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We talked to jurors who found Michael Drejka guilty of manslaughter
The verdict came down to the surveillance video that captured the shooting, they said.www.tampabay.com
Ryan compared what Drejka said to the video, and some things just didn't line up, he said. For example, Drejka told detectives he saw McGlockton step forward, but in the video, he moves back.
If you choose to carry a concealed weapon you forfeit your right to voluntarily participate in conflicts.Exactly. Signs and rules mean squat if people have no consequence.
If you choose to carry a concealed weapon you forfeit your right to voluntarily participate in conflicts.
This guy was a self-appointed parking lot monitor and cop wannabe. He was also a racist. If he wants to be those things that is his business but he should have left his gun at home.
I might politely remind someone that they are parked in a handicapped spot, but if they got argumentative I would walk away and either call the police or inform the owner of the property. If I am carrying, I simply refuse to engage in any sort of argument or dispute that could potentially escalate. In the 23 years that I have had a permit I have never gotten into a fight and have never once had to draw my gun. And I want to keep it that way.
If you choose to carry a concealed weapon you forfeit your right to voluntarily participate in conflicts.
This guy was a self-appointed parking lot monitor and cop wannabe. He was also a racist. If he wants to be those things that is his business but he should have left his gun at home.
I might politely remind someone that they are parked in a handicapped spot, but if they got argumentative I would walk away and either call the police or inform the owner of the property. If I am carrying, I simply refuse to engage in any sort of argument or dispute that could potentially escalate. In the 23 years that I have had a permit I have never gotten into a fight and have never once had to draw my gun. And I want to keep it that way.
That dude was dumb about it for sure, but that doesn't mean there isn't a way to call people out on their crap.
Sorry, I gotta agree with @soberups on this one. In today's world it is highly risky to call people out on their crap. Not even LEOs get away from the repercussions of an armed encounter that can quickly escalate. Although LEOs cannot always de-escalate, IMO self defenders often are able to do so, but for various reason some don't want to. Most often I think for those self defenders, ego is involved. That doesn't mean one has to accept being abused, especially physically, but why go looking for trouble when there is plenty around that can find us anyway?
De-escalation: Today I went to Walmart to pickup a prescription and a few other things. The meds turned out to be $90 worth and I told that gal at the counter that I didn't want them (I can get them thru the VA for $8ea copay). Finished shopping I crossed the main pavement to get to my vehicle parked in the Handicapped zone with sticker properly displayed. I noticed a car in front of the store apparently waiting for another person to vacate a handicap spot. However, the other person didn't seem inclined to leave.
When I got to my car I put my groceries away except for the all beef hot dog, which I proceeded to prepare. But I noticed in my mirror that the car had moved up behind me and was waiting for me now. I shook my head at him. He waited a bit, then pulled up to move into another space a few spots away. I would normally eat my hot dog in peace while listening to the radio, but I had decided to give him a break and put the car in reverse. He started backing up, but another car pulled up behind him, so he went ahead and parked.
By the time I had reversed out of the handicap space, the guy was at the rear of his vehicle, standing in the road with his hands on his hips and giving me the stinkeye. As I pulled even I rolled down my window, giving back the stinkeye, and in a stern voice saying "Is there a problem?" He says "Yeah, I needed that space for a wheelchair" as his partner gets out of the car with a walker, no wheelchair in sight. De-escalation: I smiled and said "Oh, I'm sorry... I needed to fixup my hot dog before leaving." Now, I had considered delivering a lecture on waiting your turn. But after my smile and faux apology, the guy softens his look, both guys smile and he cheerfully says "Have a nice day!".......... The sweet sound of a successful strategy that cost me nothing since my ego isn't dependent on holding some other guy's feet to the fire.
In many cases, a simple palms out and a "sorry fella, I don't want any trouble" heads off trouble. In a few cases, such an action will trigger a predator. But it's worth a try vs the risk of a deadly encounter.
Hello : No_Regerts (Think you meant Regrets but that's not how you spelled it )
You make several comments above in reply post #439 that make me think you believe your superior to everyone of us on the web site.
First you said You found it odd that people would criticitze indecision or a precieved incorrect response by a LEO. ( A few not all LEOs are wrong and need to be removed )
I do extend my respect to the LEOs that are in fact good .
And that you find so many people not willing to act on anything.
Not willing to tell people they are wrong in person , not going to engage people who are doing others harm to others ect .
That you've never had a problem with telling someone where to go and how to get there.
So you want everybody to get into it with everybody they see and think is wrong doers ???? And others DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY OUT OF IT BUT DO AS YOU PLEASE GET INTO THE MESS NOT THERES.
Heck yes engage get into a shoot eventually be known as the barney five wanna be copper end up in court over somebody elses problem lose your house and go bankrupt maybe even get hurt or go to prison.
Heck yeah lets go plain beserk crazy were all wanna be coppers now and im the authority in chg here now you listen and do or else !
Are you kidding me ? Bring back the wild west days ?
Think you been paid too long and to do law work as I read your post and lost view on both sides of the fence and got just plain mean.
You have what it takes to be the next Mr Drejka as I see it so hey go ahead do it as a citizen and see how well that works for you in the end someday just as it did for Mr Drejka.
If Mr Drejka had called the law likely everybody would be alive and the state would have had a ticket for unlawful handi cap parking with money pd for the violation and a road would have been funded for all.
But no it was a funeral and huge loss of common sense resulting in no good for all involved.
Personally it would have to be for myself a very serious conflict before id step in and a parking violation sure as heck isnt even close to getting into one.
Use some common sense and dont be a wanna be copper or the beach sand kicking bully and the rest will work itself out better than a kill ending with little stuff starting it.
Head Shot
I just find it odd that on a website where people will criticize indecision or a perceived incorrect response by an LEO, you find so many people not willing to act on anything. Not willing to tell people they are wrong in person, not going to engage people who are doing harm to others, etc.
I'm not sure if I am wired differently or what, but I've never had a problem with telling someone where to go and how to get there. Been paid to do so since I was 18 in one form or another. Maybe that's why I do what I do for a living.
I get it... But ya know it's highly personal in the case of civilians helping others... I have to respect those that say protecting family comes first. I'm stupid... I'd run across a busy freeway to get to where a rollover accident just happened. But I was a Lifeguard, then a Coastie... I'm wired that way!
I was raised in S. Calif, a place that used to be chill... we minded our own biz... often to an extent that we didn't even know our neighbors. But not my Dad. My dad was one such as you described... and, he was a short man... always getting in somebody's face/sch!t. Like a barking Chihauhau. The older he got, the worse he became for this behavior... my 6'4" brother had to rescue his old butt from getting stomped a number of times when out in public. Not cool!!!
As far as engaging people that are merely behaving poorly... IMO it doesn't need to happen. My sifu taught me that real strength comes from the confidence of knowing that you can handle people, but you need to know when to and when not to. Being armed and interfering with people is the same thing... it's highly risky if the thing escalates to the point where you then can't walk away... and just plain tragic if the whole mess could have been avoided.
LEOs don't have this choice... it's their job to get involved. Most of the time you won't see criticism from me... but you have to admit that some cops take the attitude a bit far.
The "can I help" goes further than "you f-ed up".
Hello : No_Regerts (Think you meant Regrets but that's not how you spelled it )
You make several comments above in reply post #439 that make me think you believe your superior to everyone of us on the web site.
Glad I don't have to deal with drunks.... couldn't do it. Kudos to those that can but after being married to a drunk I find drunkeness to be repulsive and disgusting. Parking disputes are much easier to solve.
Guys police themselves very often. Girls don't and they get so shocked when someone confronts them. Like, "How DARE you!"
If you had just shoved someone to the ground and they pulled out a gun would you "turn away"? The argument that he was turning away would carry no weight with me. That said, the defendant started the whole incident by being a jerk. He was not just minding his own business. I'm not sure he's entitled to non-aggressor status. And in any case, I'm still looking for some indication of a disparity of force. Can't see one.Is it? If you are an aggressor in FL, do you get to use the self-defense defense in your trial? If Person A is yelling at Person B, might Person C who comes on it in the middle think Person A is the aggressor and exercise defense of others? Assuming Person C is determined to be the initial aggressor (and it matters), If Person C is backing away when the gun is drawn, has Person C withdrawn from the conflict sufficiently to preclude Person A from shooting him?