Posted on 06/02/2009 2:35:20 PM PDT by FourPeas
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City pharmacist charged with murder in the shooting death of a teenage would-be robber defended himself on national television Monday night.
Jerome Ersland appeared on the O'Reilly Factor on Fox News with his attorney Irven Box.
Ersland was charged with murder last week after he shot back at two would-be robbers on May 19 at a south Oklahoma City pharmacy. Prosecutors say Ersland exceeded his legal authority to defend himself by shooting 16-year-old Antwun Parker five times after a first shot rendered the teen unconscious.
In his TV appearance last night, Ersland said the teen was still a threat when he fired the five fatal rounds.
"I came back in store because I was working with two ladies and I thought the person laying on the floor had shot the younger lady Megan because the mother was yelling Megan, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Ersland said during the interview. "I went up to him, and he seemed to be just dazed, and he started talking to me, and he started turning to the right. I'm crippled. ... I thought I was going to get killed in the next few seconds."
In so far as it goes, yes. It may be inconclusive.
Ersland is disabled; he wears a back-brace. I doubt he's capable of moving other than slowly. Coherent though does not mean murder if the shootee is still posing a threat. Which, again, is the point of contention.
I think some folks here are just 'way too quick to condemn the man.
In concealed carry class, we were taught to fire at the threatening person until he is no longer able to harm you.
Lawdave, I’m not so sure you aren’t right here. Perhaps it would have been better to submit this to a grand jury though. (Perhaps it was since this was a capital case, I don’t know how that works) That would have taken the pressure of the local DA, and it could have saved the state a lot of costs.
When this guy gets in the witness stand with that brace, and not looking super sharp, he’s going to get off.
That’s my take on it. I could be all wet. Who knows...
It doesn’t really matter who you believe. The man (pharmacist) is innocent until proven guilty. I don’t see much more than a speculative case here.
I feel bad for him
He didn’t ask two thugs to come into his store and start pinting a gun at him.
I bet they were suprised to see one pointed back.
Too bad both are not dead, but once he was down... 5 more shots to kill him are not going to be good in front of a jury.
I DON’T FEEL SORRY for the perps at all... I feel sorry for him.
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Watch the video, he moves just fine. And that will also be a problem.
I don't condemn him and I have no sympathy for the dead armed robber. I'm just stating the law's view.
I do not disagree with the sentiment. But if the pharmacist executed the perp., he should be prosecuted. If the DA chose not to prosecute the pharmicist, an African-American could suspect that the kid's race was a factor in that decision.
Equal justice for all, all the time. Not just when the person is a good guy. By prosecuting, the DA is demonstrating that the law applies regardless of race. That is a good thing.
Unless there's something surprising in the autopsy report, I seriously doubt that the State will be able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Frankly if you try to rob somebody and it can be proven to be fact, then I really don’t care what happens to the robber. He rolled the dice and lost. Sucks to be him.
I’m pretty close to your position on this Drew68.
If a person goes out of their way to enter my home or place of business to commit an act of violence, it’s open season. I don’t care if they are a continued threat or not. They could just as easily as not ambush me a week later to get even. Nope, better dead now than continued threat indefinitely.
What happens if his buds stand trial, or they want to get even? Wouldn’t he be likely to help them out? Hell yes!
This was nothing more or less than taking out the trash, and I don’t give a damn what his pigment status was.
I agree.
Please check out this post, and realize that I know where you are coming from. I’m addressing what my beliefs are when it comes to what ‘should’ be the law here. You are addressing what the law is and I’m not going to quibble with you. I don’t believe you’re off base at all.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2263244/posts?page=30#30
That is my take on it as well. Kid, you really made a poor decision here.
The robber is 100% responsible for the situation he created.
Fear is fear.
If you are purposely going to threaten someone else’s life, you get what you get when they respond out of the fear you created.
I have no sympathy for the perp period regardless of race. If you don’t want to take the chance of dying, don’t rob people.
Thanks...
Ditto and I think the pharmacist said he thought the punk was going for a weapon,not to mention that the guy
{the pharmacist } was disabled
That’s right.
Also, if that kid could have gotten up, do you think the pharmacist could have protected himself physically? The youth would undoubtedly have had the upper hand, and could have choked the guy out if nothing else. In reality, the kid could have taken the gun away and used it on more people than just the pharmacist too. These are aspects of the threat against the pharmacist, that the bleeding hearts will never get.
What is the law in OK, exactly? They aren’t a stand your ground, castle doctrine state?
Here in indiana, he would have been justified, even if the kid had run off and he shot him, because of the crime he was just committing. Until this I would have thought OK defense laws to be at least as open as ours, if not more so.
I totally agree if you commit a crime, and get hurt or killed, your blood is on your own head.
To me this case is even more ludicrous than the perps hurting themselves while committing a burglary and suing the home owner.
As it is, does the European-American community have a beef with the little s*its who held up this elderly white man’s store?
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