Florida man invokes Stand Your Ground after shooting 11 times, killing 2 and injuring a third.

[BainsBane]

(CBS/AP) TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Attorneys for a Titusville, Fla. man accused of shooting three people during a neighborhood feud say the charges against him should be dismissed under the state's "stand your ground" law.
William T. Woodward's attorneys say he had been the target of threats and was exercising his right under the state's law to defend himself on Sept. 3, 2012.

Florida Today reports authorities say the 44-year-old Woodward snuck up on a Labor Day barbeque and opened fire, killing Gary Lee Hembree and Roger Picior. Bruce Timothy Blake was struck 11 times and survived.

Woodward's attorneys say Woodward and the men had been involved in a dispute in the month leading up to the shooting. The attorney says that in the hours before the shooting, the three men had allegedly been yelling at his client, calling him names and saying they were going to "get him."

The paper reports police had responded to the ongoing dispute and that Woodward and Hembree had discussed the dispute before a judge. An injunction was not issued.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57601322-504083/stand-your-ground-defense-sought-in-fla-triple-shooting/

Another sources says the shooter claims to suffer PTSD.
Video of shooting and police interview at: http://resistviolence.com/connect/archives/597?fb_source=pubv1

[giftedgirl77]

1. How in the hell do you claim stand your ground when you snuck up on the people you shot

Dumbest defense ever.

[BainsBane]

3. I think he is claiming they had been harassing him for some time

Somehow he thinks that justifies killing them like that. Hopefully he won't prevail.

[ManiacJoe]

54. Well, he can "claim" anything he wants.

However, according to what is written in the article, he cannot legally claim self-defense. Thus SYG is not even a consideration.

[Baitball Blogger]

64. Premeditated.

Last edited Wed Sep 4, 2013, 10:44 PM - Edit history (1)

That use to mean something before the Zimmerman trial.

[Vanje]

5. Thats how they roll....in Florida . nt

[giftedgirl77]

8. Both of my parents are from Florida

& both of my kids were born there. Anything north of Tampa might as well be Georgia. I won't leave Miami if I go visit or I go straight to Sarasota where my mother lives.

[brush]

13. They'll find a jury stupid enough to find him not guilty

Just like in the zimmerman trial. It's Flori-duh after all.

[Blue_Tires]

15. Like that moron in Houston who tried to "manufacture" his own SYG shooting

even had a friend recording the incident...

[Eleanors38]

17. Did that work?

[Blue_Tires]

20. nope....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014143194

Ironically, there were quite a few posters defending him early on until the real story came out...

[Eleanors38]

30. Funny, in your link I saw very little of "quite a few"

Posters defending the accused; in fact most folks (including those who support the 2nd Amendment) thought the verdict was just, and SYG didn't have a thing to do with it. Except not to help the convicted killer.

[Blue_Tires]

40. I said "early on" in the case

I just posted the one of the verdict threads....find one of the threads from a few months earlier and you'll see what I mean...

[Eleanors38]

47. Well, I rarely comment on individual cases while in

Progress, only on the laws affecting them.

[giftedgirl77]

18. People have lost their damn minds...

This shit is out of control.

[Iggo]

26. Gun-fuckers in action.

And you're right...totally out of control.

[Eleanors38]

32. Ahem. That's "gunhumpers" according to GD style manual.

[BainsBane]

51. We'll have to keep that in mind

and here I was trying to avoid such insulting terms.

[Eleanors38]

52. You would just love the post today which claimed gun owners

need firearms so their "penises and clitorises seemed bigger." I believe that marked the first gender-balanced reference to the usual slurs. But it's kinda clunky.

[BainsBane]

58. In the gungeon?

I wouldn't attribute guns to womanhood.

[Eleanors38]

59. Oh, it could be in three (3) groups/forum, I forget.

Don't worry, he/she is on your side. I don't know about about burgeoning clitoris, either. But then I have my doubts about swollen lumber, too. Insults can be such rabbit holes. You might have to do a site search to see what comes up.

[City Lights]

2. He also invoked the Bush Doctrine.

Unless this is another LD shooting.

[liberalhistorian]

57. Yes, they called it a "preemptive strike" as permitted

by the "Bush Doctrine". I couldn't believe my eyes when I first read that in another article earlier today, but there it was and is. Unbe-fucking-lievable. His attorneys should simply hand in their law licenses right now and be done with it. But, it being Flori-duh, you know that that isn't going to happen. In fact, it will probably be considered a viable defense.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. We should ban not guilty pleas too.

[meow2u3]

6. In his (twisted) mind, "they" were out to get him

Question is, was his belief reasonable? I don't think so.

[brush]

10. Who was out to get who?

That killer snuck up on them, not the other way around.

[meow2u3]

43. That's my point

The killer's paranoia made him think his victims were out to get him. His idea of self-defense is to kill his victims before they could have a chance to kill him.

[BainsBane]

14. Let's hope the judge agrees.

[Robb]

7. The guy who *survived* was shot 11 times.

Holy cow.

[darkangel218]

9. Damn..

[ManiacJoe]

55. Handguns are notoriously poor mankillers.

[denverbill]

11. Without knowing the races of the parties involved, it's hard to say whether he will be let off.

[BainsBane]

12. true

[hack89]

23. In Florida whites have a higher conviction rate in SYG cases than blacks

one of those interesting factoids that came up during the Zimmerman wars.

[bettyellen]

41. when they shoot other whites. when they shoot black people, they get off much easier.

[hack89]

44. There are so few cases of white on black or black on white murder

that it is hard to come to any real conclusion. The difference is not statistically significant.

Murder in Florida, just like the rest of America, is primarily a intra-racial phenomena - whites killing whites and blacks killing blacks.

[Eleanors38]

48. Or as "Thug for Life" said in the cartoon Candorville

About the interest level of murder trials:

"The one's where the white dudes shoot the white dudes bore me."

[Nuclear Unicorn]

62. Impossible. Whites don't shoot other whites.

All right-thinking people know all white gun owners are racists, ergo they only keep guns to kill people of color.

[GreenStormCloud]

63. The numbers do not agree with you.

Here are the numbers for ALL cross-racial shootings in which SYG was claimed.

http://www.tampabay.com/stand-your-ground-law/fatal-cases
Black on White - 4 convicted, 12 justified, 4 pending
White on Black - 3 convicted, 14 justified, 5 pending


There is very little difference in the totals.

[Eleanors38]

16. He can claim anything he wants. Doesn't mean he'll get it.

Is that the point of this OP?

[BainsBane]

21. the point is it's a news story

Where two people died, one injured, and the gunman felt empowered to kill by STYG law. Once again you object to the public's being informed of gun violence. If one's ideology requires suppressing information, something is seriously wrong.

[Eleanors38]

25. Another false charge...

"Once again you object to the public's being informed of gun violence"

False as you very well know.

You draw this from my inquiry of "what is the point?"

Some play this game a lot, as you very well know. Always oblique, glancing and fulla false charges and personal attacks by implication... Just a tad short of being explicit.

You speak of "ideology requires suppressing... something is seriously wrong." Maybe you should do something about it?

[Demo_Chris]

19. He can claim anything, including that they were Klingons and he was defending the Federation...

It doesn't mean it will fly in court.

[1awake]

22. That defense is ridiculous and will not work with Stand your ground. n/t

[ileus]

24. It'll be interesting to see how this shakes out...

[AlinPA]

60. If he wins the case based on SYG, a very large can of worms will be opened. It would mean that one

could claim that he was threatened in the past and could just walk out and shoot someone claimed to have made the past threat.

[gopiscrap]

27. Jesus Christ fucking gun nuts

we need a national boycott of Florida

[Eleanors38]

33. Already advocated. How's it workin' out?

[CreekDog]

56. what besides her gun, her 38, of Eleanor Roosevelt, did you like?

still waiting on that answer.

does seem that you like her gun, your conservative posts make it seem like what she stood for is not why you say you are a fan.

[Eleanors38]

61. You haven't asked that before; you wanted some reading list.

I liked her steadfast support of civil rights well before it was "cool." While not naive about war, she persistently spoke out against it; I think she was most aligned with FDR on this as he was a committed anti-imperialist. She flew the world not only to support troop morale, but to present the world with literally a different face. In fact, she probably was most responsible for the post-War positive image of the U.S., more even than JFK. I remember her (on T.V.) speaking before a hostile crowd in the South, and toning down the dangerous anger.

She was not at all bashful to lounge about very un-patrician like with friends and wayfarers.

I didn't learn of her shooting abilities until many years later, and yes I do like her revolver: It's worth a fortune, doncha think?

BTW, have you moved beyond the keyboard? I would suggest a basic poly sci course in political theory when you assess "conservative posts."

[AlinPA]

28. Stupid claim, but don't be surprised if he wins the case. 'He was threatened', so it's OK to shoot.

The U.S. is gun crazy.

[Eleanors38]

35. the U.S. Isn't "gun crazy," but some like the defendant seem that way.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

29. To all the people in this thread saying that "he can claim SYG, but it doesn't mean it will fly",

that doesn't matter. What does matter is that some people THINK these laws will protect them from prosecution, and will act out assuming they can get away with killing people they don't like. That's why these are bad laws.

[Hoyt]

31. +100000.

[Eleanors38]

34. Nah, my money is on the BDD: Bush Doctrine Defense.

[BainsBane]

39. precisely.

[bettyellen]

42. and the dead and injured don't figure into the discussion for them.

[AlinPA]

50. Yes. That's it.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

65. Where do you stand on insanity pleas and plain ol' self-defense pleas?

Serious question because both of those have been abused as well.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

67. What the fuck does that have to do with the topic of this thread?

Quit changing the subject and address what people actually say. I think SYG laws are insane because it empowers weak, insecure dorks to look for problems and trouble. Throughout the course of an average day, normal people have enough to worry about without the added burden of having to worry about weather or not some gun nut loser will try to start shit with them.

If you want to discuss insanity pleas, feel free to start a thread addressing that.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

68. I'm addressing the fact that any legitimate plea can be abused for illegitimate reasons.

If you think SYG can be abused for illegitimate reasons then why don't you demand ANY abused defense be abolished as well?

[99Forever]

36. Just another day in the life of ...

... of a good, responsible, law-abiding gunhumper.

Thanks NRA, you're such wonderful citizens.

[Jefferson23]

37. Incredible. If he suffers from PTSD then that would be the defense, no? Stand your ground

AND PTSD....this is amazing.

[Eleanors38]

49. I'm sure PTSD will be considered as lawyers have used it

Before. And failed before. Probably after being prompted by the defendant when told BDD & SYG ain't gonna cut it.

[sarisataka]

38. He can claim it...

but if I were his lawyer I would recommend go with the PTSD. SYG will not apply:

The 2011 Florida Statutes
Title XLVI
CRIMES
Chapter 776
JUSTIFIABLE USE OF FORCE

776.012 Use of force in defense of person.—

A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:

(1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;

Key Word- imminent

[nolabear]

45. Here's a link with a mugshot. Smiley sort, ain't he?

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/04/florida-man-cites-bush-doctrine-after-pre-emptive-killing-of-neighbors-at-labor-day-cookout/

[BainsBane]

46. He looks pleased with himself

His lawyers must be as out of it as he is to cite "the Bush Doctrine" as a defense for shooting three people in Florida.

[valerief]

53. If only everyone had guns. Then they could all be dead. Gungeoneer logic. nt

[Nuclear Unicorn]

66. Happily all his victims were victimized while unarmed. Pro-criminal logic. nt