Everett, WA - conviction after road-rage incident, shooting, death

[ATCclears]

A jury has rejected claims of self-defense and found Simeon Berkley guilty of second-degree murder in a road-rage incident in Everett in 2019.

Berkley testified that Steven Whitemarsh had been aggressively tailgating his car in July 2019, and Whitemarsh's Lincoln Navigator crashed into the back of Berkley's Honda Accord.

Berkley said he felt threatened by Whitemarsh so he shot the driver twice in the head, killing him. Berkley claimed it was self-defense.

The jury returned the guilty verdict Thursday.

Berkley is expected to face 15 to 22 years behind bars. A sentencing hearing is set for April 16.

Prosecutors say Berkley was involved in another case in 1991 in California where he shot and paralyzed a man. He claimed self-defense in that shooting and was acquitted.

Jury finds man guilty of murder in Everett road-rage incident

EVERETT, Wash. — A jury has rejected claims of self-defense and found Simeon Berkley guilty of second-degree murder in a road-rage incident in Everett in 2019. Berkley testified that Steven Whitemarsh had been aggressively tailgating his car in July 2019, and Whitemarsh’s Lincoln Navigator...

komonews.com

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[jrd541280]

and the people that injur cops in a riot get to go home to mama on a no bail arrest. is self defense no longer a defense?

 

[Alexx1401]

I remember the picture of him but can't remember anything from the local news at the time this happened. Sounds like a damn shame all around.
Edit, there was a link to the original. Said after the guy hit him he got out and walked back to the other car. Driver never got out, he pulled his gun and shot him. Of course with the "news" it's always hard to say but, sure sounds like someone with a temper problem.

 

[RyanG90]

Yeah, he murdered that guy.

 

[revjen45]

IF the LSM account is accurate Berkely murdered Whitemarsh - It's kind of hard to claim SD when he just got out of his car, walked up to the driver's window and shot him.
The Beloved and I were talking about it and arrived at the conclusion that this was a case of violence prone excretory orifices who were both looking for trouble and met up. Whitemarsh had a bat in the passenger compartment, which seems odd. It also seems like maybe Berkely got off with it once and thought he could do it again. So here we have 2 belligerent bozos pulling road rage manuvers in traffic and Berkely finally set up a brake check rear ender @ 70 mph and things just went down from there. Whitemarsh brought a bat to a gun fight and Berkely went full retard both in what he did and what he said about it after. It was easy for the DA to make the jury see what a menace he would be if allowed to run around loose.