Posted on 08/29/2010 7:02:55 AM PDT by marktwain
EAST STROUDSBURG - It's a night time shopper's nightmare. You buy groceries, go to your car, and someone tries to rob you at gunpoint.
Police say Joshua Eastman, 28, of East Stroudsburg was unloading groceries at his car shortly before 12:45 a.m. today when Reneau Jean Jacques, 17, of 77 Symphony Circle, East Stroudsburg, pointed a handgun at him and demanded that he hand over his money.
Eastman looked around for help or someone to yell to. The alleged robber continued to demand money. Eastman replied that he did not have any money - that he used a debit card to pay for his purchases.
Jacques became more threatening, pointing the gun and using a more menacing tone of voice.
Eastman then took out his wallet and pushed the door of his truck more open to put it between himself and the suspect. Jacques pointed his gun at Eastman's face.
Eastman dropped his wallet and started ducking down. Jacques fired a shot that went through the window of the door almost striking Eastman and causing flying glass from the car window to cut his face.
Eastman pulled out a handgun he was carrying and fell to the ground. He returned fire under the truck's door with his pistol while the teen continued to fire his weapon.
Eastman shot Jacques in the lower leg and foot. Then Eastman ran back toward the store as the teen fled towards Friendly's restaurant.
Jacques fled into a landscaped island of bushes and trees in the parking lot. Stroud Area Regional Police were on the scene almost immediately and found him hiding and trying to bury a handgun in the mulch. He originally claimed to be a victim before police determined he was likely the one who started the trouble.
"It appears to be an armed robbery that went badly for the suspect because he picked an armed customer," said Sgt. James Wielgus.
On Thursday afternoon, Jacques, using crutches and wearing a long hospital gown over hospital pants, sat with a numb look on his face during his preliminary arraignment in East Stroudsburg Magisterial District Judge Michael Muths courtroom. Jacques, a Shawnee Academy student with a prior juvenile record, spoke in a subdued tone when addressed by the judge.
Jacques is charged as an adult with attempted murder, robbery, aggravated assault, crimes committed with guns and illegal possession of a gun, all felonies, and reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. He hung his head and sighed after the judge told him he could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge, attempted murder.
Jacques was taken to Pocono Medical Center for treatment. Police detained two other youths for questioning. They were in a car, trying to flee the scene, according to witnesses and police.
Another future Obama voter taken out of action.
Found a follow-up in the March 20, 2009, Pocono Record :
"This week, Reneau Jacques, 18, couldnt dodge another bullet, a sentence of 11 years and six months to 25 years in state prison for that crime. Facing attempted murder and other charges, Jacques was sentenced after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and attempted robbery."
I guess the prosecutor didn't feel like going to trial on the attempted murder charge. Punk is probably already back on the streets and shooting at people again.
Section 8 is a prime example of what is wrong with America and its government.
Actually there is only ONE Walmart and it is in Arkansas. Sam perfected the portals. It saves a lot on expenses.
Fortunately, Joshua Eastman doesn't live in Chicago.
There are plenty of studies showing Section 8 housing guarentees a community high crime rates.
The name is of French origin. My first thought was . . . Haitian immigrant.
Now that is a real surprise.
This is why warning shots (in the form of a double tap to the head) are recommended.
His sentence of 11 years and six months to 25 years means that he's not eligible for parole until he has spent at least 11½ years in prison.
In most states, this can get you into a lot of trouble if the aggressor is fleeing (as this story seems to go). However, for me, this kind of falls under the "better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6" rule.
I think so as well. It's hard to imagine the stress level unless you've pulled you weapon with the intent to kill. I lived thinking I was large, strong and cool headed, and I was... then God decided one night while I was dead asleep that he was going to show me just how "strong" I really was.
I was woken to the sound of things crashing in my living room and the only other person who was supposed to be there was my wife sleeping next to me. I was shaking like a little girl standing in the dark pointing a .44 mag down the hallway, waiting to meet my maker. There was absolutely no time to evaluate.
Turns out, it was my drunk neighbor and he crashed his motorcycle through my front door coming home from a bar or something. Thank God he gave me the guidance to wait that one second before I pulled the trigger.
I've since decided that God is some sort of comedian and I was sitting in the front row that night.
The point is: to anyone who thinks they are ready for anything, if you haven't seen combat, you aren't as prepared as you think you are. It's a pretty high-stress few seconds that no other situation can possibly emulate. I hope I do better next time.
“I always said to my husband when looking for a place to retire, we will check out the local Walmart to see the typical cross section of the population before we buy.”
My goodness, what a wonderful bit of wisdom! THanks for sharing..I will share this with my wife today.
Thanks again.
How stupid can thugs be? How many people go to Walmart just to buy ammo?
that said, i believe that some situations of 'coming to believe' are destined to be 'foxhole' conversion, that happen to take place in living rooms across the globe...
a .44 mag is just another tool for the Lord to use to make His point...as well as a gavel for his judgemnet...
my .02
Who would have guessed that it was a Black male?
Section 8 is a prime example of what is wrong with America and its government.
Yes.
Jacques is probably itching to get outta jail, too.
That's the whole story right there.
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