Birmingham, Alabama

From the Birmingham News of October 2, 2006

Taxi driver kills robber

Driver says he shot man after told to get in trunk

A Yellow Cab Co. driver told police he shot and killed a man Saturday night who had robbed him and then had tried to put him in the trunk of his cab.

The shooting victim was identified Sunday as Roderick McGraw, 52, of Pinson, said Lt. Henry Irby of the Birmingham Police Department.

The death is the city's 84th homicide of 2006, compared to 76 at this time last year.

The taxi driver was questioned and released Saturday pending a review by the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, Irby said.

The shooting took place at approximately 8p.m. in the 200 block of 47th Street North Alley.

Birmingham City Councilwoman Carol Reynolds said she questioned police about the incident on Sunday.

She was told the driver picked up a man in East Lake who instructed him to drive down an alley and stop. The man pulled a gun and demanded that the driver give him money, which the driver did.

Then the man told the driver to get out of the car because he was going to put him in the trunk. At that point, the driver pulled his own gun and shot the man, Reynolds said.

From Birmingham’s WTVM.com of October 5, 2006

Cab driver won't be charged in shooting death of rider

Police said today that a cab driver who fatally shot a man to thwart a robbery attempt won't face any charges.

Birmingham police Sergeant Scott Praytor said the Jefferson County District Attorney's office ruled that the 45-year-old Yellow Cab Company driver was justified in shooting 52-year-old passenger Roderick McGraw during a Saturday night holdup.

The shooting occurred at 8 p-m Saturday in the 200 block of 47th Street North Alley.

McGraw got in the cab in East Lake and told the driver to drive down an alley and stop. McGraw pulled a gun and demanded that the driver give him money, which the driver did. Then McGraw told the driver to get out of the car.

Praytor said the driver wasn't sure what was going to happen next so he pulled his own gun and shot the man.