Fiancee Says Hunter Killed Vang In Self-Defense

wfrv ^ | Jan 9, 2007 | (AP) WAUSAU, Wis

[repinwi]

A man jailed in the death of another squirrel hunter in northern Wisconsin was shot once in each hand before the two wrestled in the woods and he stabbed the victim with a knife he carried to cut the tails off his quarry, the suspect's fiancee told The Associated Press Tuesday.

< snip >

"There was a verbal confrontation first," James said in a telephone interview from her home in Marinette. "Jim told me that he had stabbed the guy. That is all I know."

< snip >

Vang's body was found Saturday partially concealed in the Peshtigo Harbor Wildlife Area. His wife has said he spoke no English and could not have provoked an attack.

[repinwi]

We are still at the stage in the Cha Vang homicide case where there is more that we don't know than we do know. It's because, we are told by law enforcement officials, that the attorney general's office in Madison wants to review the case before more details are made public.

[repinwi]

ping

[rellimpank]

--Miwaukee J-S on the case--

-http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=550810

[repinwi]

Thanks for the link! Definitely more in depth article.

[Daus]

His wife has said he spoke no English and could not have provoked an attack.

The media keeps repeating this like it's some kind of proof. Where as I would imagine, a very quick way for an arguement to get violent, is to have one party unable to communicate. The ability to speak english might be a good pre-req for a hunting license these days.

I don't know what happened out there but the feel I get from the media converage is that they are going to hang this guy one way or the other because they still feel bad for seeing Chai Vang convicted.

[Jack Black]

Gee, multiculturalism is supposed to make American more wondeful, not lead to stone-age tribes that can't speak english going on killing rampages during hunting season. What's wrong with this picture.

English proficency a good idea to get a license to wander around the woods and fields with a loaded gun, including on private property a good idea?Gee, ya' think so???

[Cicero]

Well, if the accused "murderer" was shot in both hands, then I'd be inclined to call it self defense. The authorities in a state like Wisconsin don't cover up to protect white males.

Inability to speak English doesn't stop you from shooting somebody.

[FNG]

The Balkanization of America continues. Maybe the UN can help.

[KarinG1]

Kanikula has said he did not know whether Vang's death was a hate crime.

He was stabbed to death. Speaking for myself, I never stab people I like to death.

I have been waiting for somebody to jump up and defend this guy by saying it was self-defense.

One guy was shot twice, the other was stabbed to death. It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure this one out. The guy who was stabbed to death didn't shoot the other guy afterwards.

[RicocheT]

The weakness in the self-defense argument is that the hunter, James A. Nichols, tried to hide the body and did not report the incident to the authorities. If you want to convince the police you are the victim, you have to come forward right away to get the benefit of the doubt.

[org.whodat]

tried to hide the body

Where does that come from?? Don't remember the number but I have taken several animals hunting and found they had crawled under something when bleeding out.

[sbMKE]

An interesting case in that the suspect is reporting defensive wounds (gunshots to hands) and committed the killing in close quarters with a knife. I'm curious to see if the early statements regarding a "hidden body" will be retracted. If not, the suspect is making one heck of a contradictory statement - doesn't know the condition that he left Vang. I can see either one as an instigator at this point, but really don't see racial motivation. But two people fighting over squirrel hunting grounds?

Prior charges against John Allen Nichols, the suspect in custody. All tied to the vandalism/burglary spree involving cabins about 10 years ago. A high school dropout who was forced to complete a GED in prison who is reportedly still on probation.


Charge(s)
Count No.

Statute
Description
Severity

Disposition
1
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

2
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

3
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Guilty / No Contest

4
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

5
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

6
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

7
943.01(2)
Criminal Damage to Property
Felony D
Guilty / No Contest

8
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Guilty / No Contest

9
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

10
943.01(2)
Criminal Damage to Property
Felony D
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

11
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

12
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

13
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

14
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

15
943.10(1)(a)
Burglary-Building or Dwelling
Felony C
Guilty / No Contest

16
943.20(1)(a)
Theft-Movable Property (<=$1000)
Misd. A
Dismissed-Read In-Pr

[sbMKE]

Early reports (in Milwaukee) were that the body was hidden. Not sure what that really means.

Big question for me is how someone can stab another person to death with gunshot wounds to both hands. As far as reporting the incident, I can't really blame the guy for going to the hospital before the police station.

Initial report:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1764166/posts?page=46#46

[Centurion2000]

The ability to speak english might be a good pre-req for a hunting license these days.

If they can't speak english how the hell are foreign hunters supposed to know the rules?

[NorthFlaRebel]

The ability to speak english might be a good pre-req for a hunting license these days.

It would be kind of hard to fill out the forms for a hunting license if you can't read, write or understand English. Here in Florida, you have to have taken some sort of gun safety class before you can get a license. Unless the laws in Wisconsin are completely different, I call nonsense on the claim he didn't speak English.

[dljordan]

"The media keeps repeating this like it's some kind of proof. Where as I would imagine, a very quick way for an arguement to get violent, is to have one party unable to communicate. The ability to speak english might be a good pre-req for a hunting license these days."

It's all body language. I've had guys woofing at me that had no intention of attacking they were just displaying for their friends. I've had other guys that get this dead calm look on their face and come right for you without saying a word.

[streetpreacher]

Hunter was a long shot to begin with but I don't see him getting the nomination now, self-defense or not.

[dljordan]

"The weakness in the self-defense argument is that the hunter, James A. Nichols, tried to hide the body and did not report the incident to the authorities. If you want to convince the police you are the victim, you have to come forward right away to get the benefit of the doubt."

Maybe he thought it was better to hide the body than endure the sh*tstorm that was sure to come.

[Ladysmith]

Damn straight! The lunatic who attacked me ages ago didn't say squat before and when he did. The murderous look in his eyes told me I was in trouble. He could have spoke Martian for all I knew.

[Ladysmith]

Dick Campbell, a volunteer for the Hmong community in Green Bay who has befriended the Vang family, said he was not surprised by the fiancee's version of what happened. "I have been waiting for somebody to jump up and defend this guy by saying it was self-defense. That is pretty much par for the course."

Hey, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... If someone shot me in the hands, I'm not going to sit there and take it.