Free Republic

A Detroit jury ruled today that Theodore Wafer was guilty of murder in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Renisha McBride on his porch. The jury, which consists of seven men and five women, began its deliberations on Wednesday after nine days of testimony. Wafer, 55, is charged with second degree murder and manslaughter for shooting and killing McBride, 19, last November when the teenager showed up inebriated on his porch at 4:40 a.m. Wafer said he could only make out a figure around his house, said the person pounded on his door and made him fear for his life.

Judge David Turfe said Detroit-area man, Theodore Wafer, made a 'bad choice' when he shot dead Renisha McBride through the screen of his front door in the early hours of November 2 Wafer, said he feared for his life and acted in self-defense but the judge rejected this argument Thursday He will now stand trial for second-degree murder and manslaughter .... Victim's family cried in court as the ruling was announced Wafer, 54, called 911 around 4:30 a.m. and said he had shot someone who was banging on his door Three hours earlier, McBride had crashed her car into a...

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy recently found herself at the center of a national story that exposed existing racial tension in Detroit and beyond. It led to Worthy telling a New York Times reporter she believes racial tensions today are much more "overt" and "extreme" than prior to the election of President Barack Obama, the nation's fist black president, in 2008. After a shooting earlier this month, it became the black prosecutor's duty to evaluate whether Theodore Wafer, a 54-year-old white man from Dearborn Heights, violated the law when he fatally shot Renisha McBride, an intoxicated 19-year-old black woman from...

Ron Bretz, a Cooley Law School professor and former criminal defense attorney, says the case may boil down to a single word. "It's got to be reasonable," he said. "The question is: What would a reasonable person do in these circumstances?" That may be the key question in determining Wafer's guilt or innocence, but much else is left unknown about a case that features legal and societal implications. SELF-DEFENSE Under a 2006 Michigan self-defense law, a homeowner has the right to use force during a break-in. Otherwise, a person must show that his or her life was in danger. Defense...

The man accused of shooting 19-year-old Renisha McBride in the face outside his suburban Detroit home will be charged with second degree murder, manslaughter and possession of a firearm during a commission of a felony, the prosecutor said today. McBride was believed to be seeking help after being involved in a car accident. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy identified the alleged shooter as Theodore Paul Wafer, 54, of Dearborn Heights. "We do not believe he acted in lawful self defense," Worthy said at the news conference. Worthy said that Wafer is not yet in custody and will be turning himself...

'I just shot someone': The dramatic moment man who 'gunned down innocent black woman, 19, on his porch' called police to confess The unnamed man who gunned down 19-year-old Renisha McBride after she knocked on his door looking for help, called police soon after saying he had, 'just shot someone on his porch.' In an emergency call made moments after the tragic incident, he said he thought he had shot someone and then hung up. The police dispatcher then re-established contact with him and he told her he didn't know who the victim was. Minutes after that an officer arrived...