Bernell Benn
Posted on 08/18/2012 3:01:59 PM PDT by marktwain
Bernell Benn said he was simply in line at a Rite Aid pharmacy Thursday afternoon to pick up his medicine.
He was chatting on the phone with his mother when he noticed that a man had cut in front of him. What happened next at the store in the 3600 block of Tidewater Drive is in dispute. Benn, in a jailhouse interview, said he was defending himself when he fatally shot that man in a gunfight.
"I came to the store just to get my medicine," said Benn, who was crying as he was led into the interview at Norfolk City Jail.
But police say evidence warranted his arrest. Police charged Benn, 41, of the 8100 block of Ridgefield Drive, with second-degree murder and felonious use of a firearm in the killing of Ramon P. Colorado Jr.
Colorado, 42, was a former Norfolk deputy sheriff and auxiliary deputy in Chesapeake who was known for his online persona "Norfolk Dirt."
After he noticed another man had gotten in line in front him, Benn said he told the other man, "Excuse me, sir. I'm in line."
After the man became hostile, Benn said, "I moved out of the way and let him have the spot."
Benn said he continued talking to his mother when he was hit by pepper spray and heard the other man say, "I got more for you, bro."
(Excerpt) Read more at hamptonroads.com ...
It does appear Benn was in the right or, at least, mostly right. Colorado cut in front of him, probably because Benn was busy on the phone. Benn objected, perhaps not vulgarly, but probably in a snotty tone. The easily offended Colorado took offense, pepper sprayed him and the shooting began. I m have a feeling they’re just charging him as a deterrence to give any future shooters pause.
I see idiots texting and walking right into counters, shelves, displays and other people, all the time. I periodically yell, “Snake!” and that shakes ‘em up enough to stop (for about 60secs) doing that stupid texting-while-walking crap. A-holes.
I’ll take that bet ... oh wait ... nevermind. ;-)
I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to this guy. Even more if the surveillance video somehow goes missing, which seems to happen way too often in police shootings.
Sounds like it’s getting dangerous to be a bullying thug cop.
Wow! Way to miss the whole point.
He doesn’t seem to have harmed his case as far as I can tell. It’s important to establish early on that you were in reasonable fear for your life. If his story contradicts the videotape or testimony, it could be problematic though.
What was that quote again? "An armed society is a polite society."
Bernell Benn
People who are talking or texting on their cell while they’re at the checkout counter paying for their purchases, should be fair game to be legally shot.
“The police version has Colorado initiating the argument by cutting in line and then pepper-spraying Benn. But, it also has Benn drawing first and advancing on Colorado, which would undermine the self defense argument. Benn says he drew after Colorado started to go for his gun.”
I don’t know about Virgina, but here in Texas, it’s probably not a good idea to shoot pepper spray at someone carrying, since he can probably make a strong case for self defense, after being hit.
The goal is to tell your story only once, with your lawyer present in front of the jury.
Prosecution can use (twist) anything you do or say before that point in time.
Any good cc instructor worth his/her salt will teach this.
and?
People who bitch about people on the phone should be shot.
LOL. At least with a squirtgun full of *warm spit*.
That criteria would remove a lot of algae from the gene pool...
And nothing smart ass. It is a picture of the shooter and the next post is a picture of the shooter and the dead guy. You are the one trying to make it something.
Some people “in line” get distracted when they are chatting on their cell phone and “the line” continues to move as they stand still. I suspect a big gap developed in “the line” and it was filled by the dude with the pepper spray. Then the slacker wakes up and claims, “Oh, I was in line here”, to which the pepper spray dude says, “Yeah - you WERE in line”, and an argument ensues.
After all the lynchmob nonsense we see here in my area against George Zimmerman, and he was in the right, I will always side with the person defending themselves
Pepper Spray is supposed to be used as a DEFENSIVE WEAPON....if it was used in an initial attack...that is an assault....and Benn would be entitled to defend himself...especially if he was blinded and affected by the spray
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