Set Jerome Ersland Free!

[Mr Twisty]

See the video here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_1...39-504083.html

(CBS/KWTV/AP) - OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City pharmacist now faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after being found guilty of murder for the death of a 16-year-old who tried to rob his store.

Confronted by two holdup men in May 2009, Ersland pulled out a gun, shot one of them in the head and chased the other away. The drugstore's security camera then filmed Ersland as he went behind the counter, got another gun, and pumped five more bullets into the wounded Antwun Parker as he lay on the floor.

The 59-year-old had been hailed as a hero for protecting two fellow employees.

The Ersland jury began deliberations around 1:00 p.m. Thursday and returned with a the guilty verdict around 4:30 p.m.

The verdict stunned the courtroom. Ersland, who many hailed as a hero, sat emotionless as the guilty verdict was read. People sitting behind him were noticeably upset.

Parker's mother and her sisters were inside the courtroom most of the trial, and burst out of the room when the verdict was read. They clung to each other and cried in the hallway in an outpouring of emotion.

Erlsand was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs with deputies surrounding him. The wife of the Reliable Pharmacy owner was seen crying as she left.

She was visibly stunned that the jury chose to find Ersland guilty of murder instead of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Judge Ray Elliott refused to lift the gag order so the prosecution, the defense, and the jury are not allowed to comment on the verdict. But we do know the jury had asked to see the surveillance video of the robbery and shooting one more time before they went up to deliberate.

Ersland will be sentenced July 11, the same day Anthony Morrison and Emanuel Mitchell will be sentenced. Morrison and Mitchell were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy for planning the robbery at Reliable Pharmacy.

[MagnumForceGB]

Been covered locally pretty heavily here. Too bad they didn't mention that the mother of the dead is sueing for money.

[brandotron]

This is the first I've seen of it and I agree with the verdict. The first shot was self defense - nothing wrong with that. If the kid attempted to pull a gun while he was laying on the ground sure, shoot away. The video clearly shows the shopkeeper walk away, reload, then walk back and casually kill the kid. That is murder.

[Steve Dallas]

Originally Posted by brandotron

This is the first I've seen of it and I agree with the verdict. The first shot was self defense - nothing wrong with that. If the kid attempted to pull a gun while he was laying on the ground sure, shoot away. The video clearly shows the shopkeeper walk away, reload, then walk back and casually kill the kid. That is murder.

I've not seen specifics on this, but I have to agree here. The first shot is understandable. Coming back after time to reflect, reload, and finish the job. Definately murder. Once the guy was down, you keep the gun on him, call police and wait for them.

I don't think the people suing for money should get any though, either.

[Ruin]

Originally Posted by brandotron

This is the first I've seen of it and I agree with the verdict. The first shot was self defense - nothing wrong with that. If the kid attempted to pull a gun while he was laying on the ground sure, shoot away. The video clearly shows the shopkeeper walk away, reload, then walk back and casually kill the kid. That is murder.

This. And this is what the law says too.

First engagement ended the threat, and he was safe. Anything beyond that, he has just broken the law.



This is why those of us who care about gun rights and self defense have such a hard time putting up solid arguments.

[FenwickHockey65]

I saw nothing wrong with it until I read that he finished the kid off.

Probably just a spur-of-the-moment, "**** you" sort of thing, but that's considered murder. Had he fired a round into the idiot and left it at that, he wouldn't be in this situation.

[okyankee]

i guess if the kids did not try to rob the place, nothing would have happened. but in ok you get off from murder aslong as your kid is the devil.

http://newsok.com/nichols-hills-doct...rticle/3573899

[Mr Twisty]

He doesn't deserve a murder conviction... I hope the judge cuts him all the slack he can at sentencing.

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by okyankee

i guess if the kids did not try to rob the place, nothing would have happened. but in ok you get off from murder aslong as your kid is the devil.

http://newsok.com/nichols-hills-doct...rticle/3573899

Holy Crap!

[Sin]

Always keep more than 1 bullet in the magazine. He could have shot him a few times in a row and it would be self defense.

[Milk 1027]

I agree with the veridict. Most people shouldn't be allowed to own guns. The guy went trigger happy.

[aldaron327]

I'm going to say this as a guy who's job it was to "kill people" and "blow shit up". The guy was a combat veteran from what I understood from the news I saw. It's pretty easy for a jury of civilians to convict a guy who in a two minute span shot one guy with one gun and then went back to reload and then finished the job to ensure that the threat was 100% gone. To be honest, the facts stand as they are, but I can tell you that in the heat of the moment, and I've killed dudes with 30mm cannon fire, rockets, and Hellfire missiles, that "heat of the moment" feeling (for most) lasts longer than a minute. It's just the nature of the beast.

I had an engagement once where we caught some guys who prematurely (thank God) detonated an IED on a convoy moving along a Major supply route. My aircraft was "Gun 2" and we (two Apache Longbows) shot them with 2 Hellfire missiles and my front-seater continued to engage with 30 mm cannon fire until we were literally "on top" of the bad guys. It had nothing to do with him having a sadistic sense of right and wrong or some sort of blood lust. It was purely the act of ensuring the threat was eliminated. Understand that this whole event took longer than two minutes.

My point is this: The guy who engaged the would-be perps and shot one of them probably didn't know that he'd administered a kill-shot and wanted to ensure that he'd fully eliminated the threat. If I ever get caught in the same situation, I'm going to keep shooting until I'm completely out of ammo. Getting your life threatened is a serious thing and until you experience it first-hand, it's hard to understand how you will react; especially if you have the means to protect yourself at hand and have the training to do so.

If I could post the gun-tape footage of my engagement, you'd see that there's no joy in the act. In fact, we sounded like 4 robots talking to one another and the ground commander while we were ending lives.

My story had a happy ending... no U.S. forces seriously injured and 5 of 6 insurgents obliterated.

I feel for this guy, because now not only is the rest of the U.S. questioning his actions, but he's probably questioning himself about how he reacted to a violent theft. The perps DID draw a weapon on him after all.

That's just my $.02.... YMMV

-Tim

[hotrodsally]

Originally Posted by aldaron327

I'm going to say this as a guy who's job it was to "kill people" and "blow shit up". The guy was a combat veteran from what I understood from the news I saw. It's pretty easy for a jury of civilians to convict a guy who in a two minute span shot one guy with one gun and then went back to reload and then finished the job to ensure that the threat was 100% gone. To be honest, the facts stand as they are, but I can tell you that in the heat of the moment, and I've killed dudes with 30mm cannon fire, rockets, and Hellfire missiles, that "heat of the moment" feeling (for most) lasts longer than a minute. It's just the nature of the beast.

I had an engagement once where we caught some guys who prematurely (thank God) detonated an IED on a convoy moving along a Major supply route. My aircraft was "Gun 2" and we (two Apache Longbows) shot them with 2 Hellfire missiles and my front-seater continued to engage with 30 mm cannon fire until we were literally "on top" of the bad guys. It had nothing to do with him having a sadistic sense of right and wrong or some sort of blood lust. It was purely the act of ensuring the threat was eliminated. Understand that this whole event took longer than two minutes.

My point is this: The guy who engaged the would-be perps and shot one of them probably didn't know that he'd administered a kill-shot and wanted to ensure that he'd fully eliminated the threat. If I ever get caught in the same situation, I'm going to keep shooting until I'm completely out of ammo. Getting your life threatened is a serious thing and until you experience it first-hand, it's hard to understand how you will react; especially if you have the means to protect yourself at hand and have the training to do so.

If I could post the gun-tape footage of my engagement, you'd see that there's no joy in the act. In fact, we sounded like 4 robots talking to one another and the ground commander while we were ending lives.

My story had a happy ending... no U.S. forces seriously injured and 5 of 6 insurgents obliterated.

I feel for this guy, because now not only is the rest of the U.S. questioning his actions, but he's probably questioning himself about how he reacted to a violent theft. The perps DID draw a weapon on him after all.

That's just my $.02.... YMMV

-Tim

[Milk 1027]

Originally Posted by aldaron327

I'm going to say this as a guy who's job it was to "kill people" and "blow shit up". The guy was a combat veteran from what I understood from the news I saw. It's pretty easy for a jury of civilians to convict a guy who in a two minute span shot one guy with one gun and then went back to reload and then finished the job to ensure that the threat was 100% gone. To be honest, the facts stand as they are, but I can tell you that in the heat of the moment, and I've killed dudes with 30mm cannon fire, rockets, and Hellfire missiles, that "heat of the moment" feeling (for most) lasts longer than a minute. It's just the nature of the beast.

I had an engagement once where we caught some guys who prematurely (thank God) detonated an IED on a convoy moving along a Major supply route. My aircraft was "Gun 2" and we (two Apache Longbows) shot them with 2 Hellfire missiles and my front-seater continued to engage with 30 mm cannon fire until we were literally "on top" of the bad guys. It had nothing to do with him having a sadistic sense of right and wrong or some sort of blood lust. It was purely the act of ensuring the threat was eliminated. Understand that this whole event took longer than two minutes.

My point is this: The guy who engaged the would-be perps and shot one of them probably didn't know that he'd administered a kill-shot and wanted to ensure that he'd fully eliminated the threat. If I ever get caught in the same situation, I'm going to keep shooting until I'm completely out of ammo. Getting your life threatened is a serious thing and until you experience it first-hand, it's hard to understand how you will react; especially if you have the means to protect yourself at hand and have the training to do so.

If I could post the gun-tape footage of my engagement, you'd see that there's no joy in the act. In fact, we sounded like 4 robots talking to one another and the ground commander while we were ending lives.

My story had a happy ending... no U.S. forces seriously injured and 5 of 6 insurgents obliterated.

I feel for this guy, because now not only is the rest of the U.S. questioning his actions, but he's probably questioning himself about how he reacted to a violent theft. The perps DID draw a weapon on him after all.

That's just my $.02.... YMMV

-Tim

You eventually have to come back to reality. Combat veteran or not, you have to abide by laws and rules set forth by the consitution and state or local legislation