Murder or lawful protection? Georgia Beauty Queen Faces Murder Charge

[Wickerman]

Poll question: Murder or lawful protection? Georgia Beauty Queen Faces Murder Charge

Georgia Beauty Queen

This one got some pretty high profile coverage on the Today show. Permit holder goes to home of boyfriend's two timer - is having a discussion with the "homewrecker" when boyfriend pulls up. After angry confrontation, and as boyfriend is heading back to his car (to get a weapon or leave?), beauty queen shoots gun in general direction of car. Bullet strikes boyfriend, he dies later.

So, read the stories, and decide, did lawfully having this weapon protect our heroine, the beauty queen, or did it exacerbate an already emotionally charged situation?

http://www.startribune.com/stories/670/4279719.html

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia beauty queen turned herself in to police Saturday to face a murder charge in the death of her boyfriend.
--snip--
Police said the shooting followed an argument between Redmond and Shorter, apparently over Shorter dating another woman at the same time he was seeing Redmond. The shooting happened outside the home of the father of the other woman, whose name has not been released.

Schiavone said his client acted in self-defense when she shot Shorter. Schiavone said Redmond had a permit for the gun, which she was carrying because she had been stalked at the high school where she teaches.
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http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1572078&nav=0qq6Jmp0
Schiavone says Redmond believed he had a gun. "She truly believed he had a weapon," he told us. "Bullet ricocheted off the car and hit him."

[Superfly]

1. "Shoots in the general direction...."

Should be brought up on charges of reckless endagerment as well as the applicable manslaughter/murder charge. You should always be 100% of what you are shooting at, and when/if you do shoot, you should AIM at a specific target, not just blaze away in the general direction of the threat.

[alwynsw]

3. Agreed - 100% (how's that for redundant?)

As I learned and passed on: know where your shot is going to hit, otherwise, DO NOT SHOOT.

I'll not even get into the obvious misjudgements Miss Savannah made in her timing and target.

[DoNotRefill]

2. It depends....

If she had the gun on her, and didn't go back to her car as I've heard from another source, it may be justified.

If she went to her car and got her gun after he attacked her and then shot him, it's not justified, because she could have left.

[MrBenchley]

4. Oh yeah...

That's why she lugged her gun over to the "other woman's" house.......because she was worried about "self defense".....

Of course, strange things happen in Savannah...

http://www.ourgeorgiahistory.com/chronpop/1589

[Superfly]

5. Yeah, that seems kind of suspicious, I have to admit...

1) Did she routinely carry a concealed weapon, and this was not out of the ordinary for her?

2) If it was out of the ordinary for her to carry a weapon, was she looking for a fight?

Only a court of law will tell, I guess.

[Dolomite]

6. She had a permit because she had a stalker?

Apparently some people will use any excuse just to carry a gun.

Ah'Lamour - partners have been finding ways to kill each other well before the invention of gun powder.

Would we'd of rather had her run circles over him with a Mercedes-Benz? (only if there'd be video available is my guess).