Virginiaplanter
Regular Member
imported post
This week's court of appeals decisions has a case about an armed security guard who was attacked by two men for the purpose of getting his gun. He withstood three strikes from a baseball bat and still managed to use his gun to shoot one of the attackers.
"While on duty at a government building, sixty-four-year-old James Crouch, an armed security guard for Henrico County, was attacked by an individual armed with a baseball bat. At trial, Crouch recalled being on the ground after the initial strike, looking up and seeing someone attacking him, but not seeing his attacker’s face. Crouch remembered being struck three times with the bat, at which time he managed to retrieve his revolver from his weapon belt and fire three rounds at the attacker, who fled. As a result of the attack, Crouch sustained a crushed right index finger, a facial fracture, severe neck pain, and head trauma, which caused vertigo, chronic instability, and balance disorder....
Henrico Police Investigator Thomas Holsinger testified that, after responding to the scene of the attack, he received information that a patient was being treated for a gunshot wound at a nearby hospital. Holsinger interviewed the patient, Jacquan Cotman (Goode’s codefendant), at the hospital. Cotman admitted his involvement in the attack on Crouch, explaining that he wanted Crouch’s gun, but denied hitting Crouch with a baseball bat. Cotman claimed Goode struck Crouch with Cotman’s bat while Cotman “went for the gun.” Failing in his attempt to take the gun from Crouch, Cotman ran. Cotman then realized about fifteen minutes later that he had been shot in the arm. He also indicated to Holsinger that it was Goode’s plan for the two of them to attack the security guard.
Holsinger subsequently questioned Goode. According to Goode, it was Cotman who planned the attack for the purpose of taking Crouch’s gun. The plan was for Cotman to hit Crouch while Goode grabbed the gun. As agreed the previous day, the two met at a gas station near the government building and hid behind bushes located beside of the building while waiting on Crouch to appear. They both wore bandanas across their faces; Cotman was armed with the baseball bat, and Goode possessed a steel bar, which he was supposed to use in the attack. Holsinger described Goode’s weapon, which was recovered during the investigation, as a “dumb bell” bar used to attach weights for lifting."
Myth Busted
Goode v. Commonwealth, __ Va. App. __ S.E.2d__ (2008)
This week's court of appeals decisions has a case about an armed security guard who was attacked by two men for the purpose of getting his gun. He withstood three strikes from a baseball bat and still managed to use his gun to shoot one of the attackers.
"While on duty at a government building, sixty-four-year-old James Crouch, an armed security guard for Henrico County, was attacked by an individual armed with a baseball bat. At trial, Crouch recalled being on the ground after the initial strike, looking up and seeing someone attacking him, but not seeing his attacker’s face. Crouch remembered being struck three times with the bat, at which time he managed to retrieve his revolver from his weapon belt and fire three rounds at the attacker, who fled. As a result of the attack, Crouch sustained a crushed right index finger, a facial fracture, severe neck pain, and head trauma, which caused vertigo, chronic instability, and balance disorder....
Henrico Police Investigator Thomas Holsinger testified that, after responding to the scene of the attack, he received information that a patient was being treated for a gunshot wound at a nearby hospital. Holsinger interviewed the patient, Jacquan Cotman (Goode’s codefendant), at the hospital. Cotman admitted his involvement in the attack on Crouch, explaining that he wanted Crouch’s gun, but denied hitting Crouch with a baseball bat. Cotman claimed Goode struck Crouch with Cotman’s bat while Cotman “went for the gun.” Failing in his attempt to take the gun from Crouch, Cotman ran. Cotman then realized about fifteen minutes later that he had been shot in the arm. He also indicated to Holsinger that it was Goode’s plan for the two of them to attack the security guard.
Holsinger subsequently questioned Goode. According to Goode, it was Cotman who planned the attack for the purpose of taking Crouch’s gun. The plan was for Cotman to hit Crouch while Goode grabbed the gun. As agreed the previous day, the two met at a gas station near the government building and hid behind bushes located beside of the building while waiting on Crouch to appear. They both wore bandanas across their faces; Cotman was armed with the baseball bat, and Goode possessed a steel bar, which he was supposed to use in the attack. Holsinger described Goode’s weapon, which was recovered during the investigation, as a “dumb bell” bar used to attach weights for lifting."
Myth Busted
Goode v. Commonwealth, __ Va. App. __ S.E.2d__ (2008)