Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

From LancasterOnline.com of October 29, 2005

Man shot to death after altercation in Lancaster Twp.

Police continue to investigate killing of 42-year-old man, who allegedly had assaulted 55-year-old man who shot him.

Reeling from a vicious beating, a 55-year-old man pulled out a handgun and fired two shots at his alleged assailant Friday night in the Sterling Place housing complex in southwest Lancaster Township, city police said.

One of the bullets struck the alleged assailant, a 42-year-old man, in the left side of the abdomen, and the wound was fatal.

Paramedics transported the shooting victim to Lancaster General Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving, Capt. of Detectives John Flemming said.

The 55-year-old man also was taken to General Hospital for treatment of head and facial injuries from the beating. He was treated and released and then interviewed by police. No charges were filed, and the man was released by police pending further investigation and consultation with the Lancaster County coroner and district attorney.

“At this point, we believe that this person does not pose a danger to the community,’’ Flemming said.
…

The 55-year-old was struck around the face and head, and the blows caused cuts and other injuries. After being struck, the beating victim pulled out a pistol — for which he had a permit — and fired two shots, Flemming said.

From Lancaster‘s WGAL.com of October 30, 2005

Lancaster Police Consider Self-Defense In Fatal Shooting

A fatal shooting in Lancaster Township may have been an act of self-defense, police said Saturday.

Raymond Leary, 42, of Lake Street, Lancaster Township, was shot and killed after getting into an argument with another man in the 600 block of Sterling Place at about 8 p.m. Friday, police said.

The shooter was being beaten by Leary when the shooting happened, police said.

Police are not releasing the shooter's name, but said that as of Sunday morning, the person was not facing charges.

From LancasterOnline.com of November 5, 2005

DA: Lancaster Twp. shooting was self-defense

Love triangle slaying was justifiable use of force

Investigators have determined a 55-year-old man acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a man during a fight, Lancaster County District Attorney Donald Totaro said Friday.

The Oct. 28 shooting inside a Lancaster Township apartment ended an affair Raymond Anthony Leary, 42, was having with Robert Wright's wife.

Totaro issued the ruling after spending the past week reviewing statements from witnesses and medical and autopsy reports.

"Despite this decision, it should be clear that the use of deadly force is only justifiable under very limited circumstances, as a last resort," Totaro said in a statement.

A love triangle between Leary, Wright and Guilene Wright, 45, led to the brawl.

Leary struck Wright in the head with a liquor bottle and punched him in the face several times. In the brawl, Wright also lost a tooth and required five staples to close a gash on his head.

Wright shot Leary once in the abdomen with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. He had a permit to carry the gun and wore it in a hip holster.

Guilene Wright obtained a protection from abuse order against Leary in March but continued to see him. Leary had previously punched her in the face and stole her vehicle.

Leary had been in and out of prison for the last five years on drug, theft and assault charges. He was paroled Oct. 16 from Lancaster County Prison.

(Much more detail about the altercation)