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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Gun Owner Cites 'Bush Doctrine' After Pre-emptive Killing of Neighbors at Labor Day Cookout
Lawyers for a Florida man this week cited President George W. Bush's pre-emptive war in Iraq and the "Bush Doctrine" as a defense after their client killed two neighbors and attempted to kill a third on Labor Day.
Florida Today reported on Wednesday that attorney's for William T. Woodward had filed a motion asking for charges against him to be dismissed under Florida's Stand Your Ground law, which says that gun owners do not have a duty to retreat in the face of an "imminent" threat.
According to officials in Titusville, Woodward had snuck up on his neighbors while they were having a Labor Day barbecue. Police responding to the scene found that Gary Lee Hembree, Roger Picior and Bruce Timothy Blake had all been shot.
Hembree and Picior were later pronounced dead. Blake survived, even though he had been hit 11 times. In their motion, Woodwards attorneys claimed that the victims had called him names and threatened to "get him."
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/florida-man-cites-bush-doctrine-after-pre-em
Berlum
(7,044 posts)exboyfil
(17,857 posts)It is reported that one of the men had threatened to rape Woodward's daughter. A neighbor said that the three harassed others in the neighborhood and got what they deserved.
This does not justify the shooting. He should spend the rest of his life in prison (he opened up on unarmed men and reloaded).
What would you do if someone threatened to rape your daughter?
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)Warpy
(110,900 posts)Let's hope he's too addled to figure out which end of a gun the bullet comes out of by the time he's back on the street.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Woof_Woof
(24 posts)Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)CanonRay
(14,036 posts)What a madhouse.
bluestate10
(10,942 posts)I don't own or want a gun, but a person should be able to defend their home during an invasion. But a person shouldn't be allowed to track another person down and kill that person. When does self defense start for the unarmed person that was tracked down? The way the Florida is written, the person holding a weapon has all rights and unarmed people have no rights.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Still plenty of seats on the front row...
wild bird
(421 posts)This guy committed cold blooded murder, no if, ans or buts about it.
Why would anyone here defend this?
Who are the usual DU crowd that you speak of?
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)So nothing would surprise me...I see you've been here for only a couple of weeks -- Stick around, and you'll see what I'm talking about...
wild bird
(421 posts)but I guess anythings possible.
bluestate10
(10,942 posts)It is possible to dump into someone exiting a door and end up dead in that place, even if a apology is offered.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)whoiswithme
(35 posts)Dead or in prison, it sounds like the world is a better place for all these people being gone. He should of course go to prison for this.