Posted on 01/21/2007 9:56:14 PM PST by BenLurkin
BELLFLOWER A man suspected of fatally shooting a boy, 15, while the victim was breaking into a shed behind the man's Bellflower home was arrested on suspicion of murder, sheriff's deputies said.
Deputies responded to a burglary call at the home in the 8500 block of Park Street at 6:25 a.m., according to the sheriff's department.
Homeowner Jerry Cress, 57, told deputies he confronted two suspects, one of whom had a hammer, Deputy Anthony Moore said.
He said that in fear of his life, he opened fire with a pellet gun, Moore said.
Shortly afterward, deputies at the Lakewood Station got a report from a hospital about someone with a gunshot wound who died, Moore said.
The victim was Jacob T. Walker of Paramount, according to the coroner's office.
Cress was later arrested on suspicion of murder, according to the sheriff's department.
Duane Berry of Paramount, believed to be the victim's brother and accomplice, was also arrested on suspicion of murder because a death occurred during the commission of a felony crime, Moore said.
Both suspects were booked at the Lakewood Sheriff's Station and were being held without bail.
Authorities would not confirm reports that the boys were trying to steal marijuana growing behind the home.
Video at the link -- http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_021220707.html
Ping!
If they are planning on proving intent with a pellet gun, they have a hard row to hoe.
He killed him with a pellet gun ?
Holy smokes.
How many times did he pump it?
CORRECTION: the Victim was the home owner, NOT the dirtbag criminal.
Naturally this is arms rights hostile California.
"Naturally this is arms rights hostile California.'
In this state you have a duty to be the victim of a criminal if so called upon.
"Jerry Cress, 57, told deputies he confronted two suspects, one of whom had a hammer"
(AND)
"Duane Berry of Paramount, believed to be the victim's brother and accomplice, was also arrested on suspicion of murder because a death occurred during the commission of a felony"
It would seem -- for obvious, if ironic reasons -- that Duane Berry would have a good motive to back up the old man's(Jerry Cress)story, that he(the old man) was "in fear of his life," thereby, mitigating the crime from murder to self defense.
You don't have to pump a .177 pellet gun. 1000fps. Don't know if that is what was used though.
So the dope grower killed the dope stealer. Sounds like everyone in the story is a felon.
Hard to believe a dope grower is going to be armed with only a pellet gun.
It is California. On the other hand, you have to wonder if he has a past that precludes legal firearm ownership.
I think you might have nailed it. There are some mighty impressive pellet guns out there nowadays. They aren't cheap or common, but some of them have ballistics on a par with defensive handguns.
Re the arrests for murder, it seems the authorities these days don't know whether to s**t or go blind. So they just arrest everyone involved and charge them with the most serious crime that is plausible. Let the DA figure out what to do from there. At least it didn't happen in England or San Francisco. The homeowner wouldn't stand a ghost of a chance.
Some 12 gauge pellett guns require pumping, though. ;)
No, the video says the grower is suffering from a disease and had a prescription to grow medical marijuana. One of the neighbors interviewed said he had put barbed wire around the property to keep people away from the shed.
Was it Maxwell's Silver Hammer?
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