Homeless Man Murdered For Asking For A Quarter

[theHandpuppet]

From Cincinnati...

Panhandler shot to death
Woman charged with murder after being asked for 25¢
BY JANE PRENDERGAST | [e-mail]

QUEENSGATE - He took a bullet over 25 cents.

Donald Francis, who police believe was homeless, stood outside the Marathon station at Eighth and Linn streets late Monday night, asking people for money.

That annoyed Geraldine Beasley so much, Chief Tom Streicher said, that she shot and killed Francis when he approached her,

"He asked her for a quarter," the chief said Tuesday.

Beasley, 62, of Walnut Hills, complained to someone else at the scene about the panhandling, Streicher said. Then, he said, when Francis asked her for money, she pulled out a gun and fired.... MORE

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070808/NEWS01/708080411

[youngdem]

1. Not to defend this in any way, but is there any chance she felt threatened?

Not by being asked for a quarter, but some homeless attempt to physically intimidate or block some people when soliciting a donation.

I can imagine a woman, walking alone in such a situation could feel threatened.

Women just don't shoot the homeless for asking for a quarter. I suspect more happened here, and I'm gonna wait on more info before condemning either one of them.

[never_get_over_it]

4. NO NO NO if she did feel threatened

she shouldn't have shot the guy - if you feel threatened - you pay the guy $20 and offer to give him a BJ.

I learned it from my state rep the most respectable Bob Allen of Merritt Island FL - how proud I am of the man with a 90% rating from the Christian Coalition

so remember if you feel threatened - give a $20 and offer a BJ and all will be well

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-allentape0307aug03,0,1892734.story

[benEzra]

5. You aren't allowed to shoot somebody just because you "feel threatened"...

the threat has to be one that a reasonable person would interpret as an imminent threat of death, bodily harm, or a forcible felony (yes, even in Florida, unless the person is carjacking you or breaking into your house).

[acmavm]

2. So this is the remedy for panhandling? Get this, I was robbed

outside a Bag 'N Save store last November. The security guard had watched the little bastard that stole my purse for 40 FRIGGIN' MINUTES BEFORE HE ROBBED ME because he said he was worried that the guy was there to panhandle. He said (which I don't believe for a minute) that he ever went out there to see if the guy was asking for money, which he didn't do. So he let the guy lurk around the parking lot.

That's where I came in.

Begging for money is the big worry now, I guess. And apparently the remedy is to kill 'em.

What a friggin' screwed up country we live in.

[Dhalgren]

3. The bullet she murdered him with probably cost more than a quarter.

If they are going to shoot you down for begging, you might As well rob, instead. The penalty seems to be the same...

[Sapere aude]

6. Why do people hate the poor? Is it because they may be in the same situation some day?

Michael Medved was just ecstatic last week because a town in the NorthWest, maybe Seattle built housing for the homeless but could get only a few of them to move in. He seemed so happy to prove that we don't need to give a shit about the homeless because they want to be homeless!