yards. Ok?

It looked weird to someone who had never seen one.

Geeze. Overreact, why don't you.


108 posted on 03/22/2006 5:36:27 AM PST by Politicalmom (Must I use a sarcasm tag?)
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To: xzins
Stories like this are why I could never be a cop.

I'd be way too tempted - in answering the 911 call - to pull up, see the kid dead and put a bullet in the "man's" head.

109 posted on 03/22/2006 5:41:00 AM PST by Psycho_Bunny
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To: Restorer
Restorer said: "My new mailbox post is made of reinforced concrete sunk three feet into the ground. They'll have a heck of a time knocking it down!"

And the liberal establishment will have a great time permitting some family to sue you because their drunken teenager hits it and suffers more damage because you decided to protect your property.

On top of that, I will be accused of being a "coward" when I suggest that the teen and his parents should have been more disciplined, rather than suggest that you murdered the teen for the sake of your property.

I don't intend to respond to some other posters who seem unable to hold two thoughts simultaneously. The man doing the shooting is a murderer. And it is very possible, based on reports that the authorities had been called in the past, that the dead teen was committed to making the man's life miserable.

I would expect more from Freepers who should be able to separate out these two issues. Being directed entirely by emotion is a liberal trait that results in many counter-productive laws.

110 posted on 03/22/2006 9:30:25 AM PST by William Tell (RKBA for California (rkba.members.sonic.net) - Volunteer by contacting Dave at rkba@sonic.net)
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To: William Tell
The man doing the shooting is a murderer. And it is very possible, based on reports that the authorities had been called in the past, that the dead teen was committed to making the man's life miserable.

Your first statement is true.

Your second statement is not necessarily accurate. Some people call the cops when it is not justified. Generally the cops know exactly who these people are. As do the other neighbors.

111 posted on 03/22/2006 10:49:40 AM PST by Restorer
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To: Restorer
And the liberal establishment will have a great time permitting some family to sue you because their drunken teenager hits it and suffers more damage because you decided to protect your property.

Possible in many cases. As I live on the end of a cul de sac, it's pretty tough for somebody to have enough speed up to kill themselves when they ram my mailbox.

Just enough to mess up their car. :)

112 posted on 03/22/2006 10:51:49 AM PST by Restorer
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To: Politicalmom

The fact that you think that it is fine that he hunted the kid down in the middle of the street is just unbelievable.

I never said any such thing!!! Where do you come up with that? I'd gladly pull the switch too! It is just I know how kids can be, how mean they can be. This guy was obviously wound too tight in the first place.


113 posted on 03/22/2006 12:36:31 PM PST by greccogirl
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To: William Tell

Yes. Somehow someone got the idea that I'm all for this guy killing a kid. I'm not.

But I do understand how absolutely horrible kids can be and how they can harrass people to no end.


114 posted on 03/22/2006 12:37:57 PM PST by greccogirl
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To: Irish Eyes

That being said, it does not justify a someone blowing away ANYONE for lawn violation. However, it seems to have been a lot more than that. Apparently he'd done it earlier and they'd had words about it, and he came back across a second time with friends, according to the reports.

This guy will probably spend the rest of his life in jail.


115 posted on 03/22/2006 12:40:36 PM PST by greccogirl
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To: hunter112

This is what I've tried (or did try) to explain to my sons all their lives. If you go around asking for it, sooner or later you're going to run into someone who will be that crazy and give it to you. My youngest in particular always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and would do stuff like this. Sure, the guy was wrong and will pay, but the kid is still dead. What part about "leave people alone" don't kids seem to get.


116 posted on 03/22/2006 12:42:32 PM PST by greccogirl
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To: William Tell

don't intend to respond to some other posters who seem unable to hold two thoughts simultaneously. The man doing the shooting is a murderer. And it is very possible, based on reports that the authorities had been called in the past, that the dead teen was committed to making the man's life miserable

Totally agree. Kids at times think they can do whatever they want, and they run into the person wound too tight.


117 posted on 03/22/2006 12:44:22 PM PST by greccogirl
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To: greccogirl

Personally,
I think lawns are evil and a big waste of space ;)

You step on my weeds all ya want.


118 posted on 03/22/2006 12:45:40 PM PST by najida (I hate bullies- God, man or beast, it doesn't matter.)
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To: PLMerite
Apparently he wasn't very big into respecting private property.

The life of a 15-year-old versus footprints on a lawn. Somewhere along the way you clearly lost your humanity.

119 posted on 03/22/2006 2:16:30 PM PST by You Dirty Rats (I Love Free Republic!)
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To: xzins
What's with this "meticulous lawn" stuff. The lawn looks like hell. Did this kid do this much damage to the lawn?

All I see is weeds and bare spots. If this lawn were in my subdivision, I would have to turn the owner in for failing to take care of the lawn.

120 posted on 03/22/2006 2:24:50 PM PST by Dont_Tread_On_Me_888 (The purpose of this forum is to fight socialism (see FR homepage), not to defend Republicans.)
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