This shooting happened a few miles from me, your thoughts...

[kingalls]

Found this story on the http://www....the deceased was a nut case and drug head, chewing the ears off a puppy dog! I have relatives in Shelby County and I will bet that there is a good chance that Mr. Ford will not be indicted...Fountain was BEATING in the windshield...With what? A baseball bat? A tire tool? If I were on the jury and the deceased had something in his hand, well then, I'm wondering how deadly of a weapon was he toting.


It was a little after noon Sunday when the Fords heard a ruckus outside their home U.S. Hwy. 96 just north of Center. According to Shelby County officials, Buster Ford went outside to find a man on top of the hood of the couple's vehicle, beating in the windshield.

No one knows why Fountain behaved the way he did Sunday afternoon, but authorities suspect his actions may have been drug-related, and Fountain has a criminal history of erratic behavior. "I don't know that he was under the influence of any drugs that day," Shelby County District Attorney Linda K. Russell said, "but he has tested positive in the past."

Fountain made headlines a few months back when he was arrested by the Center Police Department, after he was found walking down the street, repeatedly biting a dog he was carrying in his arms. "He chewed the ears off of a puppy," Russell said. "He just kept biting this puppy, and it turned out he was on a mixture of PCP and cocaine, at that time."

[Venus Pax]

Like most articles, this one doesn't give us enough information.

I'm wondering about the 71-year-old's ability to retreat.

[Greybeard]

Anybuddy heard or seen anything about a Grand Jury decision on this?

[seamusTX]

Nothing in Google News since May 10.

News media frequently work from police radio scanners and the police blotter. Finding out that a grand jury no-billed someone takes footwork that may not be done.

- Jim

[govnor]

I have to agree (or should I say hate to agree) that it's technically not legal to shoot someone smashing in your car window. If I saw that happening, I would probably confront them, armed and showing. Go ahead and charge me... you're on MY property. And oh yeah...feared for my life. If they left I would call the police and give them a heading of the perpetrator.

In this case I'll have to disagree with the guy that said human life is more valuable than anything else. This scum needed to be eradicated. He was a drug addicted maniac that chewed the ears off of a live puppy.

Buster Ford did the world a favor and if I was on the jury I wouldn't be convicting him of murder even if they didn't show the guy's past history. Someone on your property beating in your windshield is obviously not a model citizen. Besides, this guy (shooter) is a senior citizen. They can't be expected to be able to defend themselves with fists or a bat. Yeah, the guy might or might not have started coming towards him, but I'm sure the old guy was pretty freaked out at this display. Imagine that you live in your house for thirty years and nothing like this has ever happened, then all of a sudden you have someone beating in your car's windshield and probably screaming God knows what. I'm sure my trigger finger would get real itchy, real quick.

[IcheeWaWa]

Nothing in Google News since May 10.

News media frequently work from police radio scanners and the police blotter. Finding out that a grand jury no-billed someone takes footwork that may not be done.

- Jim

The shooter was no-billed:

http://www.dailysentinel.com/search/con ... _bill.html

[seamusTX]

Thanks for the update.

- Jim

[frankie_the_yankee]

I'm surprised that the grand jury was said to have taken the toxicology report on the BG into account. Ford would have no way of knowing what drugs the guy might have taken when he felt forced to shoot him.

Of course he could observe whacked-out behavior and act accordingly. But the circumstances under which deadly force is justified are generally those where a "reasonable person" believes it to be justified "knowing what they know at the time".

Maybe the grand jury took the toxicology results as validating alleged crazy or threatening behavior that Ford may have observed.

[seamusTX]

I'm surprised that the grand jury was said to have taken the toxicology report on the BG into account. Ford would have no way of knowing what drugs the guy might have taken when he felt forced to shoot him.

That's true, but if you have seen people who are whacked out on drugs, you can detect the signs.

The DA obviously thought it was relevant.

Grand juries answer to no one. If they want to indict or no-bill a defendant based on prejudice or any other reason (other than bribery), they can.

- Jim

[DSARGE]

1) I pay truck insurance, and I would have cashed in.
2) I pay taxes for the cops to come deal with this nut

[DSARGE]

As far as him walking down the street chewing the ears off a puppy, I'd have kicked his butt repeatedly.

[pbandjelly]

1) I pay truck insurance, and I would have cashed in.

most insurance plans have a deductible that would would still put you out at least a hunnerd or 2 hunnerd dollars!
so trying to stop this makes sense since he was effectively parting you with a couple benjamins....
that's all I'm saying.

[Liberty]

1) I pay truck insurance, and I would have cashed in.

most insurance plans have a deductible that would would still put you out at least a hunnerd or 2 hunnerd dollars!
so trying to stop this makes sense since he was effectively parting you with a couple benjamins....
that's all I'm saying.

The bad guy already used up the deductable with the first swing of the bat. Doesn't take much of a dent to make a few hundred dollar deductable. As far as this incident.. some people just need to be kilt.

[Greybeard]

Another "thanks" for the update on this one.

[tomneal]

My car insurance deductable is more than a couple of hundred.

BUT

If you use a gun to stop a bad guy doing a bad thing
your leagal fees could cost as much as an entire car.