In most cases of self-defense, the shooter never goes to trial. It’s clear it was self-defense and so they’re never prosecuted in the first place.
While there have been high-profile exceptions, a lot of times when a self-defense shooter does make it inside the courtroom, it doesn’t work out well for them. This is especially true in anti-gun states.
Yet sometimes, the armed citizen does come out on top.
An Anne Arundel County jury on Monday acquitted a Pasadena man of murder, manslaughter and felony firearms charges, agreeing that he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot an acquaintance who drove to his home despite warnings and then charged him.
The verdict came hours after prosecutors and defense attorneys finished their closing arguments to the panel. Prosecutors said the homeowner was too quick to open fire on Jeffrey Dickinson. Gregory Korwek’s defense attorneys said the 44-year-old left him no choice.
When the jury issued its verdict, Korwek began crying and hugged his attorneys. Then, he embraced his wife. Simultaneously, Dickinson’s family members huddled together with their heads bowed.
“It’s an incredible feeling of relief that he was found not guilty of these charges,” defense attorney Peter O’Neill told The Capital after court. “We still recognize that it’s a tragedy that Mr. Dickinson died … we pray for [him] and his family.”
O’Neill maintained throughout trial that Korwek was justified in shooting and killing Dickinson, who arrived at Korwek’s house in Pasadena drunk, disgruntled and after making threats.
“If it’s not justified under these facts… then there is no right to use self-defense,” O’Neill told the jury.
Prosecutors suggested Korwek was eager to unleash a blast from his shotgun, rather than hunker down and wait for the police to de-escalate the dispute.
The problem with the prosecutors’ argument, though, is that it’s impossible to know if that would have actually worked. Korwek might well have died if he’d tried that approach.
The standard for self-defense isn’t whether you can hide until police arrive, it’s whether you fear for your life. Korwek not only did, he had ample reason to believe Dickinson intended to kill him.
Now, that said, it’s important to remember that Maryland isn’t a Stand-Your-Ground state. They do have a duty to retreat. However, the prosecutors arguing that Korwek should have “hunkered down” suggests they knew damn good and well that retreat wasn’t really an option. They knew Korwek couldn’t get away.
Yet they still believed he should have waited, potentially risking his life, on the slim chance law enforcement would arrive in time to save the day.
Nope. Sorry. I ain’t buying it.
Neither did the jury, though. As a result, Korwek is cleared of all charges and can go about his life. That’s not something you really expect to see happen in an anti-gun state like Maryland, yet here it is. That’s a big win for the good guys, but it really shouldn’t have happened at all. Korwek should never have had to go through all of this.
Unfortunately, Maryland prefers to keep its citizens terrified of defending their own life.
In my opinion, and everyone is entitled to one, for every Muslim related crime that is committed in the West, one thousand Muslims should be repatriated to their home country. There should be repercussions for their acts and since they welcome death, lets not reward them. You could vary the amount of Muslims according to the crime, day a traffic violation, 10 Muslim’s, Robbery, 100 Muslim’s, assault and battery 500 Muslims, and for a death upon another 1000 Muslim’s. If a Beheading or stabbing is involved then 2500 Muslims get deported. The Muslim’s deported should include Men, Women, and Children from across their spectrum selected at random plus contain at least 1 Imam per 500 Muslims deporated .
sounds good to me
Little low on the return of them. I say return everyone of them who don’t eat Bacon. In fact, Bacon should be our national dish. Name our cities after Pork products too.
He got the right outcome but I fear it was due to inept prosecution. If Md isn’t a “stand your ground” state they were stupid to say he should have hunkered down. There may be extenuating circumstances not mentioned, but if there were threats, the guy travelled to the scene then charged, he’s not a victim but a perpetrator and suffered the consequences.
No criminal or violent person, should ever think that a victim wouldn’t use deadly force, to save their life or the life of another person from Imminent Death or Great Bodily Harm…
Therefore, if a criminal or violent person attempts to harm or kill someone they should be prepared that they may die in the process.
Why else would many thousands of American citizens with a Concealed Weapons Permit and legal weapon of choice, be armed in public and within their home. Some public schools today have armed citizens and or School Resourse Officers (Police) legally in some smartly run schools.
I wish more schools would use armed qualified volunteers or LawEnforcement Officers or both to cover larger areas, with the LEO having total control over assignments to be covered, training for Volunteers etc. Of course, all volunteers would be required to have fingerprints taken and a through State & FBI background check.
If a citizen is unarmed and or refuse to find away to protect themselves from violent offenders then that is their choice.
A smart homeowner should be armed and ready to defend their life and the lives of the family. Same goes for when out in public, in your vehicle or anywhere that you would be an easy target. . Violence in daylight, home invasions, gangbangers etc. have one thing intheir mind. What you might have that they need or want and they are willing to kill foir it.
Life on our streets these days seems to be heading towards a kill or be kill society. Be ready folks because tough times might be ahead of us. Look at how victims in many democRATic states are suffering. Lives lost,Police attacked and or ordered to standdown by corrupt Mayors or Governors.
Remember y’all, your Police respond to your crime scene to see who is injured, deceased and try to ID the Offender. It is up to you to defend yourself instantly and not become that victim. Make the Offender pay for his/her/or the gangs violence.
Just my thought. You decide if you want a chance to protect yourself, loved ones or be at the mercy of violent criminals who are arrested and released by weak people in authority.
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