Birmingham man's fatal shooting by woman declared justified

[Bold Lib]

The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office ruled the fatal shooting last month of Melvin Bozeman, 31, as justifiable.

Police at the time said the shooting started with a domestic dispute inside a home there, and then the fight spilled into the street.

Homicide detective Cynthia Morrow said today that Bozeman, his sisters, an ex-girlfriend and a current girlfriend went to the home of his child's mother to jump her. They already had done so twice before.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/08/post_584.html



How many anti self defense memes can you count being debunked in this story?

[NBachers]

1. "anti self defense memes"

Maybe someone needs to post a "Rec if you support anti self defense memes" thread.

[Bold Lib]

2. Maybe you should do just that. Thanks for the kick by the way.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. You got me wondering

I must admit that I need a little help in finding these memes in the OP.

[jody]

4. She could have called 911, ACLU, GG International, & designated mortician but self-defense is a

personal responsibility as the victim knew when she made the decision to exercise her inalienable/unalienable right to keep and bear arms.

[Bold Lib]

5. Restraining order. She should have got one of those and that would have stopped this

from happening.

[jody]

6. ROFL at your great joke. Other DUers need to read Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S 748 to appreciate

your sarcasm.

[MicaelS]

7. That is laughable, restraining orders are often worthless

Many women have been killed by abusive men, even though a restraining order was in place.

[virgogal]

8. Yessireee----that'd do it.

:sarcasm:

[proteus_lives]

9. Restraining orders aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

[mvccd1000]

10. Not entirely true.

While I'm a big believer in taking responsibility for your own safety, including - among other things - carrying a pistol, I believe that a restraining order is a worthwhile instrument for one simple reason:

It removes the discretion from the police.

Picture a "normal" domestic dispute call. The police show up and it's "he-said/she-said." They're just as likely as not to either report the wrong person as the victim, or tell everyone to settle down and don't make them return. With a restraining order, they no longer have that choice. They are required by court order to remove (and usually arrest) the person violating the order - even if the "victim" changes her mind.

Will that stop a determined soon-to-be murderer who is headed over to drive through the front wall of the house and shoot everyone in sight? Obviously not. What it WILL be useful against is the other 99% of aggressors who will probably work up their nerve by calling a few times, driving by, ringing the doorbell and hoping to "talk things out," etc. In those cases, the police may not have been inclined to remove someone just for ringing the doorbell. With the restraining order in place, however, they don't get to decide - they only get to enforce the existing court order.

[Euromutt]

11. Generally, restraining orders work on those willing to let themselves be restrained

You're correct that research bears out your point that restraining orders do work on those who are, if you will, pests but do not pose a physical threat to the protected person.

A restraining/protection order won't do anything to stop the kind of unwanted admirer/(ex-)partner/stalker who considers his self-image to be more valuable than the life of the object of his desire, no. But it does have the benefit that, in the event the fucker tries to murder you and you end up having to leave brass on the floor to stop him, it should make it significantly easier to convince a (grand) jury that you were acting in self-defense if you can demonstrate that you'd already sought a restraining order against the guy. Call it "third party documentation."

[mvccd1000]

13. Agreed

With you, and with Pave Pusher below.

My point was simply that they are worth more than the paper they are printed on. Saying they are not may have the effect of convincing someone who needs one not to get it. In that case, the possible benefits of it - however small they may be - would not be available to that person.

Like a pistol, a restraining order is but one part of a good defense system.

[PavePusher]

12. Unfortunately, there have been far too many cases...

where the police did not execute their duty correctly in such circumstances. Another reason to be prepared to be responsible for ones own safety.

[Statistical]

15. Read Castle Rock v. Gonzalez and then tell me a restraining order is worth anything. n/t

"they don't get to decide - they only get to enforce the existing court order."

Wrong. Police have no duty to enforce even their own restraining order. When they don't enforce them as in Gonzalez case the victim is owed no compensation or damages.

Restraining orders are utter worthless.

[Bold Lib]

14. OK, maybe that post should have had the sarcasm thingy on it.