‘I Was Not Going to Cower,’ Says Homeowner Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Teen

New York Magazine ^ | August 5, 2014 | Caroline Bankoff

[miss marmelstein]

I don’t have all the details. I had a steel door in a NYC apartment (actually it was hollow within) and it wasn’t much protection from nut cases.

[csvset]

McBride, who had been drinking heavily and smoking pot that night,

Well, there's her pass. What if the shooter had " been drinking heavily and smoking pot that night" ?

Was she saying anything that made sense or was she a stoned zombie?

Nothing wrong with being armed, but he should have made a better attempt at finding his phone and holding off of firing unless she was trying to break in. Now if she were yelling, "I'll kill you", that might tip it in his favor.

Not enough info in this story. Did she wake up the neighbors? If so, what was their testimony?

I'm guessing he's going to jail.

[jocon307]

“I would have blown him away without any hesitation.”

And how would you have felt about killing someone who was only trying to summon you because your son was in trouble?

I would also say that “banging on a door” is not the same as trying to force the door open.

I would also say that while you opened the door and showed your weapon you didn’t immediately shoot the guy in the face. Perhaps if the man in the story had done that we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.

[wyowolf]

she probably was high, not going to argue that point. However the fact still remains HE had the GUN and the PHONE in his pants pocket. and He was behind a Locked steel door. HE opened the door and shot her.

I really wonder what the comments would be like if the dude was black and the girl was white? with everything else being the same...

[V_TWIN]

“As if ‘boys’ don’t commit murder, rape, and assault everyday in this country.”

I live 2 hours north of the GZ TM incident. Last week here a 12 year old boy shot a homeless man in the head killing him...........12 years old.

Oh,and by the way, the 12 year old is black, victim was white.

[digger48]

testimony was that he had 3 beers over a couple of hours, several hours earlier. Not exactly “drinkuing heavily”

Legal Insurrection has been running articles on this through the trial with his info from reporter Twitter feeds, since no cameras in the courtroom.

As usual for LI, the comment section is always worth a read.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/08/defense-rests-in-detroit-front-porch-murder-trial-closings-wednesday/

[Wolfie]

If we keeping defending these types we will lose our gun rights.

[wiggen]

This guy had zero excuse for what he did. none. All the dancing around trying to find something in his favor is simply nonsense. You’re 100% correct.

[I want the USA back]

Wafer ... is white. McBride ... black.
That explains it all.

[LambSlave]

But he finds his gun, but not his phone? That seems sort of silly, doesn’t it?

Reading posts like this makes me hope I never have to face a jury in a situation like this. I have four guns within reach of my bed; I have no clue where my phone is typically, and when I get woken up in the middle of the night by my dog going crazy, I am downstairs in full tactical mode before I am even conciously aware of being awake. If someone was breaking into my house it would be pure adrenaline and musclue memory... I would never even consider looking for my phone in any situation like this, it just wouldn't occur to me. I'd grab a gun, and take down the threat. From a reasoned perspective, it still doesn't make sense to find a phone. I grew up in a very rural area, and did my time in the Army, and learned early to take care of myself with no reason for the government; if I call the cops it just creates greater risk for everyone involved.

[Dr. Sivana]

I don't have an opinion on this case, but I found the following statement interesting:

"questioned [Wafer's] account, pointing out that he had told the police that his phone is regularly kept in his jeans pocket." From the Times:

It was 5AM, the homeowner probably doesn't wear his jeans to bed. If he is living alone, like many single men he might be less than pristine in his housekeeping. He may not have remembered where those jeans were. In a ball on the floor? In one of the bathrooms? Maybe he decided to put the jeans (sans phone) in the clothes hamper.

Those of us who are married have had our wives respond to the question, "Where are the keys/checkbook/phone?" with "It's in my purse.", having no idea where the purse is.

That said, I'd have to hear a bit more to distinguish this gal from a guy banging on the door of the wrong house at 5AM to go duck hunting, knowing that his pal doesn't wake up easily.

[digger48]

You should read some of the testimony that the NYTs conveniently leaves out

[csvset]

Thanks for the link. Very informative. The prosecutor, btw, sounds like an idiot.

Next was raised the issue of Assistant Prosecutor Anitha Siringas picking up Wafer’s shotgun, and pointing it at the jurors with his her finger on the trigger. Carpenter noted that at least one juror “reacted in horror,” and that Siringas was improperly trying to instill fear into the jury. Hathaway commented that she herself had heard one juror sound shocked.

[Arm_Bears]

It is doubtful than this man would be on trial were Renisha not Amish.

[csvset]

It's in my purse."

Looking in a woman's purse. It's like a portal to another world. Internal and external side pockets. I never seem to find whatever it is on the first try. More than once the wife surveys the scene and says, "My other purse." What? Two purses? That increases the chance of never finding whatever it was you were looking for. Hate to think of what a third purse would do.

[Drrdot]

The third purse forms the final corner, and that’s how the Bermuda triangle was formed.

[digger48]

They have been running pieces twice a day throughout the trial. The author is a self defense expert but he feels that McBride’s biggest mistake was opening the door.

As far as calling the cops, this is Detroit. One could have a pizza delivered and eat it before po po would show

[Balding_Eagle]

a level of fear that renders him unreasonably dangerous to others. He shouldn’t be running around loose.

He wasn't, he was safely tucked away in his house.

She was running loose.

[Balding_Eagle]

If I were on the jury, I would hope I’d have the presence of mind to jump out of my seat and run out of the courtroom.

[riri]

The "teen" who drive the get away car when the "unaccompanied minors" broke into my house last fall was 19 years old. On her court papers it said she did heroin every day and crystal meth on the weekends. She had already been to juvenile hall and rehab.