10/19/09
Bromley, Alabama
From the October 15, 2009 Alabama Press-Register:
BROMLEY, Ala. -- A 13-year-old boy shot his father Tuesday night to protect his mother from harm, authorities said Wednesday.
Joseph "Simp" Pruitt, 46, was shot in the arm and side after threatening his wife with a 9 mm pistol, according to Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack Jr.
Pruitt remained in critical condition at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, a hospital spokesman said Wednesday.
"We believe Mr. Pruitt was attempting to shoot Mrs. Pruitt," Mack said. "Their 13-year-old son became aware of this and retrieved a 20-gauge shotgun."
No one involved in the incident has been arrested, he said.
Deputies were called to a Williams Road address in the Bromley community about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. Mack said the 911 call came from inside the residence, though operators received several calls from neighbors who heard gunshots.
Pruitt was conscious when emergency responders arrived, he said.
Labels: AL, domestic abuse, minor defender
5/21/09
Sacramento County, California
From the May 21, 2009 Sacramento Bee:
A 17-year-old boy stands accused of killing a man Tuesday morning, though detectives now believe the shooting was justified, authorities said Wednesday.
Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested the boy, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, late Tuesday night on suspicion of murder, said sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran.
Detectives made the arrest based on information they had gathered about the fatal shooting that morning of 30-year-old James Davis on the 2800 block of La Quinta Drive, Curran said.
But after interviewing the boy, Curran said, detectives learned that he had acted in self-defense – and in defense of his mother, Davis' girlfriend, who had been "beaten severely" before the fatal confrontation.
The boy was booked into juvenile hall on a murder charge but later released – though the murder charge still stands, Curran said. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case and will decide if it was justifiable homicide.
Deputies were called to La Quinta Drive, near Folsom Boulevard in south Sacramento about 5 a.m. after reports of gunshots and a woman screaming. They found Davis' body on the sidewalk, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. The Sheriff's Department is not releasing the woman's name because she is not a suspect and is a victim of domestic violence.
Curran said the victim and his girlfriend had had a "violent fight," witnessed by the 17-year-old boy, who followed Davis outside and shot him, Curran said. ...
Davis had a history of domestic violence in Sacramento County, according to Superior Court records. Most recently, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence in September 2004 and was sentenced to 365 days in jail.
Labels: CA, domestic abuse, minor defender
2/19/09
Waynesville, Florida
From the February 5, 2009 Florida Times-Union:
A Brantley County jury acquitted a woman of murder and related charges Wednesday in the shooting death of her husband last year.
Teresa McKinney, 47, of Waynesville was found not guilty of malice murder, felony murder and four counts of aggravated assault in the death of Jeffrey McKinney, 45. He was shot in the head with a .22-caliber rifle on Feb. 27 at their home and died a month later.
Jurors deliberated 90 minutes before acquitting her in the death that her attorney, John Thigpen, argued was "justifiable homicide."
"He beat her to pieces, just black and blue," Thigpen told the Times-Union after the verdict. "He beat her like she was a borrowed mule. She acted in self-defense, and it was justifiable homicide."
McKinney, a retired school bus driver, testified she shot her husband after he repeatedly hit her in the head with a broomstick in an attack that began when he started cursing and verbally abusing her. After beating her, he left the house and she locked him out. Mc-Kinney told jurors she warned him that if he returned, she would kill him.
She said he came back and smashed in a window with a bicycle in an effort to force his way into the home.
McKinney said she feared for her life, so she fired several shots with a .30-06 rifle, .410-gauge shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle in an effort to scare him away. She said she didn't aim at him or try to kill her husband, an electrician.
When he was shot, she called 911 for help. He was found wounded in the yard.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
Indianapolis, Indiana
From January 26, 2009 WHTR-TV:
Indianapolis - A restraining order didn't keep a woman's ex-boyfriend from breaking into her home this morning, where she shot him.
Wounded and in handcuffs, 32-year-old Jeffery Seats was taken first to Wishard Hospital, then to jail."She's got a right to protect herself and her children and he forced his way in there, so she shot him," said IMPD Lt. Jeff Duhammel.
Around 11:30 Sunday morning, police say Seats kicked in his ex-girlfriend's door at the Cold Springs Manor apartment complex. He grabbed her and hit her with a chair, all in the presence of their two young children.
"She gets away from him, goes upstairs, grabs a gun and then, either he was pursuing her upstairs but she fired a shot, just graze wounds on his head. That's when he takes off," Lt. Duhammel said.
Police found Seats' pick-up truck at an apartment complex at 59th and Georgetown Road. They found Seats upstairs in one of the apartments at a friend's home.
"They observe the truck here, they see blood inside the truck, he comes to the door and he is wounded to the head," Lt. Duhammel said.
Police say the couple has a history of domestic violence and that the woman had a restraining order against Seats.
Labels: domestic abuse, female, IN
1/7/09
Rosinton, Alabama
From AL.com of December 31, 2008
Police: Wounded wife grabbed gun, killed husband
Neighbors on a rural road in Baldwin County didn't pay much attention to the Cowan residence until gunfire erupted there two days before Christmas, revealing a deadly case of domestic violence.
Investigators said an enraged James Cowan Jr., 39, shot 42-year-old Pamela Cowan in the chest about 5:30 a.m., following a stretch of abuse that started the night before.
He had poured gasoline throughout their small home, dousing his wife and the bed in which she lay.
Then he stacked cushions from furniture on and near his wife and blocked the door with furniture as officers arrived.
But his wife managed to pick up the .357-caliber handgun he had put down briefly and shot him in the head, sheriff's spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said.
James Cowan was airlifted to a Mobile hospital where he was pronounced dead. Pamela Cowan was treated at a Pensacola, Fla., hospital and was expected to recover.
A county grand jury later will review the evidence, but Lowery said no charges were filed.
"There's no reason to believe she didn't act in self-defense," Lowery told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday in his Bay Minette office.
During the 13-year marriage, Pamela Cowan had obtained two protective orders against her husband, citing his violent moods, then tried to revoke both, including one about two weeks before the shooting. She told a judge in a letter that her husband needed "one more chance" to change his life. She wrote she had seen a therapist and hoped to save her marriage.
There was no indication the protection order was revoked. The judge in her case did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday.
...
As the investigation continued Wednesday, it was not immediately clear what set off last week's shooting. Lowery was among the officers on the shooting scene.
"She was fairly coherent when we were in there," he said, adding that details at the scene matched her account. The gasoline fumes made it "tough to stay in there," he said.
Pamela Cowan's father, Charlie Wilson of Loxley, told the Press-Register, "At times she is all right; at times she is down." Wilson could not be reached for further comment.
A public fundraising effort has been set up to pay her medical bills.
A funeral director in Robertsdale said Wednesday services for Cowan were incomplete.
Labels: AL, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, female
12/27/08
Adair County, Oklahoma
From the December 19, 2008 Muskogee [Oklahoma] Phoenix:
A Westville man remained in critical condition in a Tulsa hospital Thursday from a gunshot wound to the head, Adair County Sheriff’s Investigator Jack Smithson said.Darrel Fouse, 39, was shot after he violated a protective order and entered his rural home and allegedly began assaulting his wife, Smithson said.
Fouse’s wife, Marilyn Fouse, 39, told law enforcement her estranged husband entered the home about 2 p.m. Tuesday, hit her in the head, grabbed her arm and was assaulting her when a gun fell out of his fanny pack.
“She grabbed it and shot him,” Smithson said.
“She put a blanket over him, got her two girls (ages 11 and 14) out of their bedroom, and they ran across a field to a great-grandmother’s house.”
No charges have been filed. The shooting remains under investigation, Smithson said. An employee in the Adair County District Court Clerk’s Office said a protective order was filed Oct. 10 and that records show it was served on Darrel Fouse.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, female, OK
11/25/08
Leavenworth, Kansas
From KCTV5 of November 21, 2008
Son Shoots Ex-Stepdad To Protect Her, Mom Says
A teen took aim with a gun, his mother said, but it was the shooting victim who was in trouble with the law Friday night.
The teenager's mother, who was caught in the middle, said her son pulled the trigger and shot her ex-husband to save her.
She agreed to talk anonymously to help other women who may be stuck in a domestic violence situation.
The woman's 16-year-old son shot her ex-husband Friday morning on the front lawn of their Leavenworth home, but she said he did it to protect her.
"He started ranting and raving, and I told him he needed to leave and go home, and he got mad," the woman said.
The woman said her ex-husband had been abusive many times before, so she divorced him two years ago.
But at 2:30 a.m., he suddenly barged into her home. She said he pulled out a knife and dragged her into the front yard, and that was when she said her son grabbed a gun from the house and pulled the trigger, hitting his ex-stepfather in the stomach.
"He's a very quiet kid, and he's not the type to do anything like that, but he had had enough," she said.
Her wounded ex-husband jumped into his truck. Instead of heading to either of the two hospitals in Leavenworth, he drove himself all the way to Kansas City, Kan., to Providence Medical Center, where police said he lied about what happened.
"He indicated that he had been shot somewhere else besides Leavenworth," said Chief Pat Kitchens, of the Leavenworth Police Department.
The mother said she was glad her ex-husband survived so her son wouldn't have to deal with that burden for the rest of his life. And she is focused on helping her son and daughter heal from such a traumatic ordeal.
"My kids have been through a lot, you know? They're going through counseling and that's something that's very highly recommended because when you've got family violence, it's not easy, especially on the kids," she said.
Police said the teen was not arrested. He will likely not face any charges because what he did was in self-defense to protect himself and his mother.
In the meantime, the ex-husband is recovering in the hospital. From there, he will be moved to the jail to face possible charges of burglary, kidnapping and assault.
Labels: domestic abuse, KS, minor defender
10/17/08
Shreveport, Louisiana
From the October 15, 2008 Shreveport Times:
James Stanley was shot in the abdomen by a homeowner in the 4400 block of Kent Road where Stanley's wife had gone to seek refuge after a domestic argument, according to Caddo deputies
Stanley and his wife got into an argument at a local business just after midnight. The womanleft in Stanley's truck, and he followed her in another vehicle.
Before arriving at their house, Stanley began ramming the truck from behind several times. His wife stopped a few blocks from home, and ran to the residence of friends for help, deputies said.
Stanley began banging on the door and was told to leave, which he did, but he soon returned. The homeowner warned Stanley he had a gun and ordered him to leave. Stanley continued to bang on the door and broke a window.
The homeowner then fired a shot through the door with a 12-gauge shotgun, striking Stanley in the stomach. He was taken to LSU Hospital in Shreveport where he underwent surgery.
Deputies say Stanley was the aggressor in the incident, and he has been charged with aggravated assault, disturbing the peace, and simple property damage. The homeowner has not been charged, but the case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for review.
Labels: domestic abuse, LA
8/14/08
Pulaski County, Kentucky
From WTVQ of August 13, 2008
No Charges in Deadly Shooting
No charges have been filed against a Pulaski County woman who police say shot and killed her husband after the two got in a domestic confrontation.
The shooting happened early Wednesday morning on Highway 196 in the Nancy community.
Investigators with the Sheriff's Department say 48-year-old Tamara Wilson got a gun and shot her husband, 49-year-old William, after an argument escalated.
Mr. Wilson was taken to the hospital where he later died.
During its investigation, the Sheriff's Department found a history of domestic violence in this family - including a prior charge of domestic assault in 2006 and at least two prior domestic violence orders that had been issued against Mr. Wilson.
Investigators also say Mr. Wilson had made threats against his wife leading up to the shooting.
Because of this information, not charges have been filed, but the results of this investigation will be presented to the Pulaski County Grand Jury for their consideration.
Labels: domestic abuse, female, KY
7/7/08
El Dorado, Arkansas
From MyEyewitnessNews of July 7, 2008
Woman Shoots and Kills Husband in Self-Defense in Arkansas
A woman shot and killed her husband at their home outside of El Dorado, and the Union County sheriff says the slaying was in self-defense.
Sheriff Ken Jones said the incident happened around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, when deputies found 47 year-old Roger Gates dead inside the home. Jones says 37 year-old Kimberly Gates told him that her husband had attacked her and that she was afraid for her life and her baby's. Officials say she was able to get away from her husband, get a gun from the bathroom, and shoot him.
Jones said the case is still under investigation and that the results will be given to a prosecutor, who will determine if charges should be filed.
Labels: AR, assault, domestic abuse, female
3/1/08
Visalia, California
From the Visalia Times Delta of February 29, 2008
Police: Boy, 13, shot man in self-defense
A Visalia woman whose common-law husband was shot and killed Wednesday was moving out of the couple's south Visalia home when the incident occurred, neighbors and police said.
Witnesses said Joe Ray Martinez, 38, tried to stop the woman from doing so and got into an altercation with another man.
"That's when [Martinez] drew a gun and threatened to shoot everyone, including kids," said Terry Anderson, a neighbor in the quiet cul-de-sac on South Thomas Street near Paradise Avenue.
One of the "kids" at the home was a 13-year-old boy.
The boy emerged from the home and shot Martinez in "a clear case of self-defense," Visalia Police Department Sgt. Ernie Villa said.
"There will be no arrests," Villa said.
History of violence, abuse
Martinez had a long history of violent behavior, with felony convictions in 2000 and 2001 for assault with a nonfirearm deadly weapon, according to court records.
Violence was common in the South Thomas Street home, Anderson said.
"The abuse was terrible for the other people living there," said Anderson, who said the family had moved into the house about four months ago.
Martinez also had 23 vehicle-code violations since 1993 and twice was convicted of misdemeanor witness-threatening, records show.
In 2001, he was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
He had a gun Wednesday, too.
"[Martinez] waved the gun at everyone there," Villa said.
"All the stories from all the witnesses we talked to were consistent."
The case is now being handed over to the Tulare County District Attorney's Office.
Villa said he expects officials there to agree that the shooting was a matter of self-defense.
Further links:
13-Year-Old Shoots and Kills Man In Self Defense
Labels: CA, domestic abuse, minor defender
12/19/07
Summergrove, Georgia
From the The Times-Herald of December 20, 2007
Charges dropped in shooting death DA says wife acted in self-defense when she killed her husband
All charges against 61-year-old Bobbi J. Dailey, the woman accused in the shooting death of her husband, Michael, at their home in SummerGrove on Feb. 6, have been dropped by the Coweta County District Attorney's office.
Dailey had been charged with two counts of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. In light of new evidence recently uncovered, the District Attorney's office has concluded that Dailey was acting in self-defense on the evening of Feb. 6 and have therefore dismissed the case against her, according to Assistant District Attorney Pat Dutcher.
Dailey, who was represented by Criminal Law Attorney Lawrence Delan, has been out of the Coweta County Jail since posting the $25,000 bond set by Coweta Superior Court Judge A. Quillian Baldwin on March 9.
According to Dutcher, the original evidence presented by the Newnan Police Department detectives indicated that Dailey may have maliciously shot and killed her husband. The investigator for the District Attorney's office recently discovered new evidence that indicated that Dailey reasonably believed she had to use deadly force to defend herself against her husband the evening of Feb. 6.
On the night of the shooting, Coweta 911 received a call at 10:10 p.m. from 507 Hunterian Place in SummerGrove from Bobbi Dailey. Police arrived on the scene to find Michael lying dead on the floor in a bedroom with a single gunshot wound to the heart.
Investigators determined that the Daileys had gotten into an argument while both were under the influence of alcohol in which one of them had retrieved a .40 caliber Sig Sauer gun. Bobbi got that gun and fired one shot, striking her husband in the chest, according to police.
"While we don't condone the act, this is no doubt a tragic situation," said Dutcher. "We believe now that we have the complete picture in the best interest of justice — that is our ethical responsibility."
Psychological testing conducted on Dailey indicated that she suffered from Battered Person Syndrome, a sub-category of post-traumatic stress disorder. The investigator with the District Attorney's office had interviewed two of Michael's former spouses and concluded that there was a history of abusive behavior, according to Dutcher.
Furthermore, Dutcher stated that evidence suggests that Michael had struck his wife the evening of the deadly altercation. Michael's right hand was swollen with abrasions, and Dailey's left eye was reportedly swollen and bruised. There was also a hole in the wall of the kitchen with traces of blood indicating that Michael may have punched his fist through it. Finally, there was a scratch mark on his neck suggesting to investigators that Dailey had tried to fight back.
"All the evidence was consistent with a domestic altercation," said Dutcher. "This was a difficult case, and the Daileys are good people. My heart goes out to the them in this tragedy. The possibility that we could reopen this case exists if any new evidence presents itself."
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, female, GA
12/10/07
Ravenna, Kentucky
From the Lexington Herald-Leader of December 10, 2007
Stepfather Killed in Domestic Dispute
State police say a woman fatally shot her stepfather during a domestic dispute between the stepfather and her mother. Tina Rogers, 33, retrieved a handgun from inside the house on Fitchburg Road in Estill County and told her stepfather, Eugene Wallace Tipton Jr., to stop hurting her mother, Silvanie Tipton, and allow them to leave, Rogers told state police. She said Eugene Tipton refused to let them leave, threatened to kill her and advanced toward her when she fired multiple shots. Police were called at 2:16 a.m. Saturday. Eugene Tipton was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges had been filed as of last night.
Labels: domestic abuse, KY
11/27/07
Columbia, South Carolina
From The State of November 26, 2007
No charges filed against 15-year-old
No charges have been filed against a 15-year-old boy who police say was trying to protect his mother when he shot and killed his stepfather Saturday.
Deputies had been dispatched to the Fairforest Drive apartment previously for domestic-related calls, said Richland County Sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. Chris Cowan.
Roosevelt Carter, 42, of 100 Fairforest Drive, Apt. No. 7 died at 9:32 a.m. Saturday at Palmetto Health Richland. He had been shot in the upper body.
The preliminary investigation indicates a domestic disturbance occurred inside the home. The boy’s name and age have not been released because of his age.
Further links:
Boy may have shot stepfather to protect mom
Sheriff: Man Shot, Killed By Step-son
Labels: domestic abuse, minor defender, SC
11/21/07
Douglas, Arizona
From the Douglas Daily Dispatch of November 21, 2007
Domestic violence between teens erupts into gunfire
A teenaged girl fired a handgun at her boyfriend and missed early Saturday morning after she was punched, nearly strangled and held against her will.
The girl then scooped her 1–year-old daughter and fled the boyfriend’s home, police authorities said.
Both teens are 17. Their names were not released by the Douglas Police Department.
At about 1:21 a.m. Saturday the police were dispatched to a Douglas home involving violence between the two teens.
The boyfriend arrived home from work and accused his girlfriend of cheating on him, said Marcus Gonzales, the spokesman for the Douglas Police Department.
His girlfriend attempted to leave, but the boyfriend wouldn’t let her. The boyfriend then became violent and he pushed her, causing her to fall to the floor.
He then punched her and began to strangle her.
She escaped and once again tried to leave the house. The boyfriend held her against her will and struck her on the forehead with a frying pan, Gonzales said.
The boyfriend then took out a handgun from a dresser drawer, pointed it at her, then pointed it to his own head.
She knocked the gun out of his hand, grabbed it, aimed it at him, and squeezed the trigger twice. The gun, though, did not fire.
The boyfriend ran through the hallway of the house and out the front door.
The girl, fearing that he would return, squeezed the trigger and fired off a shot that went through the screen door, Gonzales said.
The girl put the gun down, grabbed her daughter, and ran out of the house, looking for help.
She spotted a Douglas police officer on 10th Street and D Avenue and flagged him down.
Police arrested the boyfriend and charged him with aggravated assault, unlawful imprisonment and three counts of endangerment.
Police also found a two-month-old baby in the house.
The boyfriend was transported to the Cochise County Jail, where he is being held on a $250,000 bond. The girl was released without charges
Labels: AZ, domestic abuse, female, minor defender
11/9/07
Camden, Tennessee
From Paducah’s (KY)WSPDtv.com of November 9, 2007
Tennessee Man Shot By Two WomenFrom the Camden Chronicle of November 14, 2007
A deadly shooting in Camden, Tennessee on Thursday.
29-year-old Jason Robinson of Holladay suffered a shotgun wound to the chest and died about an hour after being shot yesterday afternoon.
The police chief says an argument started when Robinson told his girlfriend Sonja Moore that he had an affair with her friend Benita Murphy.
All three were at Moore's home at the time. The women told police Robinson was beating them. Officers say both women show signs of abuse.
The women said Murphy got the shotgun to defend herself and shot Robinson when he kept attacking them. No charges have been filed at this point.
Self-defense possible factor in fatal shooting
Self-defense may have been a contributing factor in the shooting death of a Holladay resident, Jason D. Robinson, 29, Thursday afternoon. The shooter, Benita G. Murphy, 21, was taken into custody on the scene, but was later released pending the District Attorney’s decision on whether or not to file charges.
“All of the evidence gathered at the scene has been sent to the crime lab or turned over to the D.A.,” said Camden Police Chief George Smith. “It is up to them whether or not we charge her.”
According to District Attorney Hansel McCadams, his office will likely meet with TBI agents next week to make the decision. If charges are filed, the case will most likely go to the grand jury.
Benton County Central Dispatch received the call at approximately 2 p.m. Thursday that there was a woman standing in the front yard of 312 Wren Avenue, a residence well known to local law enforcement for domestic situations, holding a gun, which had been fired, and that a man was lying on the ground.
Upon arriving on the scene, officers from the Camden Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Department discovered Robinson laying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest, but still alive. He was transported to the Camden Elk’s Lodge to be airlifted, but passed away before take off. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was called to the scene
According to Chief Smith, Murphy was still on the scene when officers arrived, along with Robinson’s girlfriend Sonya Moore, who lived at the residence and witnessed the shooting. The 12-gauge shotgun used in the shooting was laying on the ground in the front yard.
Smith said that Murphy surrendered peacefully to the officers and cooperated with the investigation. Both women told investigators that Robinson had been beating up on both of them, prompting Murphy to grab the gun and fire. Smith confirmed that both women did show signs of abuse.
“This case is still under investigation by both the TBI and the Camden Police Department,” said Smith.
Labels: domestic abuse, female, TN
10/24/07
Wichita, Kansas
From the Wichita Eagle of October 24, 2007
Woman shot, man injured in domestic dispute
Wichita police are investigating a domestic violence disturbance that occurred Tuesday night in the 500 block of North Spruce.
Sgt. Jeff Davis said a 76-year-old man asked his 52-year-old girlfriend and roommate to move out. She poured bleach on him, a police report said, and then sprayed him with Mace. As she began hitting him with a frying pan, he pulled out a .38 revolver and shot her twice in the left shoulder.
Emergency workers transported both of them to Wesley Medical Center.
Doctors treated and released the man; the woman is in serious condition, Davis said. Police did not arrest the man, Davis said, but expect to arrest the woman when she is out of the hospital.
"We think this was a situation of self-defense," Davis said.
Labels: domestic abuse, KS, senior
10/17/07
Naples, Florida
From the Bonita Daily News of October 16, 2007
Woman portrayed as battered spouse acquitted of attempted murder
A 48-year-old North Naples woman who shot her husband in the face was acquitted of attempted murder Tuesday in a case domestic violence advocates hope will prompt battered women to come forward at the first signs of abuse.
The four-woman, two-man jury deliberated roughly 2 1/2 hours before acquitting Victoria Vawn Dales of attempted first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and shooting inside a building in the June 20, 2004, shooting of her third husband, Michael W. Dales.
The verdict means jurors had reasonable doubt or believed Dales was justified and acted in self-defense. The early morning shooting at 387 Huntington Drive in Victoria Park shattered 35-year-old Michael Dales’ jaw when a bullet pierced his lower lip, lodging in his spine. Dales, a crane operator with law enforcement training, testified he lost part of his jaw.
During the four-day trial, prosecutors portrayed Dales as jealous and possessive, pushed to kill after catching her husband on the phone with a woman and learning he planned to leave her. The defense, however, painted him as possessive, obsessive and violent, a man who controlled everything from the clothes she wore, to her jobs and friends. They say he attacked her after she threatened to leave and painted her as a victim of battered spouse syndrome who’d survived two serious prior beatings and suffocation attempts.
Testimony concluded Friday with a battle of forensic psychologists who disputed whether she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and battered spouse syndrome.
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
10/8/07
Seattle, Washington
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer of October 8, 2007
Police investigate family shooting
Seattle police detectives are investigating whether a Seattle man was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed his adult son this past weekend.
The shooting happened about 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 4600 block of South Cooper Street.
Spokeswoman Renee Witt said it appeared to be a domestic violence situation, and that the father, 84, had previously complained to other children that the 51-year-old son living with him had been beating him.
"It was pretty sad," Witt said.
There were few details available as to what led to Saturday's shooting, but afterward the father apparently called police himself. He walked outside when officers arrived.
Witt said officers recovered a weapon, which they took as evidence.
The son was found dead in the home. His wheelchair-bound mother, 76, also was in the house and not hurt in the incident.
Police took the father in for questioning, but released him shortly afterward. The case remains under investigation, Witt said.
Labels: domestic abuse, WA
9/29/07
Pocatello, Idaho
From Reno’s KRNV.com of August 29, 2007
Marriage of Former Reno Couple Ends in TragedyFrom Idaho Falls’ LocalNews8.com of October 1, 2007
The Bonneville County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting at a home in Swan Valley between a wife and her husband.
Last night, Debra Schultz says she shot her husband once in the chest, claiming it was in self defense. 48-year-old William Schultz died.
Detectives are treating it like a homicide until they get all the facts.
Court and crime specialist Suzanne Hobbs spoke with law enforcement and with the woman who pulled the trigger.
Debra Schultz says throughout her relationship he was physically violent and she never got out, although just last week she did go to a women's shelter in Driggs for help, and just returned home where she had to fight for her life.
Three months ago, the couple moved from Reno Nevada to Swan Valley. They lived in an apartment just off the Swan Valley Highway above a real estate office.
Tuesday night, Debra says her husband was high on marijuana and drinking. The fight got so bad he grabbed a gun and said he was going to shoot her. She says it was either shoot him or she would be killed.
She even considered jumping out of the second story window, but says William stopped her.
She didn't want her battered and bruised face to be shown, so when I talked to her, we are showing you her injured leg, hurt as she was running down the stairs last night.
Debra Schultz said, "When he came home last night he told me that he was going to kill me and that was after he beat up my face and he said, "I can't let you go now because if the cops see this I'm going to go to prison." And he already has 5 charges in Reno hanging over his head for domestic violence against me."
Doug Metcalf, Bonneville Co. Sheriff's Office said, "Right now we are treating it as a homicide and it'll - we'll turn it into the prosecutor once we get all the interviews, the evidence from the autopsy and things like that to him, and they'll make the decision whether it's homicide or self defense."
The sheriff's office says their investigation will take several days. Debra, who is fully cooperating, is already making plans to move back to Reno as soon as she can..
No Charges Filed In Swan Valley Homicide
No charges will be pressed against the woman who shot and killed her husband a month ago in Swan Valley.
Today prosecutor Dane Watkins says that Debra Schultz shot her husband in an act of self defense.
The shooting came after a violent relationship that lasted a year.
According to Schultz, her husband William put her in the hospital multiple times during their courting period and again once they were married.
They were from Reno, Nevada and moved to Idaho to escape the five pending domestic violence charges against William.
Bonneville County Prosecutor Dane Watkins says he is not pressing charges against Schultz because theres evidence to prove she was the victim of domestic violence the night of August 28th.
She had extensive bruising and other injuries. She also says William made threats against her life.
Schultz tells investigators that William went for the gun and came toward her and that's when she says she got control of the gun and shot him at close range.
Prosecutor Dane Watkins says her story lines up with the evidence.
In an interview less than 24 hours after Schultz shot her husband she said, "He said I'm going to kill you and so I just pulled the trigger, I didn't know what else to do. It was me or him, he was, I could tell by the look in his eyes I was dead, I was going to be dead."
Prosecutor Dane Watkins explains his decision, "In order to prove self defense the defendant must believe she was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that action was necessary to save her from harm."
Watkins says that William Schultz's family is upset that no one is being held accountable for their son's death.
The case will remain open with the Bonneville County Sheriffs Office, in the case that more information arises in this case.
Debra Schultz has returned to Nevada where her family lives.
Labels: domestic abuse, ID
8/23/07
Jacksonville, Florida
From Jacksonville.com of August 23, 2007
A cloud of violence grew until it overshadowed love
A domestic violence victim tells of the events that ended in a shooting.
Mark Nobles' work boots were still on the front porch, his model cars were still on his dresser and his Bible books were still by the bed they shared.
As Tonya Mathenia cradled herself in his fleece blanket, the 38-year-old Jacksonville woman cried as she talked about missing the man she loved like a husband for more than three years.
The man she killed with a 9mm pistol Sunday night after snatching the weapon she said he put to her forehead, threatening to end her life in their Westside bungalow.
Instead, she took his.
Mathenia told The Times-Union she shot once as her 44-year-old companion loped toward her as she cowered at their dead-bolted front door. Police released her after questioning but said Wednesday the investigation was continuing.
Mathenia said Nobles came home after using drugs and began lashing out like she was someone from an abusive past. She said the ironworker beat her in nearly every room of their Sappho Avenue rental home. The attack left her with a split lip needing stitches, a blackened eye and other lumps, and bruises and scratches, many on her neck and head.
The woman said she called 911 as the abuse began and screamed so someone at the other end could hear her before she hung up as her attacker approached. At 8:54 p.m., according to her phone's memory bank, she got a call back from the Sheriff's Office. After secretly pressing the speaker phone button, she hollered some more, hoping help would be on the way.
It didn't come in time. Police said they answered a call about a shooting about 9:15 p.m.
In the minutes before, as her companion started closing in, Mathenia said instinct overrode loyalty and love. Fear rising from her gut radiated to a finger poised on the gun's trigger.
"I remember barely putting my finger on it and it went off. I didn't know if I hit him at first," she said. "He grabbed himself but I didn't know if he was faking it. He just looked at me like being high and all that had left him. And he looked at me like, 'How could all that happen?' "
Three days later, as grief mixed with guilt, Mathenia said Wednesday the only thing she understood as the battery escalated was that her loved one wasn't leaving her any choice but to fight for her life.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
8/17/07
Barnstable, Massachusetts
From the Boston Globe of August 17, 2007
Grand jury declines to indict Cape Cod doctor in husband's death
Prosecutors are dropping the case against a Cape Cod doctor charged with fatally shooting her husband after a grand jury declined to indict her because of evidence he abused her.
The Barnstable County grand jury considered testimony from 27 witnesses who said Ann Gryboski, 51, was a victim of physical and psychological abuse by Patrick Lancaster, 50, her husband of more than 20 years, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe office said in a statement Friday.
"This is a finding by the Grand Jury consistent with the evidence in this particular case," O'Keefe said.
Gryboski has been free on bail after pleading not guilty in April to a murder charge. She had appeared in court with swollen eyes and bruises around her mouth, and the district attorney said then there were "mitigating factors" in her case.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington did not immediately return calls seeking comment Friday.
But in a statement released by Robert Galibois, attorney for Gryboski's son Chris, Reddington said he and Gryboski were pleased that grand jurors recognized that she acted in defense of herself and her son, according to the Cape Cod Times.
"This has been a very trying time for the doctor and her family and we hope that this unfortunate case will now be put behind her and she can get back to work with her patients and the job she loves," Reddington said in the statement.
"Chris is immeasurably relieved that the court process is over," Galibois said on behalf of his client. "He is grateful for the overwhelming support from family and friends during this difficult time."
Reddington had said in court that the case was "pure and simple self-defense."
"The bruises speak volumes about what happened," Reddington has said. "She did what she had to do to protect herself and her children."
Gryboski told police she shot her husband, a builder and charter boat owner, in their home on Easter Sunday after she attempted to intervene in an argument between him and one of their adult sons who confronted his father about his mother's black eye and swollen face.
She told police that the night before the killing, her husband had repeatedly punched her as she drove with their 2-year-old grandson in the back seat.
When her husband came toward her on that Sunday, she fired two shots, hitting him in the torso, according to prosecutors.
"She went to him, cradled his body and said 'I didn't want it to end like this, I hope you find peace,'" O'Keefe said in his Friday statement.
O'Keefe said Friday doctors who examined Gryboski found head and facial trauma on the right side and a chipped tooth as well as a mild corneal abrasion and evidence of a previous nasal injury.
Gryboski, who specializes in internal medicine, has a Yarmouth practice, but had stopped practicing pending her case. A spokesman at Cape Cod Hospital said at the time of the slaying Gryboski had a discipline-free record.
Labels: domestic abuse, MA
8/6/07
Seattle, Washington
From the Seattle Times of August 5, 2007
Woman fatally stabbed by her ex; he's fatally shot by a bystander
A Seattle mother of four was fatally stabbed early today despite a court protection order against her knife-wielding ex-husband.
The 33-year-old victim was stabbed nearly two dozen times while attending a birthday party about 1 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in the 9100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.
The 39-year-old assailant burst into the hall, grabbed the victim and slashed her with a large knife, witnesses told police. The weapon was recovered at the scene.
A 32-year-old Kent man who was at the party pulled a hand gun and shot the suspect who later died at Harborview Medial Center.
Police spokeswoman Renee Witt said the party guest had a concealed-weapons permit. She said he likely won't face charges since he acted to prevent further harm.
Another partygoer who tried to save the victim suffered minor cuts. He drove himself to Virginia Mason Medical Center and was later released.
Although identities had not been formally released this evening, court records indicate that the victim and 39-year-old assailant obtained a court separation March 30 of this year.
Court records also show that the attacker had a previous record of violence including multiple counts of assault in April this year.
Labels: assault, domestic abuse, WA
8/2/07
Danville, Virginia
From the Danville Register & Bee of August 2, 2007
No charges in fatal shooting
A woman who shot and killed her estranged husband will not be charged in his death.
Tashia Lovelace shot Joel Lovelace at about 9:53 p.m. on June 9 after he broke into her home on Martinsville Highway in the Cascade area of Pittsylvania County, according to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office. After shooting him five times, Tashia immediately dialed 911.
“In my opinion, she did not commit a criminal act,” Pittsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney David Grimes said Wednesday. “It was self-defense. If someone’s breaking into your house after threatening to kill you, that’s getting pretty close.”
Grimes said the number of shots that were fired was not a huge factor in the decision not to charge Tashia.
“By all appearances, all five shots were fired before (the victim) fell,” Grimes said. “She had a semi-automatic handgun, so it would fire pretty quickly.”
Deputies found Joel dead at the scene of the shooting about 10 minutes after Tashia called 911.
They also found an open pocketknife with a blade that ranged between 3 to 4 inches in length under Joel, the sheriff’s office said.
The front door of Tashia’s mobile home had extensive damage that indicated that it had been forced open. Deputies also found a shoe print on the outside of the door near the doorknob.
Tashia told authorities that she and her husband had been separated for more than a year. On the day of shooting, she said she ran into Joel earlier at a high school graduation. After the graduation and throughout the day, she said he called her phone numerous times threatening to kill her.
Tashia also told authorities that she was home with three children that night when she saw Joel’s vehicle pull up. He called her again, telling her that he “had something for her.” She then said she heard him hit her door at least twice. She ran to her bedroom to retrieve her handgun and saw him return to his vehicle as if he was looking for something.
He called her one last time repeating his threat to kill her, she told deputies.
She said when she returned to the living room, Joel kicked in the locked, dead-bolted door and entered the house. She then shot him numerous times before calling 911.
The decision not to charge Tashia revolved around the belief that she was acting in self-defense.
Grimes said Virginia law justifies the taking of another person’s life only when it appears reasonably necessary to do so to defend one’s self or another from great bodily harm or to defend one’s home from intrusion when it appears the intruder is intent on committing a felony or a violent act.
The prosecutor added that a person in his or her own home is not required to retreat from an intruder before resorting to force, even deadly force, if necessary.
Because he believes the case meets these guidelines, Grimes said the book on it is most likely closed.
“I don’t expect for it to re-open,” he said. “Based on everything that we’ve heard, it’s not a criminal case. It’s a tragedy that it happened, but it’s not a criminal case. It’s not a crime that she will be prosecuted for.”
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, VA
7/25/07
Ava, Missouri
From the Detroit (MI) Free Press of July 25, 2007
Missouri man kills grandson in apparent case of self-defense
A man shot and killed his grandson this morning after the teenager began stabbing him and his wife, authorities said.
William Andrew Nation, 18, came to his sleeping grandparents' bedroom in their home about 20 miles south of Ava. He shouted that he couldn't take it anymore and then started stabbing them with a kitchen knife, said Chief Deputy Trampus Taylor of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Jerry Garrison, took a handgun he kept by the side of his bed and shot his grandson several times, killing him, authorities said.
Garrison was stabbed in the head, shoulder and back, and his wife, Katie, was stabbed in the face. Jerry Garrison was treated at a hospital and released, while his wife was in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Taylor said a review could take several weeks, but it appeared that the shooting would be ruled justifiable.
The teen had lived with his grandparents about a year. They said he had been hearing voices and had seen a psychiatrist on Monday, Taylor said. He was scheduled to return to the psychiatrist in a couple weeks.
Labels: domestic abuse, MO
6/8/07
Sallisaw, Oklahoma
From the Muskogee Phoenix of June 8, 2007
Woman allegedly shoots, kills estranged husband
Authorities are investigating the overnight shooting death of a man who broke into the home of his estranged wife.
Witnesses told police that Robert Andrew Wolfe, 49, broke into the Sallisaw residence and attacked Kimberly Opal Davis with a baseball bat. Davis grabbed a pistol and shot Wolfe, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said it appears the shooting was justifiable.
“She shot and killed him while he was breaking into her home,” said OSBI Assistant Director Jon Loffi. “It apparently will be a self-defense shooting.”
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, OK
6/3/07
Shreveport, Louisiana
From Shreveport’s KPXJ21.com of June 2, 2007
Man shot, faces battery charges
A Shreveport shooting is being considered self defense. Police say the man who got shot now faces battery charges.
It happened in the 500 block of Kirby Street. Just after 6:00 p.m. Saturday, neighbors say a woman shot the man that she lives with. The woman says the man was beating her and she pulled out a gun and shot him in the leg.
The man was taken to LSU hospital. At newstime, there were no charges against the woman.
Labels: domestic abuse, LA
5/3/07
Cleveland County, North Carolina
From the Charlotte Observer of May XX, 2007
Woman cleared in shooting of husband
The Cleveland County district attorney on Thursday dismissed a murder charge against a woman accused of fatally shooting her husband.
Tina Weaver acted in self-defense when she shot Ronald Todd Weaver, 41, at their Kings Mountain home on Nov. 25, court documents said.
"The dismissal completely exonerates my client from any criminal wrongdoing," said Weaver's attorney, David Teddy.
There was a history of domestic violence between the couple, court documents said, and Weaver's husband had severely beaten her just before the shooting.
Weaver, 40, has been out on $40,000 bond since November.
Weaver, a mother of three, is relieved that the charge has been dropped, Teddy said.
"This has been a heavy burden she's been carrying since November," Teddy said.
Labels: domestic abuse, NC
4/20/07
Pensacola, Florida
From the Pensacola News-Journal of April 20, 2007
Two suspects shot
Two men were shot Thursday in separate incidents after they apparently entered homes and were confronted by residents, Escambia County deputies said.
(The report of the first shooting follows this post)
The other shooting occurred about 11 a.m. in the 8100 block of Untreiner Avenue in Ensley, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The report stated DeAngelo James, 23, of the 100 block of Topaz Avenue entered the Untreiner Avenue home of Houston Harris, 70, to talk with Harris' granddaughter.
When the conversation became heated, the woman -- whose identity was not released -- asked James to leave, but he refused, the report stated.
According to investigators, James then put a pillow over her head to smother her. The women faked an asthma attack, and James released her.
She then called the Sheriff's Office, but James ran before deputies arrived. After speaking with Harris and his granddaughter, deputies left the scene to prepare a warrant for the arrest of James, according to the report.
The report noted James then returned, and Harris attempted to hold him until deputies returned.
While waiting, James attacked Harris. During the struggle, a handgun Harris was holding in his pocket went off, shooting James in the mouth, the report said.
James was transported to Scared Heart Hospital, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, investigators said.
However, the hospital said they had no record of James.
Investigators determined that Harris was justified in his use of force, but the case will be forwarded to the State Attorney's Office for review.
The following charges are pending against James: one felony count of burglary and one misdemeanor count of battery, the report said..
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
4/13/07
Maxton, North Carolina
From the Lumberton Robesonian of April 13, 2007
Man shot in leg during fight
A Maxton man was shot in the leg early Wednesday morning during a fight with his estranged girlfriend, according to sheriff's Deputy Eric Gavighan.
Michael Joseph Mollo, 45, was shot after he forced his way into Ruth Ann Jones-Moreno's Papas Drive home and held her against her will for more than three hours, Gavighan said.
Mollo was threatening Jones-Moreno with a large fork when she fired a shotgun at him, Gavighan said. Mollo underwent surgery Wednesday night.
No charges have been filed.
Labels: domestic abuse, NC
Crestview, Florida
From the Northwest Florida Daily News of April 13, 2007
Police rule shooting of airman justifiable, will not charge wife
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday it has determined that the shooting death of an Eglin airman by his wife was a “justifiable use of deadly force.”
No charges will be filed against Febia Wyza, 32, in the death of Eglin Tech. Sgt. James Wyza. The incident took place on March 9 around 8 a.m. at 6114 Magnolia Lane in the Crestview area.
The decision by the Sheriff’s Office was made based on evidence at the scene, the findings of the medical examiner, information gathered during the investigation, statements from Febia Wyza, and a history of domestic violence between the couple. Investigators say Febia Wyza had been a victim of domestic violence for several years.
On the day of the shooting, Febia Wyza said James Wyza came home from work, struck her, slammed her into a wall, and attacked her with a knife, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
Febia Wyza hit James Wyza in the groin, went to a bedroom to get a gun, and then went into a bathroom where James Wyza confronted her, the release said.
Febia Wyza said she then shot James Wyza four times with a .357 magnum revolver. Febia Wyza said she and James Wyza had been arguing over her plans to move to St. Augustine with their two children, according to the release.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
4/6/07
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
From Harrisburg’s PennLive.com of April 6, 2007
Son found innocent in dad's death(More)
Gun was fired in self-defense, jurors decide
The jurors in Lebanon County Court didn't have to decide if Javier Roldan shot and killed his father. They heard Roldan testify to that fact.
But the jury had to decide whether Roldan was guilty of murder or had acted out of self-defense. After six hours of deliberation yesterday, the jurors acquitted him.
Roldan, 26, of the 100 block of Twin Creeks Drive, Jonestown, was found not guilty of homicide and two counts of aggravated assault.
He was charged after being accused of shooting his father, Jose Antonio Roldan, during a fight in their home Aug. 12. Roldan had testified that he shot his father, Jose Antonio Roldan, because his father had him in a choke hold and he feared for his life.
The verdict touched off a celebration among members of the Roldan family, some of whom had testified.
A tearful Javier Roldan embraced his mother, Gladys. He had testified that he fought with his father over the elder man's treatment of Gladys Roldan.
Javier Roldan hugged several more of the 15 family members present before he was taken to check out of Lebanon County Prison, where he has been held since the shooting.
"It's a huge release, a huge weight from our shoulders" Javier's older brother, Heriberto, said. He said the entire family believed the shooting was justified on the grounds of self-defense.
Labels: domestic abuse, PA
4/3/07
Mercer County, West Virginia
From the April 3, 2007 Charleston [West Virginia] Gazette:
PRINCETON – A Virginia man was shot and killed in Mercer County after he apparently approached his ex-girlfriend’s friend with a knife, police said.
About 2:36 a.m. Sunday, police were called to Kirby Addition Road near Princeton where Luther Vane Byrd, 37, of Bluefield, Va., was found dead with a knife in his possession, Mercer County Sheriff’s Detective L.B. Murphy said.
Milton Justice, 57, of Princeton had left a home where Byrd’s ex-girlfriend stayed since they parted and she moved out, he said.
When Byrd approached him in the driveway, Justice fired a .38 special at least once from inside the vehicle, striking Byrd in the head and killing him, Murphy said.
“We believe [Byrd’s ex-girlfriend did not have] an intimate relationship with shooter, but they were friends,” he said. “Luther was jealous of that.”
Justice has not been charged with a crime since it appears he killed Byrd in self-defense, he said.
But the shooting remains under investigation. Murphy will turn over his findings to the county prosecutor, who will determine whether to file any charges.
Police suspect Byrd was under influence of drugs and alcohol, Murphy said. His body was sent to the state Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.
Labels: domestic abuse, WV
3/30/07
Cullman, Alabama
From the Cullman Times of March 30, 2007
Man shot, killed by ex-wife
Local authorities were still investigating Thursday the death of a Welti man, who was allegedly shot four times by his ex-wife, according Sheriff’s reports.
Sheril Dingler, 38, of Welti, allegedly shot her former husband, 38-year-old Rickey A. Dingler, with a .40-caliber Glock late Wednesday at her son’s home.
The shots were allegedly fired after Mr. Dingler reportedly kicked in the front door of the residence, which Mrs. Dingler had fled to during a heated argument with her former husband.
Mr. Dingler died on the scene.
According to Sheriff Tyler Roden, Mrs. Dingler was not arrested or charged for the shooting on the grounds it may have been an act of self defense.
“She was treated for injuries,” he said. “We are still investigating it at this time, and we’ll make a determination later.”
According to reports, while the two were divorced, they lived together at a residence about 200 yards from the scene of the shooting.
Roden said they had been in an argument since Mr. Dingler arrived home late Wednesday evening, and that he had allegedly assaulted his ex-wife with his fists and threatened her during the argument.
When Mrs. Dingler fled the house for her son’s, Mr. Dingler allegedly followed her and assaulted her again with his fists. The shooting occurred at approximately 11 p.m.
As of Thursday, it was not clear who owned the weapon used in the shooting. Roden said it was kept at the residence where the shooting occurred.
It is not known where the bullets struck the victim or what the two were arguing about.
Labels: AL, domestic abuse, home invasion
3/20/07
Bradley County, Tennessee
From Chattanooga’s WRCBtv.com of March 20, 2007
Update: Bradley Domestic Dispute
Bradley County Sheriff's officers investigated a violent domestic dispute.
The call came Monday night at 314 Peachtree Circle when two 9-1-1 calls were placed from the house shortly after 8 o'clock. The first caller said a man threatened a woman with a knife while the second reported a gunshot.
Deputies found 36 year old Danny J.Catlett with a gunshot wound to his shoulder while 44 year old Gayla Catlett has knife cuts to her clothing. Investigators say the couple was arguing and Danny Catlett threatened his wife with a knife. They say she got a handgun and shot him in the shoulder.
Paramedics airlifted Danny Catlett to Erlanger Medical Center with what appears to be non life-threatening injuries. So far no charges have been filed.
Labels: domestic abuse, domestic dispute, TN
3/5/07
Jackson, Mississippi
From the March 5, 2007 Jackson Clarion-Ledger:
As customers watched in horror Sunday afternoon, a man stabbed a woman and attempted to set her on fire in the parking lot of a Jackson store, witnesses said.
The attack was stopped by a passer-by, who held the man at gunpoint until police arrived, witnesses said.
The suspect, Henry Watson, 42, was arrested and is expected to face aggravated assault charges, Jackson Police Department Cmdr. Lee Vance said. Watson's wife, Gracie Watson, 42, was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical center, where she was listed in good condition.
"It wasn't five minutes from when she had left my line when I heard a scream outside," said Theresa Stuckey, a cashier at the Family Dollar at 516 Nakoma Drive in Jackson. "I looked out, and (the attacker) was on top of her stabbing her, and stabbing her and stabbing her.
"She was screaming, 'Help, he's trying to kill me!' She was rolling on the ground, trying to get out of the way, but he kept stabbing her. He stabbed her about 20 times in the neck, back and arms."
As the attack continued, people were yelling at the man to stop and honking their horns, Stuckey said. She said she called 911.
"He was just standing over her hacking away," said Dolly Baker, who had just left the Save-A-Lot store next door when she saw the attack.
Baker said she watched the man pour gasoline on the victim then try to strike a match.
"He was literally trying to kill that lady in broad daylight," she said.
Baker said a passer-by stopped the attack.
"He told the man, 'Stop, or I'm going to shoot. And if you run, I'm going to kill you,' " Baker said.
The man held Watson at bay until police arrived at the scene.
Labels: assault, domestic abuse, MS
2/18/07
Greeenville, Mississippi
From the Greeenville Delta Democrat Times of February 17, 2007
Homicide ruled self-defense; woman freed
A Greenville woman walked out of the Greenville City Jail a free woman Friday afternoon after a murder charge against her was dismissed.
Municipal Court Judge Michael Prewitt dismissed the domestic homicide charge against Quintina Scott Brown during her arraignment hearing in city court.
Brown had been incarcerated since Thursday after an altercation at a Valentine's Day wedding reception led to Brown shooting her husband and being charged in the city's first homicide of the year.
Jermaine Brown, 23, was shot and killed early Thursday, and Quintina Scott Brown, 23, of Greenville was charged by the Greenville Police Department with one count of domestic homicide.
Police Lt. Andrew Kaho said the Police Department received a call about 1:30 a.m. Thursday concerning a shot person at 1253 Dublin St.
“Once officers arrived on the scene, Quintina Scott Brown told police that she had just shot her husband,” Kaho said. “Mrs. Brown said the two of them had been in an altercation earlier that day at a relative's wedding reception. It continued throughout the night.
“After they had left the reception and were at the house, Mrs. Brown said her husband assaulted her in the face,” Kaho said referring to police reports. “She told him to get his clothes and leave the residence.”
The woman said her husband refused to leave the house.
“She said he refused to leave the house and at that time, they began to wrestle with each other,” Kaho said. “She said she got loose and went to the closet and got a handgun. She said she told him again to get his things and leave the house, and he refused to leave.
“At that time, she said, the man was very upset and began to approach her,” Kaho added. “At that time, she raised the weapon and shot one time.”
Kaho said Jermaine Brown was shot in the left side of the forehead.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Quintina Brown was taken into custody by police at the scene.
Police officers retrieved a .380-caliber handgun from the residence, which is believed to be the weapon.
Kaho said the couple had three children: a 1-year-old boy and two 3-year-old girls. The police lieutenant said the children were at the house at the time of the incident, but they were not injured.
Quintina Brown reportedly “had bruises under her neck,” Kaho said. “Judge Prewitt ruled that the shooting appeared to be self-defense and dismissed the charges.”
Kaho said Friday that the case is still being investigated by the Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division.
“We are still investigating the incident, and the file will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for review,” Kaho said. “The D.A. will determine whether to submit the case to the next grand jury.”
Labels: domestic abuse, MS
2/12/07
Gastonia, North Carolina
From Charlotte’s WCNC.com of February 12, 2007
DA says shooting was self-defense
A Gastonia woman who shot and killed her ex-husband will not be charged with a crime.
Linda Friday just told WCNC that the district attorney decided the shooting was self-defense.
This weekend, Christopher Shane threatened to strangle Friday with an electrical cord and threatened to kill another man with a butcher knife.
Friday says she hid a gun in her wheelchair.
“It was either my life or his; I had to choose, and I did,” Friday said.
Labels: domestic abuse, NC
2/5/07
Kilgore, Texas
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph of February 5, 2007
WOMAN FOUND INNOCENT IN HUSBAND'S DEATH
Wanda Sue Gough, 54, can return to her home in Raleigh N.C., a free woman, after being found not guilty of murdering her husband in 1980.
A jury of three men and nine women deliberated for three hours Thursday afternoon before reading a not guilty verdict.
In 1980 Ms. Gough told police she shot and killed her husband, John Gough, in self defense. At the time, a grand jury failed to indict her.
In 1995, Kilgore Police reopened the case at the request of John Gough's family members.
The case was later submitted to the Texas Rangers Cold Case Unit.
Ms. Gough was arrested in May 2006, nearly 26 years after her husband's death.
Gregg County District Attorney Bill Jennings said he respects the jury's verdict and the effort they made in coming to a verdict.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
1/27/07
Newberry, South Carolina
From Columbia’s WIStv.com of January 27, 2007
Injured wife says she killed husband in self defenseFrom Columbia’s WIStv.com of January 29, 2007
A domestic dispute left one dead and another seriously injured in Newberry County Friday night. The wife says she shot her husband to protect herself.
"If it happened the way I have been told it happened, he needed what he got," says neighbor Talmadge Ellisor.
Ellisor is talking about his next door neighbor, 63-year old Dennis Franklin. He was found shot to death inside his Newberry home Friday night.
Investigators say his wife, 59-year-old Cynthia Franklin, fired the shots that killed him. When officers responded to the home, they found her suffering serious wounds to her head, face, and upper body.
She had been hit several times with a large stick similar to a handle on a wooden tool.
"Her husband was a good-sized man. Cynthia had heart problems, and as far as I know she had to do it in self defense," Ellisor told News 10.
Residents on Pine Hill Circle are upset by what happened last night, but they're not surprised. That's because this is not the first time law enforcement has been called to the home of Cynthia and Dennis Franklin.
"A couple neighbors told us law enforcement had been there before and that there had been domestic disputes there before but, that as a general rule they would keep to themselves," says Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster.
"I would say they both were loner type people, they didn't mingle very much," says Ellisor.
The Newberry County Sheriff's Department is still reviewing the case to determine what action should be taken. Cynthia Franklin is still in the hospital and her condition is listed as stable.
Her neighborhood, however, is not.
"I'm sure if I would do my wife that way, that I would deserve what happened," Ellisor says.
911 tape of Newberry woman who killed husband in self defenseFrom Columbia’s WLTX.com of February 26, 2007
News 10 has obtained the 911 call from a Newberry County woman who said she killed her husband.
We've transcribed the exact words Cynthia Franklin told a dispatcher when she said her husband was beating her and that she killed him to save her life.
Dispatcher: Newberry County 911.
CF: Yes, ma'am, this is Cynthia Franklin.
Cynthia Franklin dialed 911 from home Friday night.
CF: My husband's been drinking and he started beating me up. He started hitting me on top of the head with a big old stick.
Cynthia told the dispatcher her husband Dennis was so enraged, she thought he'd kill her. So, she said she fought back.
CF: He's on the floor in my bedroom and I shot him.
Dispatcher: You shot him?
CF: Um-Hm. I had to. He was killing me.
Dispatcher: Ok.
CF: No, this is self defense!.
Cynthia said she shot her husband dead in their bedroom with a gun they kept for protection.
"She was beaten bad," says Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster. "He was capable to continue, and I don't feel she had any other choice."
Sheriff Foster says Cynthia has injuries to her head, arms and back. He also says charges against her are unlikely.
Cynthia is in her late 50s. Her husband was in his 60s. Investigators say the couple was married 40 years and had four daughters. But reports show Friday night wasn't the first time Cynthia called 911 from their home.
Officers arrested Dennis Franklin in 1999 for making a threat against Cynthia. Records show Cynthia did not want to press charges, telling investigators she was "stuck" because she relied on her husband's insurance for medicine she needed for her heart.
Dennis Franklin went to an anger class, and charges were dismissed.
Fast forward to Friday, when Cynthia thought she was so hurt, she might die.
.CF:If I don't make it would you please tell my girls - I have 4 girls - I'm doing what I can. But will you tell them that I love them and I'm sorry this happened. I didn't know he was going to do this and he was set on killing me tonight..
She's now out of the hospital, recovering with her girls away from the place that was both her home and house filled with fear.
Prosecutors: Woman Killed Her Husband in Self-Defense
Prosecutors have decided that a fatal domestic shooting in Newberry County last month was done in self-defense.
Eighth Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace determined that the female victim in the case, 59-year-old Cynthia Franklin, took appropriate actions to save her life, and that no charges will be filed in the case.
Deputies say Cynthia Franklin shot to death her husband, 63-year-old Dennis Franklin, back on January 26. Officers say the two got into a domestic dispute.
Investigators say they found the woman suffering significant wounds to her head, face, and upper body. They say there were obvious signs of a violent struggle in the home and that Cynthia was struck multiple times with a large stick.
Cynthia also told authorities she was trying to get away and made it to the bedroom where the pistol was kept, then shot her husband as he tried to attack her.
"This was a tragic situation," said Sheriff Foster in a written release. "While we certainly agree with the decision not to prosecute Mrs. Franklin, she and her family are left to deal with the devastating effects of this incident."
Labels: domestic abuse, SC
12/30/06
Bakersfield, California
From the December 28, 2006 Bakersfield Californian:
Man sought on suspicion of domestic violence arrested
A man who was wanted on suspicion of domestic violence was arrested in Tehachapi on Sunday, according to a Thursday news release from the Bakersfield Police Department.
On Oct. 15, Reford Foss, 31, is suspected of going to his estranged wife’s house and assaulting her and her brother. His wife, afraid for her safety, shot Foss in the abdomen, police said. Foss was taken to Kern Medical Center but fled during treatment.
Foss was wanted on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, attempted kidnapping, burglary and violation of a restraining order. He was found at a relative’s home in Tehachapi on Dec. 24.
Labels: CA, domestic abuse
10/31/06
Nashville, Tennessee
From the October 30, 2006 Tennesseean:
The shooting death of a man in north Nashville late Sunday night is being investigated as a justifiable homicide, Metro Police said Monday.
Ronnie Hubert Tucker, 48, was shot around 11 p.m. inside his home on Boyd Drive. Joseph Bond shot Tucker, police said, after Tucker hit his niece with a golf club and then attacked Bond. Tucker’s daughter told police that Tucker attacked Stokes and Bond without provocation.
The niece, Tanisha Stokes, 20, was treated for a bruise to the head at Centennial Medical Center. Bond was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after he accidently shot himself in the arm while shooting at Tucker, police said.
Tucker’s arrest history showed a number of assault charges.
Labels: domestic abuse, TN
10/29/06
La Porte, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of October 28, 2006
Couple's dispute ends in slaying
A La Porte pawnshop worker fatally shot a man who arrived at the business Saturday morning and shot his own wife, who worked there. The woman, who was not identified, was taken via Life Flight to UTMB Galveston, where she underwent surgery and was listed in good condition. Shortly after the woman arrived for work at the store in the 200 block of South Highway 146, about 9 a.m., her estranged husband showed up and the two began arguing. The woman's male co-worker, who was not identified, intervened and the two men began fighting. Store employees retreated inside, as did the woman's husband, who pulled a pistol and shot his wife once in the abdomen. The worker got a store gun and shot the man in the chest. The man died at the scene. The worker had facial injuries and was treated at a local hospital.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
10/27/06
Orange Park, Florida
From October 15, 2006 Jacksonville channel 12:
ORANGE PARK, FL -- Detectives from the Clay County Sheriff's Office Robbery/Homicide Unit are investigation the shooting death of 51-year-old James Rick Hampton.
Detectives believe Hampton's wife, 50-year-old Debra Hampton, shot her husband in self-defense and/or in defense of their teenage daughter after an early morning domestic violence altercation.
The shooting occurred just before 5 a.m. Saturday inside Hampton's home located at 1832 Habersham Harbour Drive in the Fleming Island area of Orange Park.
Officers say James Hampton was shot once in the upper body with a handgun and died in the home. Neither the wife nor the daughter was injured.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
10/5/06
Punta Gorda, Florida
From the Sarasota Herald Tribune of October 5, 2006
Wife who killed spouse freed
Former corrections officer Kathleen Hill killed her husband when she pumped three bullets into his chest.
But she was freed Wednesday to go home to her three children.
The judge said he believed the man she killed, Shawn Hill, sexually tortured and abused her.
In the past 20 years, more defense attorneys have turned to battered spouse syndrome to argue self-defense.
Yet, it's unusual for any convicted killer -- even a woman driven to kill by her tormentor -- to get off without serving prison time, a Stetson University law professor said.
But in the case of Kathleen Hill, doctors for both the defense and the prosecution testified that she suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because she was a battered wife.
If Hill meets the conditions of her release, she will never see the inside of a prison.
Circuit Judge Frank Porter sentenced her to two years of community control, a form of house arrest, and 28 years of probation. He suspended a 10-year prison term she would serve only if she violates probation.
"I am mindful, very mindful, of the effects of both the defendant's and Shawn Hill's actions as they relate to their children," Porter said. "I'm bothered most by what the children have endured."
At least the oldest one saw his father beat his mother. The children -- ages 4, 11 and 13 -- were home when Kathleen Hill fatally shot her husband Oct. 22, 2004. Suddenly, they were fatherless and faced the possibility of losing their mother, too.
Hill testified Tuesday that she stayed with her husband mainly for the children. Hill, a law enforcement officer who owned two guns and was trained to use them, said she endured years of brutal beatings.
Friends and co-workers testified about her bruises, black eyes and limp.
All three psychiatrists called to the stand testified that she showed the symptoms of battered spouse syndrome.
The consensus of the doctors influenced the prosecutors' decision to offer Hill a plea bargain, Assistant State Attorney Martin Stark said. On Sept. 11, Hill pleaded guilty to manslaughter, instead of second-degree murder as she was charged. As part of the deal, she was promised a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
9/28/06
Lexington, North Carolina
From the Lexington Dispatch of September 28, 2006
Lexington man shoots home intruders
A Jessup Street homeowner shot two men who were trying to break into his house early this morning, Lexington police said.
Investigators say they have information that the home invasion stemmed from a previous domestic violence incident.
"It wasn't random," said Lexington Police Lt. Jon Hicks. "They knew the victim."
When the two men allegedly made entry into the home, Delaise Ander Eller went for his shotgun and fired on Shedarrius Pate, 18, of Link Circle, and Kannell Leach, 21, of Greensboro, police said.
A third suspect, Cyrus Clifford Butler, 24, of Greensboro, was waiting outside in a car.
Pate and Leach, the two men who were shot, ran out of the house and jumped into the car, and all three men sped off, police said.
"They didn't make it even two miles," Hicks said. "Officers arriving on the scene observed the car fleeing from the scene."
Butler, the driver, was arrested and charged with first-degree breaking and entering and placed in the Davidson County Detention Center under a $10,000 secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in Lexington District Court Nov. 13.
Pate and Leach were in the back of the car bleeding when police stopped it. Paramedics drove them to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem where they were being treated for gunshot wounds to the arm, elbow and abdomen.
Warrants for breaking and entering were obtained for Pate and Leach, who are listed in fair condition at the hospital.
Police officials say the district attorney's office will now determine whether Eller shot the intruders in self-defense.
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, NC
9/21/06
Atlanta, Georgia
From Atlanta’s WSBtv.com of September 21, 2006
Woman Found Not Guilty Of Killing Her Brother
A woman who had been accused of killing her brother has been found not guilty on all counts.
Jurors deliberated again today after staying late last night trying to decide if Deborah Joyce was guilty or if it was a case of self-defense.
Joyce says she killed her brother, Anthony Scofield, as he came at her with a hammer in May of 2003.
Her attorneys say she was battered and suffering from post-traumatic stress.
Prosecutors say she was trying to gain control of the family's estate and had grown tired of his demands when she shot him 8 times.
Joyce's younger brother, Charles Scofield, testified against her in the trial. He says their brother was mentally ill, but not dangerous.
Labels: domestic abuse, GA
9/5/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of September 5, 2006
Indianapolis records 100th homicideFrom the Indianapolis Star of September 22, 2006
Indianapolis police are investigating the shooting death this morning of a 38-year-old man on the Northeastside.
The death marks the county’s 100th homicide of 2006.Gary Branch was shot to death by his live-in girlfriend at a home in the 6600 block of Meadowlark Drive shortly after 6 a.m., Detective Michael Mitchell said.
Branch’s girlfriend, Jeowanda Hayes, 43, dialed 911 and waited for police. She told police she was acting in self-defense, Mitchell said.
“There was an argument for several hours inside the house. It had gotten to the point where he reached for a handgun,” Mitchell said. “She was in fear of her life. She reached for her handgun and shot him.”
Hayes told police she had been the victim of domestic violence, but there are no reports of previous incidents. Mitchell said several other people came forward to tell police the couple had a history of violence.
Hayes was not arrested. Police forwarded their evidence to the Marion County prosecutor’s office for review.
Prosecutors reject woman's self-defense claim
Marion County prosecutors say a shooting that initially appeared to be self-defense was actually intentional.
Geowanda Hayes is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing on a murder charge today in Marion Superior Court.
Hayes, 42, is accused of gunning down her boyfriend, Gary Branch, on Sept. 5. She claimed self-defense, but prosecutors do not believe her.
Hayes, according to court documents, shot Branch, 38, two times in the back as he was trying to open the garage door and escape.
Hayes told police she had been a victim of ongoing abuse and she lived in fear of Branch. She and Branch both carry handguns, according to records. Hayes told investigators Branch was going to shoot her and was reaching for his gun -- stashed under a pillow -- when she shot him first.
Hayes said she was still in fear when Branch ran past her into the garage. She admitted shooting him twice in the back while he was lifting the garage door, according to records.
Branch opened the door, ran into the street and collapsed.
Police previously responded to reports of Branch's violent behavior, but he had never been arrested on a domestic battery charge.
Labels: domestic abuse, IN
8/10/06
Oregon City, Oregon
From Portland’s OregonLive.com of August 10, 2006
Wife won't be tried in husband's shooting
Milwaukie - Prosecutors think Rose Perez, 50, killed her spouse in self-defense in January
A 50-year-old Milwaukie woman who said she killed her husband during an argument over a child he'd fathered with another woman will not be prosecuted.
A spokesman for the Clackamas County district attorney's office said Wednesday that after a seven-month investigation by police and prosecutors his office believes Rose Perez killed Juan Gabriel Perez Solis, 36, in self-defense as he was beating her with a stick.
Authorities learned Juan Perez was dead after a hysterical Rose Perez ran to a neighbor's house about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 to say she'd shot her husband with a rifle, said Greg Horner, a spokesman and chief deputy district attorney.
The neighbor called Milwaukie police to the Perez home in the 10900 block of Southeast Myrtle Street. Juan Perez wasfound dead from a bullet wound to the chest in the couple's kitchen.
He was holding a wooden dowel or stick in his hand, and Rose Perez's hair was intertwined in his fingers as though he'd pulled it from her head, Horner said.
Rose Perez told investigators that she and her husband had been arguing because he told her he was going to move out of their home and into the home of their daughter-in-law, who was pregnant with Juan Perez's child.
Horner said the couple's argument was considered as a possible motive for murder, but investigators also saw that Rose Perez had been badly beaten. She had severe bruising to her head, including a black eye and wounds to her cheek and forehead, Horner said.
Horner said his office also believes that Juan Perez had beaten his wife in the past. Prosecutors had filed charges against Juan Perez last year after Rose Perez reported to police that he'd assaulted her. But when the trial date arrived, Rose Perez recanted her previous statements and said the injuries she suffered were self-inflicted. Prosecutors were forced to drop the case.
Officer Kevin Krebs, a spokesman for Milwaukie police, said police investigators spent months working on the case because it was complicated and they wanted to be thorough. Also, police didn't consider Rose Perez a flight risk.
Police forwarded the case to the district attorney's office last month for consideration of possible charges, Krebs said.
Labels: domestic abuse, OR
8/6/06
Wilmington, Delaware
From the DelawareOnline.com of August 5, 2006
Charges dropped in case of man who shot father
Emotional-distress defense OK'd because of abusive history
John Eugene Latimer's last measure of control over his terrorized family ended this week.
Prosecutors dropped first-degree murder charges against Joseph Latimer, 28, who killed his father by shooting him in the head on the front lawn of his mother's house last July.
The family then let the body sit outside, overnight, under a blue tarp for 10 to 12 hours before calling police.
On Friday, Deputy Attorney General Colleen K. Norris said that after reviewing all the evidence, dropping all charges "was the right thing to do."
…(A lengthy litany of abuse and intimidation by the elder Latimer is omitted here)
On this night, the elder John Latimer was arguing with his wife "about medication he had not been taking," according to a court transcript.
At some point, the confrontation became violent, Jennings said, and John Latimer repeatedly threatened to kill Marie and Joseph. At one point, holding a rusty lawn-mower blade in one hand, he grabbed Marie with the other and looked like he was going to strike her.
So, Joseph then decided he had no choice, Jennings said.
He believed his father would kill his mother unless he acted, she said. He grabbed a .22-caliber rifle that his father had left at the house earlier.
Marie Latimer told police she heard a "pop" and then saw John Latimer fall to the ground. Joseph fired a single shot, hitting his father in the head.
…
Joseph sat in prison for four months before he was released on bond last fall.
On Thursday, prosecutors dropped the charges against Joseph.
"The prosecution is to be commended for their open-minded view of this case," Jennings said. "Justice is not always obtained with a guilty verdict."
She said the Latimer family can now "for the first time in their lives, live in peace."
Labels: DE, domestic abuse
8/4/06
Poteau, Oklahoma
From the August 2, 2006 Oklahoman (free registration required):
POTEAU -- A murder charge against a Talihina woman was dropped in Le Flore County District Court in Poteau after medical records showed she was abused by the victim, an assistant district attorney said Tuesday.
The case was dismissed in "the best interest of justice," according to court records.
Marion Fry, assistant district attorney, said the murder charge against Cynthia "Sandy" A. Crenshaw, 47, was dismissed Friday.
Crenshaw was charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 13 shooting death of Kevin Hampton.
Labels: domestic abuse, OK
7/27/06
Morgantown, North Carolina
From Charlotte’s WSOCtv.com of July 27, 2006
Police Say Deadly Shooting May Have Been Justified
Burke County investigators are trying to determine whether a shooting that left a man dead was in self defense.
Authorities said they were called to Wakefield Avenue west of Morganton just after 1:30 a.m. Thursday. They pronounced 30-year-old Neal Michael Cochran dead on a bedroom floor in the home he shared with his wife, Amy, and their two children. He had been shot multiple times, deputies said.
Family members said they are surprised that police say Amy Cochran is responsible.
"She's a friendly person, has a lot of friends. No, this ain't like her," her mother, Debbie Wooly said.
Deputies said they found Cochran at a neighbor's house suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. She was taken to Grace Hospital by paramedics.
Preliminary talks with authorities revealed that Cochran came home around 12:30 a.m. and was confronted by her husband, deputies said.
Detective Sgt. Tim Corriveau of the Burke County Sheriff's Office said Neal Cochran began physically assaulting her, and a neighbor witnessed the abuse. He said there was also evidence of a struggle inside the home, which led to the bedroom where Amy Cochran got a handgun.
"It appears that Mrs. Cochran was shot in the leg while she and her husband struggled over the gun," Corriveau said.
Then, Neal Cochran was shot to death.
Fortunately, the neighbor who was present when the fighting began took the couple's 4- and 7-year-old children out of the home before things escalated, police said.
Wooly said her daughter is a good mother, but her marriage had problems – problems that police were aware of.
Authorities had been called to the house at least three times before. In October 2004, Amy Cochran obtained a domestic violence prevention order against her husband. Then, just two weeks ago, she took out a warrant against her husband for assault on a female. Investigators said she allowed him to return to the residence.
Detectives from both the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Burke County Sheriff's Office spent more than seven hours at the crime scene trying to determine the circumstances of the shooting. So far Cochran has not been charged in the shooting. Deputies will take the case to the district attorney to determine any charges.
Maj. David Pendly of the sheriff's office said the evidence collected Thursday should help investigators and the district attorney's office determine whether the case could be considered justifiable homicide.
Labels: domestic abuse, NC
7/17/06
Richardson, Texas
From Dallas-Fort Worth’s WFAA.com of July 17, 2006
Man killed by wife, police say
She cites self-defense; husband arrested last month
Richardson police are investigating the death of a 48-year-old man who they say was shot by his wife Saturday night.
Police received a 911 call at 11:04 p.m. Saturday from Linda Weng, 55, who said she had shot her husband, David Weng.
Officers found Mr. Weng dead, apparently from a single gunshot wound to the chest, inside the couple's home in the 2100 block of Plymouth Rock Drive.
Richardson police Sgt. Kevin Perlich said police were investigating the incident as a domestic shooting.
He said Ms. Weng had marks on her body that showed there had been physical contact between the couple before the shooting.
Ms. Weng was treated for minor injuries at the scene. Sgt. Perlich said Ms. Weng was then taken to the Police Department for questioning and was released pending further investigation.
"She is making the claim that it was self-defense and that she was protecting her life," Sgt. Perlich said. "She's very distraught over the whole incident. And unfortunately, there had been a little bit of history there with it."
Last month, Richardson police went to the home and arrested Mr. Weng in connection with a family violence incident, Sgt. Perlich said. Ms. Weng manages a fence company, and her husband worked as a security guard.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
7/5/06
Henry County, Virginia
From the Roanoke Times of July 5, 2006
Man shot to death in Henry County
A Henry County man was killed Tuesday morning when the woman he lived with shot him in the chest, the Henry County Sheriff's Office said in a press release.
Robert Junior Preston of 935 Southland Drive was dead at the scene when deputies arrived at the house about 6:55 a.m.
Deborah Foley told authorities Preston had assaulted her earlier Tuesday morning and was about to attack her again when she shot him in self-defense, the press release said.
The homicide is being investigated.
Labels: domestic abuse, VA
7/3/06
Zavalla, Texas
From the Lufkin Daily News of July 3, 2006
Zavalla teen shoots, kills mother's estranged husbandFrom the Lufkin Daily News of August 7, 2006
A 15-year-old Zavalla boy shot and killed his mother's estranged husband Sunday night after the victim allegedly assaulted the woman during an argument inside her home.
Robert Thompson Jr., 30, suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest at approximately 8:40 p.m. He was declared dead at the scene.
Zavalla Police Chief Bobby Epperly said he believes the teenager shot his stepfather in self-defense or in defense of a third party. Police are still investigating and are awaiting an autopsy report. No arrests have been made.
Thompson and estranged wife Angie Thompson, 34, had been arguing Sunday evening about a car part of his that she had lent to a friend, according to Epperly. The couple had been separated for about 10 months.
Robert Thompson arrived at her home on 244 Carpenter St. and kicked in the front door, Epperly said. She and her son were inside the house.
Thompson allegedly punched her in the back of the head several times, Epperly said. In defense, her son grabbed a .410-gauge pump shotgun and asked Thompson to stop hitting his mother, Epperly said. The teenager warned Thompson several times, asking him to stop, Epperly said. Thompson allegedly refused.
The teenager, who was standing a few feet away from the victim, fired the gun at Thompson, hitting him in the chest, Epperly said. The boy and his mother ran to a neighbor's house and called 911, Epperly said.
Several law enforcement departments arrived at the scene, including officers from the Zavalla Police Department and deputies from the Angelina County Sheriff's Office.
Justice of the Peace Claude Marshall pronounced Thompson dead at the scene.
Angie Thompson suffered some redness and swelling to her forehead, Epperly said.
The Zavalla Police Department is in the initial stage of its investigation, Epperly said.
Zavalla man legally drunk when killed by stepson
Autopsy and toxicology reports have confirmed a Zavalla man died of a shotgun wound to the chest and was legally drunk when his stepson allegedly shot and killed him out of self-defense in early July.
Robert Thompson Jr., 30, died of severe injury to his right lung and his heart after the bullet entered the right side of his upper chest, according to a autopsy report from the Jefferson County Morgue. Thompson had a blood alcohol content of .15, nearly twice the legal limit, when he died, according to a toxicology report from Ameritox in Midland, Texas.
On July 3, Thompson arrived at the home of his estranged wife Angie Thompson on Carpenter Street in Zavalla and kicked in the front door, Zavalla Police Chief Bobby Epperly said.
The two, who had been separated for about 10 months, were arguing about a car part of his that she had loaned to a male friend, Epperly said.
Thompson allegedly punched his estranged wife in the head several times. Her 15-year-old son, who was also inside the house during the argument, picked up a shotgun and asked Thompson to quit hitting his mother, Epperly said.
Thompson allegedly refused, so the teenager shot him with a .410-gauge shotgun, Epperly said.
Justice of the Peace Claude Marshall said he believes the teenager shot Thompson in self-defense.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
6/30/06
San Antonio, Texas
From MySanAntonio.com of June 30, 2006
Teen freed after father shot
A 16-year-old boy who authorities said shot his father in defense of his mother has been released from custody because officials said it appears he was trying to protect her.
A judge authorized Roy Ponce's release from the Juvenile Detention Center on June 23, pending further investigation of the case.
"So far all the evidence is pointing to the fact that this man (Roy's father) was assaulting his wife and this boy stepped in to protect his mother," said Jill Mata, Bexar County assistant district attorney and chief of the office's juvenile section.
The boy was detained June 20 after officials said he shot his father once in the head with a .380-caliber handgun. Roy's mother told officials her son was trying to save her life and that she had suffered a history of abuse at the hands of her husband.
The San Antonio Express-News generally does not identify juveniles accused of crimes, but his family previously authorized the release of his name.
Sheriff's deputies may later file some type of assault charges against the teen's father, Encarnacion Jacob Ponce, if he survives, according to First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg. His wife has also been granted a protective order.
Encarnacion Ponce, 47, remains in serious condition at University Hospital.
Officials initially didn't recommend detention for Roy because there was strong evidence the shooting was justified, Herberg said.
In 2003, a judge gave Encarnacion Ponce eight months of deferred probation based on a misdemeanor charge of assault with bodily injury on his wife.
The district attorney's office is awaiting a final report from the Bexar County Sheriff's Department to determine the outcome of the case, Herberg said.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
6/28/06
Saginaw, Michigan
From Flint’s ABC12.com of June 27, 2006
Woman kills man in self defense
Couple's fight ends in violence
A couple's fight turned deadly in the city of Saginaw overnight. It happened on the 2300 Block of Hanchett on Saginaw's west side around 1 a.m.
This is not the first time police have visited the home. This is the city's 13th murder of 2006. But this one is not like any of the previous 12.
One reason is that the prosecutor will not file charges against the woman who pulled the trigger. That woman turned herself into police after she admitted to shooting 27-year-old Damion West once in the chest, killing him.
Prosecutor Mike Thomas says the woman acted in self defense and a source close to the investigation says West had a history of assaulting the woman.
That fact also weighed into the prosecutor's decision. The victim in this case was actually wanted by Saginaw police as well.
He was facing three counts of attempted murder in connection with a shooting on Porter Street in Saginaw just two weeks ago.
West also had numerous closed cases in the Saginaw County court system dating all the way back to 1996.
Labels: assault, domestic abuse, MI
6/8/06
Baltimore, Maryland
From the Baltimore Sun of June 8, 2006
A rare twist in killing
Grand jury chooses not to indict after abused woman testifies
After hearing from the admitted shooter herself, a Baltimore County grand jury declined yesterday to indict a Randallstown woman who killed her estranged husband in April after, she said, he showed up unexpectedly at her home and threatened her with an ax handle.
The 23 jurors deliberated for less than a half-hour before deciding not to charge Karen L. Foxx, 35, with a crime in the death of her husband, Herman E. Bullock, 45.
In an extremely unusual turn of events, the grand jurors heard about 90 minutes of closed-door testimony from Foxx, and were given the chance to question her about the shooting and her husband's history of abusing her before making their decision.
"It's a very rare thing," said Margaret A. Mead, the criminal defense attorney who sought permission from prosecutors to allow Foxx to testify yesterday. "I always believed that this shooting was very justified - tragic, but justified - and I thought the best way to get that across was to get her in front of a grand jury."
Mead - who was not permitted in the windowless grand jury room on the first floor of the Baltimore County Circuit Courthouse in Towson while her client testified - declined to discuss what Foxx told her of prosecutors' and jurors' questions. She also said that Foxx was not feeling up to being interviewed yesterday.
"She's relieved, but it's still very sad," said Mead, who added that her client wept when informed of the grand jury's decision. "She did love this man, no matter how horrible he was to her. ... She feels responsible, but relieved, that she won't have to compound any of this with having to face a criminal proceeding."
Foxx, an office secretary, had sought court orders to keep her estranged husband away, filed criminal assault charges against him, changed her phone number and bought a gun to protect herself.
She dialed 911 at 4:30 p.m. April 1 to tell police that she had just shot Bullock in the townhouse the couple had shared until June 2005 - a two-story unit to which officers had been dispatched numerous times on domestic calls. Foxx told police she fired the gun after Bullock threatened her with an ax handle - a piece of wood about the length of a baseball bat without the metal ax head attached that she had been using in the tracks of a sliding glass door to secure it.
(Much more)
Labels: domestic abuse, MD
6/1/06
Modesto, California
From SanLuisObispo.com of June 1, 2006
Abused woman acquitted of murdering husband after second trial
Surrounded by family members wearing bright yellow T-shirts emblazoned with her picture, Cheryl Orange was teary-eyed and beaming Thursday, talking about the joy of holding the 10 grandchildren born during the 21 years she spent in jail for killing her abusive husband.
She walked out of Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on Thursday, a day after she was acquitted by a jury that was able to rehear her murder case under a law that grants new trials to battered women.
"I'm finally truly free," Orange said, adding that one of the first things she was looking forward to was a big French toast breakfast. "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus."
Orange, 52, was the first woman to receive an acquittal during a second trial granted by the 2001 law, which allows victims of domestic violence who kill their partners to present evidence of the abuse in court, lawyers said.
"It was certainly disappointing," said prosecutor Carol Shipley. "It was very emotional. What she went through was detailed graphically. Anyone listening to that would've been upset by it. ... We presented evidence that she was as violent as he was, but the jury felt she should be acquitted."
In 1985, Orange was charged with murdering her husband, Frank Orange. She shot him six times with a stolen rifle, but claimed she'd been acting in self-defense. When the jury couldn't reach a verdict, she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 17 years to life.
At the time, her lawyer couldn't introduce evidence that she was in a dangerous relationship with a man whose beatings had landed her in the hospital twice, Orange said.
He locked her repeatedly in the trunk of his car, raped her, threatened her with a knife, smothered her and even trained his pit bull to watch her every move, she said.
One month before the murder, she went to the district attorney's office after a beating, and they documented her injuries, but back then, it was simply her word against his, said her lawyer, Kellee Malone.
Two of the original trial jurors were contacted for the appeal, Malone said. They said the jury had been divided, and if they'd known about the abuse, they might have acquitted her. Those statements were included as part of the new trial, which began May 9.
(More)
Labels: CA, domestic abuse
5/18/06
Springfield, Ohio
From the Springfield News Sun of May 18, 2006
Charges dropped against son in slaying(Much more detail)
The physically abusive history between Howard and Teresa Ayers was a factor in their son Shawn Ayers’ fate and led South Carolina prosecutors to drop the murder charge against the Springfield teen Wednesday.
The charge was filed against Shawn Ayers after he fatally stabbed and shot his father, retired Lt. Howard Wayne Ayers, on Aug. 9 on a family vacation to Myrtle Beach State Park.
“This is a classic case of not only a battered spouse, but the defense of another, and in this case, a tragic defense by a child of his mother,” Shawn Ayers’ Attorney Morgan Martin said. “It’s time that these charges and this shadow be removed from him. It’s been difficult for him, but he’s a fine young man, and a young man anyone would be proud to call their son.”
No other charges are expected in the case, Horry County, South Carolina, Solicitor Alicia Richardson said.
Labels: domestic abuse, OH
5/8/06
Durham, North Carolina
From the Raleigh News-Observer of May 8, 2006
Durham homicide called self-defense
Police say a Sunday night shooting was a case of self-defense.
Nakia Antione Harper, 31, was shot by his girlfriend at a Beamon Street apartment about 6:26 p.m. Police questioned the woman, whose name was not released, and determined that she shot Harper to defend herself. She showed signs of physical abuse, police said.
No charges have been filed in the incident, though the investigation is continuing.
Harper had a lengthy criminal record, including felony charges for possessing cocaine, conspiracy to sell crack cocaine, heroin possession, possessing stolen goods and possession of a stolen weapon.
Labels: domestic abuse, NC
5/1/06
Houston, Texas
From Click2Houston.com of May 1, 2006
Police: Woman Shoots Ex-Boyfriend In Self-Defense
Woman Claims Man Threw Knife At Her
A woman was accused Monday of shooting her ex-boyfriend in self-defense, KPRC Local 2 reported.
Officers said the man showed up at the woman's home in the 2300 block of West Tidwell at Rosslyn at about 10:30 p.m.
A fight ensued and the woman said the man went to the kitchen, got a knife and threw it at her, according to authorities.
She then picked up a gun and shot him in the abdomen, police said.
He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital in stable condition.
Police said the shooting appeared to be self-defense.
No names were released.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
4/29/06
Tulsa, Oklahoma
From Oklahoma City’s ChannelOklahoma.com of April 29, 2006
Police: Tulsa Woman Justified In Fatally Shooting BoyfriendUpdate from the Fox23.com of April 29, 2006
Police here believe a woman fatally shot her boyfriend in self-defense but they've forwarded the findings of their investigation to Tulsa County prosecutors, who will determine whether charges should be filed.
Cornell Clemons' death is the 29th homicide in Tulsa this year.
The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m. Thursday at the home Clemons shared with Jane Burns, Sgt. Kim Presley said. Officers found Burns, 22, standing over the 29-year-old outside the house.
She told police she had shot him in self-defense during a domestic argument. Medics pronounced Clemons, a registered sex offender, dead at the scene.
The couple had a history of domestic problems, Sgt. Mike Huff said.
"She had been a past victim of domestic violence by the same subject, and she was trying to leave the residence that evening," Huff said. "He initially said that he was going to slash her tires, and then he lunged at her with the knife." Burns shot Clemons once in the torso and then ran to a neighbor's house screaming for help. A semiautomatic handgun and a knife were recovered from the house.
"She has been cooperative with the investigation, and her story is consistent with the physical evidence," Huff said.
Burns was released after she was questioned Thursday night.
Clemons was charged in March 2004 with assaulting Burns when they lived at another location.
According to court records, he allegedly threw a can of air freshener at her face, hitting her right eye. A police officer who responded to the call said her eye was swollen and that her eyebrow was cut.
The case was dismissed in August 2004 at the request of the prosecution, court records show.
Clemons was arrested in March for failing to register as a sex offender, Presley said.
Police Say Homicide Was Self Defense
Police say a woman who shot her boyfriend to death was acting in self defense. Police say the woman was defending herself from her boyfriend who was coming at her with a knife. Police say the couple did have a history of domestic problems. The man is a registered sex offender with a second degree rape conviction.
The shooting happened at about 10:30 pm on Thursday at the couple's home around 7th and Xanthus. Police say after they have fully completed their investigation they will forward the case to the District Attorney's Office so they can determine if charges will be filed. The man's death was Tulsa's 29th homicide this year.
Labels: domestic abuse, OK
4/27/06
Dixie County, Florida
From Gainesville.com of April 27, 2006
Self-defense claimed in boyfriend's death
A Dixie County woman told investigators she fatally shot her boyfriend Tuesday night to protect herself and her children.
Deputies were called to a home in the Forest Hills neighborhood, north of Old Town off State Road 349, shortly before 11 p.m. and found the body of Craig Wells, 45, according to the Dixie County Sheriff's Office.
Wells appeared to have two gunshot wounds in his chest.
Wells' girlfriend, Tonda Burdette, 30, apparently fired the shots, said Dixie County Sheriff Dewey Hatcher.
Officers had not made an arrest in the case Wednesday, saying that Burdette and witnesses, including two children who live at the home and a relative of Wells who was visiting, claim the shooting was in self-defense.
"It was a domestic dispute between her and her children and Mr. Wells," Hatcher said the family has told investigators.
"She claimed they had been fighting," Hatcher said.
Neighbors also told officers they heard people arguing at the home earlier in the day.
Hatcher said his office has no record of being called to the home for prior reports of domestic violence.
Burdette had some small abrasions and scratches on her, Hatcher said.
Five children, ages 8 to 15, live at the home. The five are now staying with a relative, Hatcher said.
The case remains open as officers continue to gather more information.
Two guns - a .22-caliber revolver and a small-caliber semiautomatic handgun - were found in the home.
Investigators are awaiting additional testing to match a weapon to the shooting, and they also want toxicology results from both Burdette and Wells.
The couple had been together for 14 years, Burdette told officers.
"That's a long time, and then everything just came apart at the seams," Hatcher said.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
4/8/06
North Platte, Nebraska
From the North Platte Bulletin of April 8, 2006
No charges filed on student accused of shooting his fatherFrom the North Platte Bulletin of March 20, 2007
Ray Keefer, 17, a high-school student who shot his father in the leg early March 25, appeared in court March 29. No criminal charges were filed against him.
Lincoln County Attorney Jeff Meyer said March 28 that no charges against the boy are planned, although he is still investigating the incident.
Keefer was arrested for first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony March 25 after he allegedly shot his father Thomas Keefer in the left leg with a .38-caliber handgun.
The bullet splintered Tom Keffer's bone and stayed lodged in his leg.
Tom Keefer, 42, was treated at the hospital and released. He was charged March 27 with felony child abuse, use of a weapon to commit a felony, domestic assault and terroristic threats.
Tom Keefer appeared in court March 27 on crutches and asked for a “reasonable” bond. “I still have a bullet in my leg that needs to be removed,” he said.
Lincoln County Judge Kent Florom set Tom Keefer’s bond at $25,000 and ordered him to have no contact with his son Ray or wife Lori Keefer.
…
Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies were called to the Keefer home at 243 S. Maloney Drive at about 2:30 a.m. March 25. Shortly after arriving, they heard a gunshot from inside the house.
Ray Keefer exited the home and told deputies that he had shot his father in the leg.
Deputies entered the home and found Tom Keefer bleeding on the living room floor.
The affidavit said Ray told deputies that his mother and father had been fighting after Lori and Ray arrived home about 2 a.m. Tom threatened both Ray and Lori with the unloaded pistol, then loaded it and fired it once into the ceiling of the home.
The affidavit said Tom then put the loaded gun to Ray’s head and told him to leave the residence.
A struggle ensued and Ray recovered the gun from his father, the affidavit said. Ray then went to his room but Tom followed him and attempted to get the gun back, according to the affidavit.
Unsuccessful at retrieving the gun, Tom then went into the living room and began assaulting Lori, so Ray said he went back into the living room carrying the gun. When Tom saw Ray there, according to the affidavit, he became angry with his son and lunged at him. That’s when Ray fired the gun, striking his father in the left leg.
Deputies said Lori Keefer was intoxicated and said she was not present when her son shot her husband. No charges have been filed against her.
Keefer guilty of threats, child abuse
Tom Keefer, the North Platte man shot in the leg a year ago by his teenage son after a violent fight with his was found guilty of terroristic threats and child abuse in Lincoln County Court Monday.
Keefer, 43, 243 South Maloney Drive, pleaded no contest and was found guilty of the amended charges. Charges of use of a weapon to commit a felony and domestic assault were dismissed in exchange for the plea in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Keefer faces a maximum of five years imprisonment, a $10,000 fine or both for the felony terroristic threat charges. He also faces one year imprisonment, a $1,000 fine or both for the misdemeanor child abuse charge. He will be sentenced April 30.
Keefer was charged with the crime after Lincoln County Sheriff Deputies were called to their home March 25, 2006.
Deputies said Keefer’s son Ray told them that he had returned to his home early that morning with his mom and two friends. Ray and his friends were playing video games when Ray heard his mom and dad arguing, deputies said.
Ray told the deputies he separated his parents by pulling his dad off of his mom.
Keefer then ordered Ray to send his friends home, which he did, deputies said. While Ray was walking his friends outside, he heard the argument again and ran back inside.
Deputies said Ray told him Keefer had pinned his wife, Lorie, to the couch and that Tom had a handgun in his hand, pointing it at her head.
Ray told the deputies he jumped on his dad’s back to wrestle it away and Keefer told Ray the gun wasn’t loaded.
Ray told the deputies that as he sat by his mom on the couch, Keefer left the room then came back in saying, “now it’s loaded.” He then fired a round into the ceiling.
Ray and Keefer began to fight and struggle and the gun fired a second time, this time into the floor, deputies said.
Ray said he then grabbed the gun from his father, who repeatedly asked him to give it back. When Ray refused, according to deputies, Keefer walked toward his son saying, “shoot me, shoot me. Or give the gun back so I can shoot myself.”
Ray told deputies that his father continued to advance on him so he shot him in the leg.
Ray, then 17, was originally arrested for assault but felony charges against him were never filed because prosecutors decided his shot his father in self defense.
P. Stephen Potter, Keefer’s attorney, said he intended to offer a different version of events at sentencing but advised Keefer to plea no contest to take advantage of the plea agreement. He said Keefer had successfully completed treatment.
Labels: assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, minor defender, NE
2/26/06
Clarksdale, Mississippi
From the February 15, 2006 Clarksdale Press Register:
The apparent victim of an armed robbery fought back Sunday, sending the would-be robber running.
Capt. Danny Hill of the Clarksdale Police Department said the man was sitting in his truck in a store parking lot on DeSoto Avenue around 4 p.m. when he was approached.
"The (suspect) came up to him and pointed a pistol at him and demanded his money," he said. "The victim would not give up his money so the would-be robber turned and ran toward the railroad tracks."
Hill said the victim exited his truck and grabbed his shotgun, firing at the fleeing robber.
"No evidence was found to indicate that the brave-hearted would-be robber was hit by the shotgun blast," he said. "No charges have been brought against the intended victim. The 'former' robber has not been identified as of yet."
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, MS, street robbery
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
From the February 13, 2006 Baton Rouge The Advocate:
Baton Rouge Police Department detectives are investigating an apparent justifiable homicide that occurred shortly after midnight this morning at 6245 Laca St., according to Cpl. L’Jean McKneely Jr. of the BRPD.
McKneely said that Mark Aaron Thomas, 31, 15010 Coates, Maringouin, was shot to death by his former girlfriend, Felicia Fields, 35, 6245 Laca St., after he allegedly beat her with a stick, choked and kicked her.
After the fight, Thomas very briefly left the home and then returned, McKneely said. Fields told officers she was fearful Thomas was about to harm her and her children, so she pulled a hand gun from her purse and shot him several times
Thomas was taken to the Earl K. Long Medical Center where he later died.
Fields remained at the scene and was taken in for questioning but was later released.
There is a history of domestic violence complaints field by Fields, and the BRPD had an active warrant for Thomas’ arrest for domestic abuse battery, intimidating a witness and simple kidnapping in connection with a Jan. 10 incident in which Thomas allegedly beat Fields, McKneely said.
Investigators believe the shooting was justifiable under law and no criminal charges are anticipated. The case will be forwarded to the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office for review.
Labels: domestic abuse, LA
2/16/06
Mobile, Alabama
From Mobile’s AL.com of February 15, 2006
Shooting victim dies; no charges filed yet
Victor Russell, who allegedly was shot by a former girlfriend during a fight Sunday in west Mobile, died Monday night at a local hospital, Mobile police said. He was 39.
Cpl. Marcus Young, a police spokesman, said no charges had been filed against the woman, Lashonda Cole, 30. But he said that the case would be presented to a Mobile County grand jury.
Cole could not be reached for comment.
Rosyln Todd, 34, who described herself as Russell's common-law wife, said Tuesday that she didn't think Cole should have been released after police questioned her.
"We are going to push this to the fullest extent of the law because he has three children who are going to miss out on their father because he was active in their lives," Todd said.
The shooting occurred shortly before 5 p.m. at Cole's house on Oak Lane Circle West off Moffett Road.
Todd lives at a house on Williams Street off Dauphin Island Parkway near Government Street. She said Russell had gone to Cole's house Sunday to pick up some of his belongings.
According to police spokesman Young, Russell struck Cole several times in the head with his fist.
The spokesman said Cole locked Russell out of the house, then fired a 9 mm pistol through the back door as Russell tried to break through. The bullet hit Russell in the face.
Labels: AL, domestic abuse, home invasion
1/28/06
Kenai, Alaska
From the Anchorage Daily News of January 28, 2006
Jury acquits Kasilof woman in boyfriend's shooting death
VERDICT: John Clark was shot in self defense, Betsy Hester contended.
A Kenai jury acquitted a woman in the shooting death of her boyfriend.
The jury found Betsy Hester not guilty of murder in the death of John Clark, killed in 2003 at the mobile home the couple shared in Kasilof.
Hester, 53, was charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend on Oct. 4, 2003. The Superior Court jury took little time to reach its verdict.
"This should never have come to trial," said defense attorney Jim McComas. "It's a crock and the jury told you that in two hours."
The defense argued that Hester had legitimate reason to believe she was in danger of suffering serious injury or death if she did not defend herself from Clark's attacks.
…
According to Hester's testimony, she and Clark had been drinking and arguing at the Decanter Inn in Kasilof before they returned home. Once home, the argument escalated and Clark slapped and hit her with his fist.
He then went to the kitchen. When he returned holding a knife and continued to threaten bodily harm, Hester shot him with a pistol Clark left in the living room.
In closing arguments, Seaton questioned the claim that the shooting was made in self-defense. He recounted Alaska State Troopers' testimony on the severity of the injuries observed on Hester in the two days following the shooting.
"(Troopers) noticed and photographed a scratch on the side of her face. John Clark had two bullet wounds ... and the defense had a scratch," Seaton said.
The defense argued that Hester did not have to wait until she was severely beaten to defend herself.
"What was she supposed to do? What is the state saying she was supposed to do?" Browning said. "Was she supposed to wait until she became another domestic violence statistic?"
Labels: AK, domestic abuse
1/6/06
Bartow, Florida
From the Lakeland Ledger of January 6, 2006
Woman Cleared In April Shooting
The State Attorney's Office concluded Thursday that Vickie Gershenson was justified in fatally shooting 27-year-old Jessica Buchanan of Lake Wales in April 2005.
Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace wrote in a letter that criminal charges would not be filed against Gershenson, 49, in the shooting death.
Buchanan was shot on the evening of April 23, 2005, at the mobile home that she stayed in with Gershenson at 4553 Scenic Highway in Lake Wales.
That night, Buchanan was upset with Gershenson for going into a bedroom that Buchanan was staying in, Wallace wrote. The argument between the women intensified into a physical confrontation with Buchanan beating Gershenson and threatening to cut her throat, Wallace wrote.
Gershenson fled to her bedroom where she tried to call for help but couldn't because her cellular phone's battery was dead, Wallace wrote.
Gershenson retrieved her revolver and shot Buchanan when she came at her with a knife, Wallace wrote.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
12/31/05
Kansas City, Missouri
From the Kansas City Star of December 31, 2005
Slaying of intruder raises KC toll to 127
A 50-year-old Kansas City man died Friday when he was shot after returning to the house of a woman who had a full order of protection against him.
Police said the shooter apparently acted in self-defense after the man forced his way into a house in the 11300 block of Orchard Road in south Kansas City and threatened several residents.
According to police, the man entered the home about 9:30 p.m. Thursday and threatened residents with a knife. One of the residents began struggling with the man, and a second resident shot the intruder in the leg.
The intruder was taken to a hospital, where he died Friday morning. His identity was not released Friday. The Jackson County prosecutor’s office will review the case to see if any charges should be filed.
The slaying marked the 127th homicide in Kansas City this year, compared with 90 at the same time last year.
Police said that one of the residents had obtained a Jackson County Circuit Court order of protection against the man who was shot.
Court records show that in March, a woman living at the house filed a request for a protection order, alleging that a man she identified as her spouse had “repeatedly” struck her in the face with an open hand and threatened her. She wrote in the request that the man “is taking his paranoia out on me.”
He was served with the order, removed from the residence on Orchard and ordered to have no contact with the woman, according to the court documents.
But the next day he allegedly made a phone call to her from the Orchard address and told her “you better not come around here.” Police were summoned, and officers found him hiding in the attic.
Labels: assault, domestic abuse, home invasion, MO
11/29/05
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of November 29, 2005
Woman won’t face charges in killing
The woman who shot and killed her brother in a violent struggle inside the mobile home they shared is not expected to be charged, police said Monday.
Christie Jones, 29, was questioned in the death of her brother, Donald Jones, 34, who was shot several times as he tried to attack her about 1 a.m. Friday, police said.
Homicide Squad Detective Jeff Hemphill presented evidence to the Lake County prosecutor Monday. The case is being reviewed, but officials said it appears the woman acted in self defense and will not be charged.
“He had started choking her and threw her around. He threw her into the room where she kept her gun,” Detective Cpl. Thomas Decanter said.
It was the second violent outburst by Donald Jones in less than 24 hours.
How and why he was set free after he had been caught stealing from a neighbor’s trailer, then threatened the resident with a knife is unclear.
Chief Garnett Watson said Monday the incident is being reviewed.
“Detective (Jervean) Gates told me it was a mistake,” Dan McDonald said Monday.
McDonald was the victim of a break-in Thursday who confronted Jones and a woman as they rifled through his belongings.
“He was in my home, he kicked in my door and tried to kill me,” McDonald said.
Police responded to Glenview Mobile Home Park twice Thursday before apprehending Jones, who fled from officers. McDonald said even after the man was handcuffed and inside the squad car, he continued to threaten McDonald.
“I don’t want to see anyone dead, but he was obviously crazy. If he had wrestled the gun away from her, he could have come to my house,” McDonald said.
Residents in the mobile home park said Jones returned to the area in a stolen pickup and was driving in circles in a nearby vacant lot. He tried to sell the truck to a neighbor, but during the discussion saw his sister return home and went to speak to her.
“Ten minutes later, he was shot,” McDonald said.
McDonald said he wants answers on how Jones was released from jail so quickly.
“I’m outraged,” he said. “He didn’t have a bond. They just took a report and let him go. I’m still in shock from all of this.”
Labels: domestic abuse, IN
11/22/05
Little Rock, Arkansas
From Little Rock’s KARK.com of November 21, 2005
Victim of Domestic Abuse Shoots Husband
A Little Rock man continues to recover after Police say his ex-wife took a gun and shot him in self-defense. The incident happened Monday morning at 7105 Fourche Dam Pike in Little Rock. Police say 50 year old Judy Melton shot her 50 year old ex-husband Eddie Melton. According to Little Rock Police, Melton showed up at the residence, got very angry because his ex-wife wouldn’t let him in, and then he proceeded to kick in the door, and she shot him.
Police say he has a record of domestic abuse. Just last year, Police sat he kept Judy Melton hostage for 6 hours at gunpoint.
"Mom -- didn`t want to press the charges all the way, because everything kind of blew over,” said the couple’s son Michael Melton.
Judy Melton is not facing charges at this time, but the case will be reviewed by the prosecutor.
Labels: AR, domestic abuse, home invasion
11/10/05
York County, South Carolina
From Columbia’s WIStv.com of November 9, 2005
Murder charges dropped
York County prosecutors have dropped charges against a 51-year-old woman accused of shooting a man she said attacked her.
Linda Diane Nelson was accused of shooting and killing 57-year-old James Jackson Massey on June 5th. York County Public Defender Harry Dest says his client acted in self-defense and had bruises on her legs and face from her encounter with Massey.
Julia Patterson-Massey says her common-law husband had a history of alcoholism and depression but that she had never seen him act violently. She says her husband had just returned to the area in hopes of reconciling with Nelson, who was described as Massey's long-time friend and drinking buddy.
Labels: domestic abuse, SC
10/6/05
Carlton, Minnesota
From the Duluth News Tribune of October 6, 2005
Jurek not guilty in death of brother
COURTS: The Mahtowa man says he shot his older brother in self-defense.
Florian "Sonny" Jurek already lost one son. He said a Carlton County jury kept him from losing another son Wednesday night.
Jurors deliberated about five hours before finding Dennis Jurek not guilty of premeditated murder in the Aug. 2, 2003, shooting death of his brother, Michael, 41.
Jurek, 42, admitted using a .30-.30 caliber deer rifle to shoot his brother in the chest and back after a fight on their family farm in Mahtowa Township. He said he did so in self-defense after suffering30 years of abuse by his bullying brother, who was threatening to kill him.
If found guilty of first-degree murder, Jurek would have received a mandatory life prison sentence. The six-man, six-woman jury also acquitted him of inten- tional second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.
…
The fight that led to Michael Jurek's death started when the Jurek brothers were drinking beer and cutting firewood.
Dennis Jurek said his brother started beating and choking him and he ran back to the farm to escape. He said his brother gave chase on a four-wheeler.
The defendant went into a garage attached to the house he shared with his parents and waited for his brother. He said he shot him once in the chest when he got within "target range" and shot him again in the back when he got off the ground and lunged at him. It wasn't made clear during the trial how much time elapsed between the fight in the woods and the time of the shooting.
Under Judge Robert Macaulay's instructions, if jurors didn't find Jurek guilty of first-degree murder they had the option of finding him guilty of first-degree manslaughter, even if they concluded that he acted with premeditation and with intent to kill.
(Further discussion of verdict options)
Labels: domestic abuse, MN
10/3/05
Bowie, Maryland
From Maryland’s Gazette.net of October 3, 2005
Father shot in Bowie, police say likely self-defense
A man with history of domestic violence was killed in Bowie Oct. 2 when his son returned fire after he shot at the son and his daughter-in-law.
The son and daughter-in-law were admitted to Med Star hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The man, Michael Snoots Sr., was pronounced dead at the scene.
At 10:39 p.m., police believe the man, who traveled from Tennessee, entered his son’s house, on the 8000 block of Chestnut Avenue by breaking out a rear window glass door.
A witness said he saw Snoots walking up the stairs in the house with a shotgun, according to police reports.
Then Snoots fired a gun in the bedroom where his son and daughter-in-law were located.
The witness told Snoots, ‘‘Don’t do this” and Snoots pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the witness and said ‘‘do you want to get shot?”
The witness said he believes it was at this point that Michael Snoots Jr. fired a gun of his own and struck his father.
The father has a history of domestic violence said, Lt. John Hipps of District 2 Police Station.
At first, police were worried that his wife was already killed in Tennessee. Hipps said that she has since been reported to be in West Virginia.
The case is being investigated by the county’s homicide unit. Lt. Hipps said that the case will probably be categorized as self-defense.
‘‘I personally don’t think they will be charged,” Hipps said.
Labels: domestic abuse, MD
8/25/05
Houston, Texas
From Houston’s KHOU.com of August 25, 2005
Mother who blamed son not guilty of murder
A Houston mother who initially blamed her 9-year-old son for the shooting death of her boyfriend was found not guilty of murder Thursday.
Erika Lynn Ruiz, 30, later admitted she shot Jose Flores Martinez but said she did it to protect herself and her son.
Jurors apparently believed her story.
The son, now 10, calmly told jurors Monday that he saw Martinez grab his mother's hair, force her head into a door and slam her body to the floor before she shot him last June.
He testified that his mother ran to the bedroom and grabbed a gun. Martinez followed her toward a patio door where Martinez told Ruiz to give him the gun, the boy said. When the man continued advancing, she shot him once in the head and he fell to the floor, the boy said.
He said his mother initially blamed the shooting on him when friends came to see what was wrong. But he told police the truth after spending the night in custody.
Ruiz's attorney, Alvin Nunnery, told jurors that Ruiz was protecting her son and was "lawfully justified" in shooting Martinez.
She asked her son to take the blame "out of desperation, fear, cowardice, whatever you want to call it," Nunnery said.
Police confirmed they had responded to several domestic calls at the house.
Ruiz, a security guard at Sharpstown High School at the time of the shooting, could have gotten up to 99 years in prison if convicted.
It's not clear if she will face separate charges for lying about her son's involvement in the shooting.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
8/18/05
San Augustine County, Texas
From Lufkin’s KTRE.com of August 17, 2005
San Augustine Jury Finds Woman Not Guilty Of Murdering Her Husband
A San Augustine county woman on trial for killing her husband has been found not guilty. Nina Conner was accused of shooting Williard Connor to death two years ago.
She claimed it was self defense, calling her relationship with her husband an abusive one. She said she had to do it or she would have been dead. The jury agreed.
"We were very pleased that the jury agreed with us that this extreme case of domestic violence justified the use of deadly force. It's a tragedy that a life was taken, but it came down to who's life it would be," says Defense Attorney Tim James.
The jury deliberated for nine hours Wednesday before reaching that verdict.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
8/5/05
Lubbock, Texas
From LubbockOnline.com of June 16, 2005
Shooting investigation ongoingNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a Tuesday afternoon shooting that left one man hospitalized.
According to police reports, a man fired several shots at Edrick Jamar Dunn, 19, of Lubbock.
At least one of the shots struck Dunn in the stomach, police said.
Dunn was taken to University Medical Center following the 5:35 p.m. shooting. He was listed in satisfactory condition Wednesday at the hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The shooting appeared to result from a domestic dispute between Dunn and his ex-girlfriend.
Initial reports made by police said that Dunn allegedly assaulted the woman in the 5400 block of Brownfield Highway and that her current boyfriend fired a 9 mm handgun at Dunn.
However, police said Wednesday that they have received conflicting reports and will continue to investigate the shooting.
Labels: domestic abuse, TX
8/3/05
Jackson, Mississippi
From Jackson‘s WLBT.com of August 3, 2005
Teenager Will Not Be Indicted For Killing Mother's Boyfriend
Police say a Jackson teenager who killed his mother's live-in boyfriend last year acted in self defense.
A grand jury has decided not to indict 17-year-old Michael Smith, who was accused of killing 47-year-old Robert Day August 3rd, 2004. Police say day (sic) allegedly shot the boy's mother, 35-year-old Margaret Smith, in the head before the 17-year-old pulled a gun on day (sic). The shootings occurred in a field, blocks from the couple's home. Margaret smith died the next day at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Day was pronounced dead at the scene.
Labels: domestic abuse, MS
7/30/05
Cedar Bluff, Alabama
From the July 28, 2005 Cherokee County Herald:
An early morning shooting in Cedar Bluff Thursday, July 28, appears to be a case of domestic violence between an ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, according to a Cherokee County Investigator. The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. at the residence of Darlene Horn on Cherokee county Road 41 near the Unity and Watson’s Crossroads communities. The victim, according to reports, was identified as Mickey Hall, 34, who was transported to Floyd Medical Center in Rome where he remains in critical condition. A restraining order was apparently in place against Hall to keep him away from the residence.
Labels: AL, domestic abuse
7/29/05
Lufkin, Texas
From the June 30, 2005 Lufkin Daily News:
An Angelina County grand jury on Tuesday declined to issue a criminal indictment to a Lufkin woman who shot and killed her common-law husband June 7.
A 6-year-old boy was in the house and witnessed at least part of the incident, District Attorney Clyde Herrington said Wednesday.
Police found Clarance Lee Richard, 51, dead on the floor from a gunshot wound to the neck in a hallway at a house at 115 Westmoreland St.
Rose Mary Barlow Whitaker, 50, was arrested and charged with murder after calling police to report she'd shot Richard as he broke down the bathroom door in an attempt to rape her.
The two had a rocky relationship, Herrington said. The DA's office had handled an earlier case between the two in which Richard had stolen her car, Herrington said.
Whitaker had been in a shelter in September 2004, afraid to go home alone for fear of her husband, Lufkin Police Lt. Greg Denman said earlier. Police worked several domestic violence calls between the two going back to 2002.
Labels: domestic abuse, rape, TX
7/20/05
Oakhurst, California
From the Fresno Bee of July 20, 2005
Woman reflects on her acquittal
Oakhurst resident was charged with killing her husband.
Anita Sharen savored the tastes and touches of freedom Tuesday.
It was her first full day back in her mountain home after a Madera County jury found she acted in self-defense in the shooting death of her allegedly abusive husband in January. She had been in Madera County Jail since the shooting.
"I consider this a tragedy," Sharen said. "It should never have happened. It's a very sad event."
Sharen went out to breakfast Tuesday. People hugged her and welcomed her home, she said. And in the afternoon, she nestled on her living room couch with her pet Pekingese, Bernie.
She also considered what she might have done differently when, she says, her husband, George Sharen, started to hit her.
"I could have got help. That's what I regret. I regret that," she said. "Hindsight is 20/20. I should have reported it to my doctor more fully. He would have sent it to the authorities. That was one step I could have taken. I hid it. I hid it very well. I was very embarrassed. I'd never been treated like that."
Her regrets aside, she ended a legal fight for her freedom with great relief and some introspection, while a juror from Madera offered behind-the-scenes perspective on the case. In an e-mail to The Bee, juror Kevin Stansbury said he believed that Anita Sharen "was not in enough immediate danger that she should have shot and killed" her husband. Nevertheless, Stansbury ultimately voted to acquit, and he said Anita Sharen's "character" played "a huge role" in the jury's decision. He elaborated in an interview.
(More)
Labels: CA, domestic abuse
7/19/05
Greenville, North Carolina
From the Greenville Daily Reflector of July 19, 2005
Domestic assault ends in shooting
A 26-year-old Greenville woman told police she shot her ex-husband early Monday after he forced his way into her apartment.
The woman told police she grabbed a handgun and told the man to leave her Cedar Creek residence, located on McGregor Downs Road, after he broke in and assaulted her around 2:30 a.m. When he came toward her, she shot him in the abdomen.
The man was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital after police found him lying on the living room floor. The man was listed in serious condition, a hospital spokeswoman said Monday evening.
Two children were in the apartment at the time of the incident but they were not injured. Police are investigating the break-in and the assault, Greenville Police Sgt. Sheri Dennison said. Officers also are investigating the shooting. No charges have been filed.
The couple has a history of domestic violence incidents, according to court records. The woman filed a restraining order against the man following an assault in April 1998. In May 1998, he was convicted of violating that order. The woman filed another order in February.
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, NC
6/19/05
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
From the Allentown Morning Call of June 19, 2005
Man kills wife, then is shot to death by son, 15, authorities say
Andrew Detwiler of East Rockhill had hospitalized himself briefly last week. Boy tried to protect his mother.
An East Rockhill Township man blasted his way into his home with a shotgun Saturday and killed his wife as she talked to a 911 operator — then was shot to death by the couple's 15-year-old son, authorities said.
Andrew Detwiler, 44, of 30 Greenleaf Circle, shot his wife, Suzanne Detwiler, 40, about 10 a.m. at the family home after loading an empty shotgun he had wrested from the boy, said Bucks County District Attorney Diane Gibbons.
The father took the shotgun as the boy and his 17-year-old brother pointed unloaded shotguns at him in an attempt to scare him away from their mother. Detwiler was holding a knife to his wife's throat, Gibbons said.
The couple had begun arguing earlier that morning, police said.
Gibbons described Andrew Detwiler's shooting death as justifiable, saying the boys acted heroically.
''There's no question that he acted solely for the purpose of saving his mother's life,'' said Gibbons, who added that the 15-year-old would not be charged.
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, minor defender, PA
6/4/05
Albuquerque, New Mexico
From Albuquerque’s KOBtv.com of June 3, 2005
Police identify Albuquerque man killed during domestic dispute
Police have identified a man who officers say was killed during a dispute with his wife on Wednesday as 37-year-old Frank Cervantes.
Albuquerque police officer Trish Hoffman says Cervantes fired gunshots at the back door of the family home as he tried to enter it Wednesday night.
Hoffman also says Cervantes fired shots at his wife, who called police.
Hoffman says that when officers arrived at the home, they found Cervantes dead and his wife and their three children inside. The woman and children were not injured.
Hoffman says no charges have been filed against Cervantes’ wife.
Labels: domestic abuse, NM
5/7/05
Clinton, Tennessee
From the Knoxville News-Sentinel of May 7, 2005
Grand jury refuses to indict woman in husband's slaying
The detective said it was murder.
The district attorney general reduced the charge to voluntary manslaughter.
The grand jury cut her loose.
An Anderson County grand jury has refused to indict Tamara Johnson of Heiskell in connection with the shooting death of her husband, Tim Johnson, 46, also of Heiskell.
Grand jurors met Tuesday and considered the case. Their decision not to indict was released Friday.
Tim Johnson died of a single gunshot wound to his lower abdomen following an early-morning shooting April 9 at the Sundown Tavern, a bar the couple operated on Clinton Highway.
When a deputy arrived, Tamara Johnson stepped out of the tavern with gun in hand.
She admitted to the deputy she shot her husband after he hit her several times in the face, according to law enforcement reports.
Detective Danny Bowie's charge of criminal homicide against Tamara Johnson was waived to the grand jury.
But prosecutors asked grand jurors to instead consider a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter.
That charge alleged Tamara Johnson acted in a "state of passion produced by adequate provocation sufficient to lead a reasonable person to act in an irrational manner.''
Grand jurors thought otherwise. They dismissed the reduced charge.
Tamara Johnson had already been freed on a reduced bond of $25,000.
Court documents filed in connection with the couple's stormy relationship over the years depicted Tamara Johnson as the victim of ongoing physical abuse.
Tim Johnson knew where to hit her where the injuries wouldn't show, Tamara Johnson said in an order of protection she took out against her husband last August.
Tamara Johnson said her husband had boasted he learned how to hit her from tips he received during an anger management course he was sentenced to take.
That sentence stemmed from a 2002 domestic assault conviction Tim Johnson netted for an earlier beating of his wife.
Tamara Johnson then had described to deputies a long history of physical abuse at Tim Johnson's hands that she said dated back several years.
She said she had lost several jobs over the years because she was too embarrassed to go to work with the blackened eyes and bruises she received at Tim Johnson's hands.
Labels: domestic abuse, TN
5/1/05
Ocala, Florida
From the Ocala Star-Banner of March 20, 2005
Police: Shooting was possibly self-defenseNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
Officers were called to family's house before
A 38-year-old man was shot and killed late Friday after his wife reportedly shot him to protect herself.
Timothy Shane Roberts, 38, was shot once in the chest by his wife Paula Kathryn Roberts, 35, during a physical altercation, said Marion County Sheriff's Office officials. Paramedics were dispatched to the home, 22 Hemlock Terrace Drive, at 10:09 p.m.
When deputies arrived, they found the man's wife kneeling next to him.
"The argument pretty much started with the daughter," said Sue Livoti, sheriff's office public information officer. When the man's wife got involved, the physical fight turned deadly.
The physical altercation began early Friday, according to Paula Roberts' account to police.
The couple spent Friday evening with their three children at the Ocala Shrine Club Carnival just a couple of miles away from their home. After they left, Timothy Roberts began to argue with his 16-year-old daughter, Kathryn.
Once at the home, he is said to have begun hitting his daughter. After his wife got involved, he began to attack her.
"The mother went into the bedroom and told him if he hit her again she would shoot him," Livoti said. "And he supposedly told her, 'You don't have the nerve.'
"He moved as if to strike her again and she fired one time, hitting him in the chest. The children ran to a neighbor's house and called 911," Livoti said in an earlier written press release.
Paula Roberts has not been charged in the homicide.
Family members told investigators that domestic violence was prevalent in the household.
…
The case was investigated as a homicide, but Bibb said it looks as if the shooting was in self-defense.
An autopsy was scheduled for the husband on Saturday. The State Attorney's Office is expected to review the case this week.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
3/22/05
Kansas City, Missouri
From Kansas City’s KansasCityChannel.com of February 7, 2005
Police Answer Domestic Disturbance Call, Find Man DeadNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
Police are investigating a possible domestic shooting that left one man dead and his wife in the hospital.
Investigators said the woman who lives at the home at Seventh Street and Bennington called the police just after 5 p.m. Sunday, saying her husband was trying to kill her. When officers arrived, they found her 56-year-old husband dead. She was also shot, but was not seriously hurt.
KMBC reported that the husband and wife were both shot with the same gun. No charges have been filed.
Labels: domestic abuse, MO
2/24/05
Eugene, Oregon
From the Eugene Register-Guard of January 13, 2005
Details of fatal shooting start to emergeA subsequent story confirms that the shooting was ruled “justified.”.
Todd Alan Hughes was shot to death Tuesday after a neighbor responded to his girlfriend's cries for help.
Eugene police say Hughes, 43, was assaulting the woman on the sidewalk in front of the ramshackle house they shared at 2020 W. 13th Ave.
The alleged shooter, James Michael Winkelman, 48, lives nearby. He was walking his dog about 6 p.m. when his daughter ran up and told him that a woman was being raped. The girl, 13, ran to call police, and Winkelman walked to the house to see if he could help the woman.
The woman was gone when he arrived, but Hughes soon showed up.
Hughes and Winkelman had some kind of encounter, police said, which ended with Hughes' death.
Winkelman yelled for neighbors to call police, and he waited there until officers arrived, police spokeswoman Pam Olshanski said. Winkelman has cooperated with the investigation, she said.
Officers confiscated two handguns at the scene - one from Winkelman and one from Hughes' body, she said. They located and interviewed the girlfriend, who said Hughes was beating her, but not raping her.
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, OR
2/17/05
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
From Birmingham’s NBC13.com of November 29, 2004
Tuscaloosa Man Drags Grandmother With Car; Is Shot By UncleNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
A Thanksgiving visit turned violent Sunday in Tuscaloosa when an uncle shot his nephew after watching the young man allegedly drag his grandmother with his new car.
Jeremy Sutterfield, 28, lived along Probst Road with his grandmother Lynne and his uncle Rocky. On Thanksgiving weekend, Sutterfield's parents came to visit from Florida and bought him a red Mustang.
On Monday morning around 1 a.m., Sutterfield tried to take off in the Mustang after a family argument. Detectives suspect Sutterfield had been drinking.
Sutterfield then ran his car into a tree near the house. That's when his grandmother, who's in her 70s, tried to take his keys out of the ignition. However, Sutterfield did not stop the car, despite the fact his grandmother's arm was still inside.
"She may have been thrown down several times. Witnesses said she fell to the ground more than once," said Lt. Loyd Baker, of the Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Department.
Detectives said that when Sutterfield's uncle Rocky saw his mother being dragged, he ran to help her. Rocky shot Sutterfield in the stomach when the young driver stepped toward him.
The rifle wound is life-threatening, but officers don't yet know if Sutterfield's uncle will face charges.
“(Rocky) saw it happening. He went to help his mom and said the 28-year-old stepped out of the vehicle toward him in a threatening way, so he shot him with a rifle," said Baker.
Labels: AL, domestic abuse
1/10/05
Greenville, Mississippi
From Greenville’s Delta Democrat Times of January 11, 2005
G-ville woman shoots 600-pound boyfriend.
Jennie Jones told police that she shot her boyfriend, but for now, he is the one who will face charges.
Jones said she shot her boyfriend, Sharka Corbin, twice Sunday after he beat her inside her home at 735 S. Washington Ave. According to police, Corbin weighs about 600 pounds.
Jones was transported to Delta Regional Medical Center for severe swelling to the face and her right eye was swollen.
Jones said Corbin beat her up after he learned that she got a traffic ticket in Arkansas and that her car had been towed. She said he put the gun to her head and said, "I am going to kill you." But instead of shooting her he put the gun on the dresser and then began hitting her, according to reports.
Jones was able to get the gun and fired several shots at Corbin. Two of the bullets hit Corbin, one in the leg and one in the chest.
Corbin is charged with domestic assault with medical attention. The case against Jones will be sent to the District Attorney office for possible grand jury review.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, MS
12/22/04
Waterford, California
From Palm Springs’ KESQ.com of December 22, 2004
Authorities: Waterford woman kills live-in boyfriend in self-defense
Stanislaus County authorities say a woman shot and killed the man she lived with early yesterday, apparently after he had beaten her.
The coroner's office identified the dead man as 49-year-old Daniel Hollenbeck of Waterford. The woman's name was not released, and authorities are calling her a domestic violence victim.
Neighbors say the woman often had bruises on her face and body, and Hollenbeck had been repeatedly arrested on domestic violence allegations.
The woman called nine-one-one and told dispatchers she had just shot Hollenbeck. She said she did it to stop him from beating her, according to the sheriff.
The woman was treated at a local hospital, but she was not arrested.
Labels: CA, domestic abuse
12/3/04
Anson County, North Carolina
From the Charlotte Observer of December 3, 2004
Sheriff: No charge for wife in intruder-husband killing
Protective order issued; wife's door forced open
The Anson County Sheriff's Office will not press charges against a woman who killed her husband Wednesday after weeks of domestic violence against her.
Joy Burgess had a protective order against estranged husband Brian Gathings. Gathings had been convicted of threatening Burgess before, and jailed several times for charges of violence against her. But as with other recent domestic violence killings, none of it was enough to keep her safe.
When Gathings broke down his wife's back door with a shovel Wednesday, Burgess had reason to fear him, said Anson County Sheriff Tommy Allen. Burgess shot Gathings once in the chest, killing him.
The district attorney is still reviewing the case, but agreed charging Burgess wouldn't be appropriate, Allen said.
"There's such strong evidence of self-defense," Allen said.
(More)
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, NC
11/19/04
Shreveport, Louisiana
From Shreveport‘s KTBS.com of November 19, 2004
Deejay who says she shot husband in self defense is acquitted
A Caddo Parish jury has agreed with a former Shreveport deejay's assertion that she shot her husband in self defense.
Julia Austin was found not guilty late this afternoon of illegal use of a weapon.
She could have faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Austin was a disc jockey at radio station 92.1 The Buzz when she shot her husband, Patrick, two years ago at their home in Shreveport.
The couple had a tempestuous marriage. Patrick Austin testified his wife shot him after he told her to move out.
Julia Austin said her husband beat her and she had to shoot him in self defense.
The Caddo District Court jury deliberated about two hours before returning its verdict.
Labels: domestic abuse, LA
11/12/04
Shawnee, Oklahoma
From Oklahoma City’s KFOR.com of September 25, 2004
Woman dead after domestic disputeNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
A 23-year old Shawnee woman is dead and her husband is recovering from a gunshot wound after a domestic disturbance.
Pottawatomie County Sheriff Kurt Shirey says Stephanie Ray Mosier was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the chest late Thursday night.
Her husband -- Todd Dwain Mosier -- was treated for a gunshot wound to the hand and released.
Todd Mosier told officers he returned fire after his wife shot him in the hand.
Sheriff's officials say no arrest has been made.
Labels: domestic abuse, OK
11/3/04
Henderson, Nevada
From the Las Vegas Review-Journal of November 3, 2004
Man shot, killed after 911 call
A 44-year-old man was shot and killed Monday night after police received a 911 call stating he was trying to break into a home where his wife was staying.
The wife of the slain man had called police about 8 p.m. Monday, claiming her husband had battered her, according to Henderson police.
The woman and a male friend then left the Las Vegas home and went to another friend's home near Warms Springs Road and Green Valley Parkway, police said.
The woman's husband showed up at the home about 10:30 p.m., and she called 911 about the same time to report he was trying to break into the home, Rasmussen said.
The woman's male friend shot the husband when he entered the home, Rasmussen said.
Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, NV
10/6/04
Waterford, California
From the Modesto Bee of August 8, 2004
Abuse victim kills her attackerNo subsequent stories about this incident were found.
It had been weeks since Candy Mitchell had slept through the night. Strange backyard noises and someone banging on her bedroom wall would wake her up.
Every time Mitchell called deputies to search the yard, no traces were found of an intruder. Still, the 31-year-old mother of three had a strong suspicion who the prowler was.
Her ex-boyfriend had been released from jail in July after serving two months of a six-month sentence for three felony counts of spousal abuse for beating her, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department .
When 42-year-old John "Bud" Russell broke into her home late Thursday afternoon, Mitchell shot and killed him.
On Friday, sheriff's deputies said it appears Mitchell shot Russell in self-defense. The case will be turned over to the district attorney's office for a final decision on whether to press charges.
(More)
Labels: CA, domestic abuse, home invasion
New Haven, Connecticut
From Hartford‘s NBC30.com of October 6, 2004
Son Will Not Be Prosecuted For Shooting Father
Prosecutors have dropped charges against a disabled man who shot and killed his father three years ago.
Luigi DiBrigida, 35, had been charged with murder in the Dec. 20, 2001, killing of his father, John DiBrigida, 57. The charges were later reduced to first-degree manslaughter and criminal use of a weapon and on Monday, a plea was entered for both counts in Superior Court.
Prosecutor Maxine Wilensky said DiBrigida suffers from a brittle bone disease and is confined to a wheelchair. Patients with this genetic disorder break bones easily.
The shooting victim, John DiBrigida, had a history of alcoholism and being physically abusive, according to Wilensky. On the night of the shooting, there had been an argument and Luigi DiBrigida retreated to his bedroom, Wilensky said. His father followed him, flung open his bedroom door and yelled at him.
Luigi DiBrigida told investigators that his father said he was going to pick him up and throw him and his wheelchair.
"The state's position is that a reasonable person who is afflicted with the debilitating effects of this disease would have reasonably believed he was in imminent physical danger of great bodily harm from his inebriated father," Wilensky said.
Luigi DiBrigida took a gun from his wheelchair and fired, then called 911 for medical assistance. John DiBrigida was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he died.
Labels: CT, domestic abuse
9/29/04
Knox County, Tennessee
From Knoxville’s WBIR.com of September 29, 2004
Stepfather shoots stepson in West Knox County
A Knox County stepfather shoots his stepson to stop him from attacking another family member.
It happened Tuesday night in a West Knox County home in the Cabbott Ridge subdivision.
Sheriff Tim Hutchison says Ronnie Chandler shot 29 year old Albert Cannon once in the stomach.
The sheriff says Cannon was beating his 48 year old aunt, who apparently came to confront him about sexually assaulting her daughter, Cannon's cousin.
The sheriff confirms Cannon was indicted last year for sexual assault.
"It's obvious the 29 year old is having some problems," Sheriff Hutchison say. "And he kept beating his aunt, and his stepdad and mom couldn't stop stop it, except for shooting him one time."
No charges are expected to be filed against the stepfather.
Labels: domestic abuse, TN
