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.
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Associated Press Writer Dan Sewell in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
Mr. Bogamil had the most perfect lawn and whenever the ball went on his lawn, we'd have to keep our feet on the sidewalk and lay down to stretch and get the ball. The guy would sit on the porch with his wife and never crack a smile...even though his two sons were players during the games.
After reading this yesterday, I thought that if we were doing that today, he would be a candidate to pick up a gun and shoot somebody.
Guy was indicted today. He shot the kid when the kid was walking in the street and going home to get a video game. Premeditated murder, pure and simple.
I have a huge lawn in my front yard and kids play on it all the time. I also have dogs taking a leak on my lilacs and I'm not happy about that. Then there are the middle age stoners right behind us (maybe 150 feet -- odd lots) who smoke dope in the backyard where my kids used to smell it. Oh, and loud parties that last past midnight on a school night.
That's life in America. If there's a problem, call the cops. Murdering neighbors and the lunatics on this site who blame the victim are beyond hope.
"The life of a 15-year-old versus footprints on a lawn."
I bet if there'd been a crocodile or rottweiler guarding that lawn the kid would have found another way around.
Do I think the guy over-reacted? Yes.
Do I believe the kid probably had numerous opportunities to keep from being the straw that broke the camel's back? Absolutely.
I hope *you* teach your kids to respect private property.
Over-reacted? HE KILLED THE KID!
I bet if there'd been a crocodile or rottweiler guarding that lawn the kid would have found another way around.
Great, we've got two six-year-old boys here in Cincinnati facing rabies shots because they were attacked by a loose pit bull. I'm sure you'll find some sick pleasure in that as well. Kill and maim kids to keep our lawns free, eh?
I hope *you* teach your kids to respect private property.
You have nothing to teach anyone about respect, since you have no regard for innocent life.
Do us all a favor and get help.
Since when is ANY vandalism, (assuming there even WAS any such thing), ever a CAUSE TO COLD-BLOODEDLY GUN DOWN A KID?????
Geez the CALLOUSNESS of some here are unbelievable.
It was a LAWN, for crying out loud. Even if this kid turfed it with a 4X4 monster truck it doesn't justify the use of deadly force in retaliation.
If I were prosecuting this old git, I'd mos' def' go for the death penalty.
And I'd do my best to keep people like YOU off MY jury.
Punk kid?
What EVIDENCE do you have?
Or are you just another one here talking out of there derriere?
In 2002 he'd have been 10 years old.
Geez, why are you guys taking the side of a MURDERER?
Then again, a lot of women are writing letters proposing to Scott Peterson......
Why don't you check back through my posts and find where I suggested that this murder was justified?
What I did suggest is that there are millions of unruly punks whose parents fail to discipline them to respect other people's property. I also suggested that there were reports that the murderer had made complaints against this child in the past, and yet despite those complaints, the man was not satisfied that the child was not a problem to him.
I also pointed out that this was not a random shooting. The child who was murdered was somebody who had been involved with the murderer in the past.
Are you suggesting that everybody has to put up with misbehavior from unruly teens just because an irrational man commits murder? Do you not believe that there has been a marked decrease in the level of respect expected from teens toward adulst? Do you not believe that the judicial processes will routinely fail to hold teens to account? Is irrational murder the only societal problem you recognize?
How fitting that you have chosen the Freeper name "Crispus Attucks". Though the killings known as the "Boston Massacre" were the result of a tyrannical military occupation, does history indicate that the shootings were entirely unprovoked? Or does history suggest that there was considerable reason that the occupiers had to either act or retreat?
I never said unruly teens weren't a problem. Frankly, if it were up to me, there wouldn't even be that travesty to the rule of law known as "The Juvenile Justice System". They'd ALL be tried as adults.
That being said, no matter WHAT the past may or may not have been between these two, use of deadly force is NEVER an option unless your own life is in immediate danger. I stand by my statement about keeping anyone off one of my juries if I were prosecuting a case such as this who in any way believes that any previous "pattern of harassment", (and what constitutes 'harassment' is in the eye of the beholder), is in any way a mitigating factor.
As for your other statement....
"How fitting that you have chosen the Freeper name "Crispus Attucks". Though the killings known as the "Boston Massacre" were the result of a tyrannical military occupation, does history indicate that the shootings were entirely unprovoked? Or does history suggest that there was considerable reason that the occupiers had to either act or retreat?"
Whether the mob in Boston was throwing snowballs or even rocks, returning fire with live ammunition was NOT called for. Crispus Attucks was indeed a PATRIOT The first in a long line of heroes that spans the history of this great nation and includes the 54th Massachussetts Division and the Tuskegee Airmen. You should thank him for making the supreme sacrifice that made you the free individual you are today.
In an asinine snap of reason that leaves a kid dead, his lawn now won't matter anymore.
Neither shall it remain his.
The jury at the time decided otherwise.
What is the proper response to being attacked by a mob throwing rocks at you or someone you love? In what significant way does a thrown rock differ from a projectile fired from a gun? Do you believe that rocks are incapable of causing serious bodily harm or death? What would you have one of our soldiers do if attacked by a mob throwing rocks in Iraq? Run away? Surrender? Join our enemies?
Comparing our brave military to an occupying army of a brutal tyranny is specious.
Or should we have never started it and remained British subjects?
Like I said. respect OUR patriots and heroes. Don't EVER confuse them with rock-thowing TERRORISTS.
Apparently, then, it would be permissible for our soldiers to fire when attacked by a mob throwing rocks?
The most apt and succinct summary of this thus far.
Has the man never heard of a fence? And if he was not allowed to put up a fence, I noticed he had a row of cedars. He could have put cedars around his property. Kids will be kids. I don't think this was a bad kid. Kids don't think about stuff like that. He walked across a lawn, to him it was just a lawn, and no big deal. A lawn is hardly anything that someone should get murdered over.
And yes, I know kids are different today, than they were in most of our days. That is no reason, or excuse, to murder them. I'm sure this straight A student would have matured into a productive adult. No doubt in my mind. Patience seems to be sorely lacking in our society these days. I find it sorely lacking in myself these days. These seem to be extremely trying times we are living in. People need to get a grip, and not respond with violence.
Once again, I'm not taking the side of a murderer. Never did.
"...if the kid had already had problems with this guy in the past, he should have steered clear from him. Use some common sense! Don't mess with freaks!"
~You did not know Larry and you have no right putting him down. No matter what went on Larry didn't deserve to die and I think you should show a little bit of respect. He was a great kid, I was one of his senior mentors at school and was nothing short of fantastic. Do not blame this on him. The fact is it happened and there is nothing he can do about it now. So just let him rest in peace.
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