Thursday, November 5, 2009

Back in Business

The crap that shut me down before is over, with RightHaven driven into bankruptcy.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Center Point-area robbery foiled after shots exchanged

Center Point, Alabama

From the October 21, 2009 Birmingham News:

A barrage of gunfire erupted during a robbery attempt in the Center Point area Tuesday night, authorities said today.

Two employees of the Phone Store at 2111 Center Point Road were closing up for the night about 8 p.m. when a man came from behind a trash bin and pointed a gun at the female employee as she was getting in her car, saying "Give up your money; you might as well give it up."

When the male employee tried to take cover, the gunman opened fire. The male employee returned fire, firing eight shots at the robber who took off running, said Jefferson County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Randy Christian.

Franconia Township, Penn. Burglar Runs From Armed Resident

Franconia Township, Pennsylvania

From the November 3, 2009 North Pennsylvania Reporter:
A Franconia Township homeowner who found a burglar in his home early Sunday morning grabbed a shotgun and fired several shots as the person fled.

According to Franconia Township Police, the resident of a home in the 300 block of Oak Driver heard a noise in his kitchen at 2:30 a.m.

The homeowner saw a man run out of the kitchen door after taking an undetermined amount of cash that was left on the kitchen table, police said.

Wielding a shotgun, the homeowner chased the burglar through his backyard, firing several rounds in the direction of the suspect, police said.

After losing the suspect, the homeowner notified police.

Orang County, Florida Hotel Clerk Disarms Robber, Shoots At Him

Orange County, Florida

From November 3, 2009 WFTV channel 9:
The hotel's security camera caught the clerk in action, facing down an armed robber.

Just before midnight, a man with a black t-shirt over his face pulled a pistol and demanded cash. But less than 20 seconds into the holdup, the clerk grabbed the bandit's gun and shot at him. He missed and the suspect got away with the money, but police say he left behind plenty of evidence.

Teenaged Son Protects Mom From Ex-Husband

Dover, Delaware

From the October 29, 2009 Wilmington (Del.) News-Journal:
One of the teenage sons of a Dover woman being assaulted by her ex-husband grabbed a shotgun and fired into the air to get his father to stop the attack, Dover police said.

The victim's estranged husband, Jeremy S. Stanislow, 32, of the 1100 block of Smyrna Clayton Blvd. in Smyrna, was charged with three counts of assault, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and disorderly conduct.

He was later released on $3,000 bail.

Dover police Lt. Steve Getek said officers Tuesday night were sent to the first block of Forest Creek Drive about 7 p.m. to investigate a domestic incident.

The victim told officers that she and her estranged husband argued over custody issues because he wanted to take their youngest child with him for the evening.

The argument turned physical and Stanislow shoved the victim off the steps and started assaulting her, Getek said.

When the woman's 16-year-old son saw his father attacking his mother he picked up a board and hit Stanislow in the back, according to court records.

Then, when the woman tried to stop Stanislow from beating up on his son, he turned and began punching her until she blacked out, police said in court records.

At this point, the woman's 14-year-old son came out of the house holding a shotgun, pointed it in the air and fired in an effort to get his father to stop attacking his mother, police said.

Stanislow then ran.

Toledo, Wash. Homeowner Shoots Intruder

Toledo, Washington

From October 29, 2009 KOMO-TV:
TOLEDO, Wash. -- A local homeowner shot and killed an intruder in what the Lewis County sheriff says was a justified shooting.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield said the 62-year-old resident was awakened around 10:40 p.m. Tuesday by the sound of someone breaking into his home.

“He (homeowner) heard some noise, got up, thought he saw some shadows,” the sheriff said. “He armed himself and started to look around. And all of a sudden there’s someone right there in his house, coming toward him up the stairway in his house.”

The homeowner twice told the intruder to "freeze," and when he didn't comply, fired one shot, Mansfield said. The intruder was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as 45-year-old Mark Michels by the Lewis County Coroner's Office.

The sheriff said detectives are reviewing evidence to ensure they corroborate the homeowner's story. However, he said initial findings indicate the homeowner was acting in self defense when he shot the intruder.

...

Mark Michels had a criminal history that included robbery and grand theft. He also had a former boss who never gave up on him.

Terry Hanson said when Michels boasted he could rob a bank, he tried to right his thinking.

“I said, ‘Hey, that’s a real smart thing and you’ll be right back where you came from -- in prison.'" he said. "Apparently, that’s exactly what he did. Went out and broke into someone’s house and paid the price for it."

Stand Your Ground Law in Florida

Hudson, Florida

From the October 28, 2009 St. Petersburg Times:

NEW PORT RICHEY — Under Florida's "stand your ground" law, a jury this week acquitted a Hudson man who shot his neighbor.

Anthony Boglino of 18252 Thomas Blvd. was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted, said his defense attorney, Chris Frey.

Authorities said Boglino, 64, fired one shot at his neighbor, Haigh Frank Kopoain, late on May 13, 2008. Both men were in the yard of another neighbor when they got into an argument.

Boglino testified that he felt threatened when Kopoain, then 36, became angry, charged at him and yelled at him to leave the property, Frey said. Boglino has arthritis in his hands and couldn't defend himself.

Boglino pulled a 22-caliber revolver from his pocket to protect himself, Frey said. When Kopoain charged again, Boglino fired at his abdomen.

Off-Duty Security Guard Shoots Psychiatric Patient After Attack On Doctor

Boston, Massachusetts

From the October 27, 2009 Boston Globe:
A patient in a psychiatric center near the Massachusetts General Hospital stabbed his doctor this afternoon before being shot dead by an off-duty security guard, police said.

The physician is in stable condition, Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said at a press conference this afternoon as he described a chaotic scene.

A relative said the victim was Dr. Astrid Desrosiers, a Massachusetts General Hospital psychiatrist who worked at the center. Isabellie Desrosiers, Desrosiers' sister-in-law, said she had been told by Desrosiers' sister that Astrid had been shot. Police identified the patient late this afternoon as 37-year-old Jay Carciero of Reading.

The actions of the security guard, who does not work at the hospital, were hailed as "heroic" by Bonnie Michelman, head of security for Massachusetts General Hospital.

Home Invaders Bring Tire Iron & Knife To Gunfight

Port Charlotte, Florida

From the October 27, 2009 Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

PORT CHARLOTTE - Two men, armed with a knife and a tire iron, reportedly forced their way inside a Port Charlotte home Saturday night, only to find the occupants had guns.

The botched home invasion robbery ended quickly when one of the suspects sustained a nonfatal gunshot wound to the stomach, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities have arrested one man and intend to charge the other upon his release from a Fort Myers-area hospital in connection to the attempted robbery at the 21000 block of Beaverton Avenue.

The incident occurred around 10 p.m. at the home of Peter L. Gilmore, 69, and his 25-year-old son, James S. McGlone.

Two men, later identified as Keith Sowers, 32, of Punta Gorda, and Port Charlotte resident Joshua Eugene Becerril, 29, wearing stockings over their faces, kicked open the front door, deputies said.

Becerril reportedly held Gilmore at knifepoint. McGlone ran into his father's bedroom, where Gilmore kept several guns, and was chased by Sowers, toting a tire iron.

Sowers allegedly hit McGlone over the head with the tire iron before being shot in the stomach.

Elderly Woman Scares Off Home Intruder

Leon County, Texas

From October 26, 2009 Austin channel 8:

Law enforcement officials suspect a home invasion in Leon County is connected to a serial rapist who has been terrorizing elderly women in rural areas of Texas for months.

On Saturday, police say a man broke into the home of an 81-year-old woman.

The woman had a handgun and managed to fire several shots, scaring the man away.

The burglar got away with some cash and other items, but the woman was not hurt.

Investigators believe this incident may be connected to a series of sexual assaults on elderly women across four Central Texas counties, including Bell County.

At least seven women have been attacked since January.

All are over 60, widows and live alone in rural areas.

New Orleans Drug Dealer Killed in Self-Defense By Another Drug Dealer

New Orleans, Louisiana

From the October 23, 2009 New Orleans Times-Picayune:
An Orleans Parish jury unanimously freed a man accused of murder after he told them that the shooting victim and his friends had infested an Algiers neighborhood with drug-dealing.

The defendant, meanwhile, is serving time for selling drugs.

Marcus Henry, 29, admitted killing Aubrey Powell, 31, in a shootout the night of Oct. 27, 2007, in the 800 block of Vallette Street. But it was in self-defense, he testified at Criminal District Court.

The jury deliberated for about 3 1/2 hours Thursday before freeing Henry from the second-degree murder charge, which would carry mandatory life in prison upon conviction.

Henry, however, remains in jail, serving a 30-month sentence for dealing crack cocaine. He told the jury that he is trying to rebuild his life and at the time of the shooting was working three jobs.

Police arrested Henry minutes after the killing, after spotting a car barreling down Opelousas Street -- and then watching someone toss a handgun from the car.

The gun was the only weapon entered into evidence at the trial, although jurors heard that multiple shots were fired that night from more than one weapon.

Prosecutors presented two eyewitnesses who identified Henry as the killer, including one man who testified in his prison jumpsuit since he is in federal custody as a result of a drug-dealing charge.

Defense attorney Martin Regan argued that the homicide was a case of two drug dealers getting involved in a fight, and one drew his gun faster -- his client.

Yantley, Alabama Convenience Store Robber Killed

Yantley, Alabama

From October 22, 2009 WTOK channel 11:

Authorities finally released the name of the person killed in an attempted robbery Tuesday morning in Yantley, Ala.

19-year-old Daniel Law, Jr., was shot and killed Oct. 20 when officials say he tried to rob the Citgo store on Highway 10.

Law was a 2009 graduate of Choctaw County High School.

Investigators say the owner of the store fired the fatal shot. No charge was filed.
The case will be presented to a grand jury.

Goldenrod, Florida Home Invader Shot By Victims

Goldenrod, Florida

From October 24, 2009 central Florida channel 13:

GOLDENROD -- A home invasion ended with one of the suspects dead and several others injured early Saturday morning.

Seminole County deputies said two men returned to a home on Fernbrook Way, when witnesses said the two were confronted by armed suspects who forced their way inside and opened fire.

That, deputies said, was when one of the victims grabbed a gun and started shooting back.

When deputies arrived, they found Maurice Thomas collapsed in the street. He was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, but he did not survive.

Three other people were shot, but officials said they were expected to be OK.

A second suspect was found in a nearby wooded area, and faces charges.

Officials said, Mack Brooks, one of the victims found in the home, was also shot during a previous home invasion in Orange County.