I did some checking about, and this story is even worse than it appears. First, the incident happened back in 2008, and Mr. Wollard has been serving prison time for the past six years. Second, the BS railroading this guy is getting from the system is unimaginable. Believe it or not, even Change.org is going to bat for this guy.
The Highlights:
-Several hours prior to Wollard firing a single shot into his own living room floor as a warning, the daughter’s boyfriend had attacked him - viciously enough to rip out the stitches from a recent surgery Wollard had have - simple because Wollard tried to keep the boyfriend from dragging his daughter off.
-When Wollard fired the shot, the boyfriend had been punching holes into the living room wall, and advanced on Wollard with clenched fists.
-The police arrested Wollard a month later when the boyfriend, again trying to forcibly remove the daughter from the house, called the cops on Wollard. Wollard did not brandish a weapon at this time, but put his arms around his daughter to prevent her from being taken off.
-Wollard had unsuccessfully tried several times to get a restraining order against the boyfriend, who would take the daughter out for days at a time.
-Wollard declined a plea deal for probation, on the grounds he felt he acted in self-defense. (Which he DID, if you ask me!)
-Even the judge and one of the police officers involved with the case have said the “mandatory minimum” sentence is grossly excessive.
“had had and simply”
Sorry for the typos.
Sometimes, judged by 12 is not a winning strategy. That said, this case is ripe for a pardon which is the safety valve in our judicial system.
Even in New York a person may use deadly force to stop a kidnapping in progress. If the so-called boyfriend was in fact trying to take Wollard's daughter from the house by force, then perhaps Wollard should have used deadly force rather than firing a warning shot.