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Another Zimmerman Style case?

Law abider

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
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Ellsworth Wisconsin
From the Pierce County herald Under state news. Link has many other stories not related so I cut and pasted this one.: Jurors will start hearing testimony today in the trial of John Spooner, a 76-year-old white man accused of killing a black teen in Milwaukee over guns he thought the boy stole. As the jury was being selected yesterday, Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner said the case is totally different from that of George Zimmerman. He’s the Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer from Florida acquitted Saturday in the killing of black teen Traevon Martin. Wagner asked prospective jurors if they could separate the two cases. A white candidate was let go after telling the judge that the system is “failing,” and black teens are getting arrested for things that whites only get ticketed for. Prosecutor Mark Williams said he was not pleased that only one of the 14 jurors to hear the trial is black – and he’ll bring up the matter this morning before attorneys make their opening statements. Prosecutors said Spooner shot a neighbor, 13-year-old Darius Simmons, in May of last year while the youngster was taking out the family garbage. Defense lawyer Franklyn Gimbel says he’ll concede that his client shot Simmons, but will claim that it was not intentional. He also plans to present evidence showing that Spooner had a mental illness in which he could not judge right-from-wrong. Spooner has pleaded insanity to first-degree intentional homicide.

Where is justice heading?? Can we go by facts on the incident rather than the white killed black nonsense? This is sickening.:banghead:
 

Citizen

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Nov 15, 2006
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Fairfax Co., VA
I recently came across a blog citing Bureau of Justice statistics for a long period of time. Very interesting.

Something like 262,000 blacks were murdered across the span of time. And, of those, something like 230,000 were murdered by other blacks.
 

Grapeshot

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I see no similarity between this and the Zimmerman case, save that some people wish to make the race issue the focus/central point.

IMO - we need to stop fueling these flames by contributing to the issue.
 

Law abider

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Aug 17, 2011
Messages
1,164
Location
Ellsworth Wisconsin
I see no similarity between this and the Zimmerman case, save that some people wish to make the race issue the focus/central point.

IMO - we need to stop fueling these flames by contributing to the issue.

I agree. But the Judge decided to use the words 'Zimmerman' and 'black'. He should have not said anything. I get the impression that even if the FACTS point to the FACT that John Spooner may be found innocent, he may get convicted anyway because it is not about FACTS but supposed justice. I sure hope the trial is rooted in FACTS. That's the last I'll say about this topic.
 

PFC HALE

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Jun 20, 2012
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481
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earth
I see no similarity between this and the Zimmerman case, save that some people wish to make the race issue the focus/central point.

IMO - we need to stop fueling these flames by contributing to the issue.

this. i agree grape, the media and pushers just want it to happen.
 

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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Valhalla
Spooner case totally different from Zimmerman case

Only similarity is that someone died as a result of a gunshot wound inflicted by another.

Now on to phase 2 of the trial of Spooner as noted in preceeding posts.
 

E6chevron

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
528
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/216413711.html includes video

76 year old John Spooner has been found sane a the time of the crime and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for murder of his 13 year old neighbor, Darius Simmons.

He was denied the possibility of work release privileges after serving 20 years of the sentence.

Mr. Spooner did not express regret:

"Mrs. Larry, she knew those kids were going to rob my house," Spooner said. "May God forgive you, Mrs. Larry, for your lying and cheating and stealing. Like I say, I don't know if I did right or wrong."

To my knowledge, no one has been charged in the alleged theft of Spooner's shotguns.

Wisconsin law does not sanction use of deadly force, solely to protect property:

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/939/III/49

939.49  Defense of property and protection against retail theft.

939.49(1) A person is privileged to threaten or intentionally use force against another for the purpose of preventing or terminating what the person reasonably believes to be an unlawful interference with the person's property. Only such degree of force or threat thereof may intentionally be used as the actor reasonably believes is necessary to prevent or terminate the interference. It is not reasonable to intentionally use force intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm for the sole purpose of defense of one's property.
 
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