Posted on 05/27/2009 1:31:14 PM PDT by pissant
An Oklahoma City pharmacist was charged today with first-degree murder in the May 19 shooting death of a would-be robber.
Chickasha resident Jerome Ersland, 57, on Tuesday said he was concerned about the scrutiny he has faced since the shooting.
The charge alleges Ersland shot Antwun Parker, 16, while he was incapacitated and lying on his back. Ersland’s account of the incident doesn’t match the video or the evidence collected at the scene, according to the affidavit written by Oklahoma City Police Detective David Jacobson.
Parker was shot once in the head and five times in the stomach area. The autopsy found Parker was still alive after the head shot and died from the stomach wounds.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater is scheduled to discuss the case at an afternoon press conference.
Ersland has maintained he acted in self defense when he shot Parker to foil the robbery attempt.
He said two men in ski masks threatened him and two other employees when they burst into Reliable Discount Pharmacy, near SW 59 and Pennsylvania, demanding cash and drugs.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsok.com ...
If this is all the evidence the prosecutor used to charge this fellow, he is out of his mind. I see no reason for the employee to assess the downed robber’s threat level, instead of just shooting him again if he was still alive. Once they came in and pointed a gun in a robbery attempt, they forfeited their lives to chance and one of them lost. The guy wasn’t a trained law enforcement officer, or lawyer. Did the prosecutor read his mind to determine the employee thought the downed robber wasn’t a threat any longer?
We will assume that he was trying to get up as the pharmacist said. You are making the assumption that he was trying to get away, with absolutely no evidence.
I agree. The Pharmacist, even while disabled goes to work. The gangsta boys come in, and one,in the ensuing aftermath gets shot.
Now a hardworking, decent Pharmacist could lose his livelihood, and Pharmacist’s license because of this
ridiculous DA.
The actions of the pharmacist on the video do not show a man who thinks he is being threatened. He turns his back to the guy when going to get the other gun. From the video it looks more like an execution than self-defense.
I don’t see a weapon in the hands of the one who was shot before he is hit the first time.
I don't know if he did have a weapon. Only thing that matters is whether the pharmacist or a reasonable person believed he had a weapon and was a threat. As for turning his back, so what? There were counters between he and the perp and he was probably pumped full of adrenaline with his heart racing at 200 bpm.
"The actions of the pharmacist on the video do not show a man who thinks he is being threatened. He turns his back to the guy when going to get the other gun. From the video it looks more like an execution than self-defense."
You appear to have it all locked up. Give the DA a call, you appear to be just the juror he is looking for.
I’m just saying this doesn’t appear to be a cut and dried case of self defense. I’m glad he was there to stop the robbery and prevent the death of any innocents. I question the necessity of shooting someone when he clearly had the upper hand and he could have held the suspect at gun point until authorities arrived.
And on the subject of jurors, voire dire will be very interesting as no doubt most in Oklahoma county will have seen it and made up their mind. Here in Tulsa county they have a death penalty case coming up where they are calling 100 potential jurors (normal is 30), I would bet this one exceeds that.
After watching the video I have to agree with you on how this appears.
The shooter turned his back on the downed robber at least twice. When he came back in the store did he go behind the counter for another gun or to reload? Why would he need to reload if he didn’t fire the Judge at the other perp outside the store?
This video puts a different spin on the story the pharmacist told the other day. Its important to point out though that the viewer cannot see what the perp on the floor is doing. So I would not assume that he’s incapacitated. That’s reasonable doubt in my mind. There’s no way in he11 I would convict on murder one with that video.
Its unfortunate that this guy had to run his mouth for the cameras. He put cast himself in a worse light that way.
I agree I don’t think Murder 1 is the correct charge, but manslaughter would seem appropriate here.
Were the hoodlums armed? It seems they didn’t have guns
I guess you missed the first guy in with the PISTOL. Perhaps you missed what appeared to be a HANDGUN in his hand that appeared to be being FIRED (don’t know if it was but looks like it) but it’s the DARK COLORED THING in the ski mask wearing perp’s hand that he is POINTING at the pharmacist.
Antwun does not appear to have been armed though his co-criminals were. The pharmacist acted in the heat of the moment and shot Antwun figuring he was also armed. I might have have done the same.
It is tough to be disabled and be in such an intense situation where you are more vulnerable than a man who is not disabled. I would never vote to convict. When you are part of an armed gang it is your tough luck how the people you prey on react or over react
Actually that's not what you said. This is:
The actions of the pharmacist on the video do not show a man who thinks he is being threatened. He turns his back to the guy when going to get the other gun. From the video it looks more like an execution than self-defense."
You appear to have read his mind and accused him of Murder One which is what an execution would be.
Ah, a law student. Now your mistaken posts makes sense.
I did not watch the video. I am with the pharmacist on this one but with all the demonstrations this may kill his business... Oh and Antwan was an honor student so must have had a licsence to rob and steal.
This is making a lot of Oklahoman's very angry, and a few will probably be down at the court house at 9 a.m. to show support for Mr. Ersland the pharmacist.
We feel Mr. Prater has been given a talk to by the blacks. Mr. Prater on the clip at web site, dares to call the 16 year old THUG "a child".
This could blow up to something bigger if the blacks are not appeased, and looks like they are getting their wish from Mr. Prater. The "child" got what he deserved.
‘Zactly. The authorities haven’t said whether he was armed and it doesn’t matter. All that is required, in free states anyhow, is that a reasonable person would believe that he was armed. 2 thugs come in with masks on, yelling death threats and one has a weapon, when the SHTF, a reasonable man, with his remaining life now possibly being measured in fractions of a second, sure as he!! better believe that they were both armed.
Reason I know, we were cleaning/painting our duplex when the next door woman came outside and stated "Isn't it terrible that 16 year old boy got shot?" We said NO, he was up to no good. Then she told me his dad lived down the street. That boy was BAD.
Nope, it isn't something to think about because if a person's mind is full of liberal BS such as you describe when the chips are down he is liable to get himself and others killed. What effec on "little Sally" do you think daddy having his brains splattered on the wall would have? Or having her brains blown out. That's the effect on little Sally that shooting the perp prevents. One cannot think about what effect that shooting a bad guy will have on the others, only on the effect NOT shooting the bad guy will have.
Which mistakes?
Yeah, watch the video. First guy in has a semi pointing and possibly firing at the pharmacist. antwunn pulls a mask out from underneath his shirt and it’s hard to tell if he is armed but it doesn’t matter. Authorities haven’t said one way or the other.
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