GUILTY MI - Renisha McBride, 19, shot while trying to get help, Detroit, Nov 2013

[BetteDavisEyes]

December 19, 2013 at 11:39 am

Homeowner bound over on murder charge in McBride death

Oralandar Brand-Williams /The Detroit News

Dearborn Heights — Theodore Wafer, the 54-year-old homeowner, charged with fatally shooting 19-year-old Detroit teen Renisha McBride last month as she stood on his front porch, has been bound over for trial in the case.

Dearborn Heights District Court Judge David Turfe, who resided over the two-day preliminary hearing in the case, said Wafer made a “bad choice” Nov. 2 in deciding not to call 911 first and shooting.

The next hearing date is Jan. 15...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131219/METRO01/312190071#ixzz2nwKLluHe


Man will stand trial for murder in Renisha McBride's death

Theodore Wafer charged in death of Renish McBride

Author: Halston Herrera, Senior News Editor for ClickOnDetroit.com, hherrera@wdiv.com

Published On: Dec 19 2013 07:17:30 AM EST Updated On: Dec 19 2013 11:38:03 AM EST

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. -
A Dearborn Heights man who shot a young woman on his porch will face trial on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.

District Court Judge David Turfe said Thursday Theodore Wafer had made a "bad decision" when he brought a shotgun to the door during the early morning hours of Nov. 2 when Renisha McBride showed up on his porch.

Prosecutors had argued that 54-year-old's use of deadly force was unreasonable. He fired the gun through a screen door, hitting McBride in the face...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ing/-/1719418/23560244/-/eyi9whz/-/index.html

 

[Tawny]

What does bound over mean? Meaning, he's being held in custody until trial? I haven't seen that phrase before.

 

[Sherp]

The Judge is living in a fantasy world out there. In this day and age of home invasions, random killing and injury, Knock Out games and all round threats to life and limb, of course a gun owner would bring a gun to the door at 4AM in the dark with banging on his door. Is the Judge a wild eyed Progressive. Is it his job to comment on the event? Didn't we go through this with Lester? I do see the need for a trial, but not for murder in this tragedy which will likely result in a hung jury. Yes, a reasonable person who is also a gun owner would bring a gun to the door when awoken in the middle of the night.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

What does bound over mean? Meaning, he's being held in custody until trial? I haven't seen that phrase before.

"Bound over for trial" is a common legal term. It refers to a situation where a case has been heard in a lower court during which the judge has made a ruling to hold the suspect in jail as he/she awaits further trial in a higher court.

 

[Tawny]

Thanks for the explanation! Yay learning!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Trial ordered for Detroit-area man charged in porch shooting

(Reuters) - A white suburban Detroit homeowner should stand trial on charges of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a young black woman who knocked on his door in the middle of the night in November, a Michigan judge said on Thursday...

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/53873613#.UrNOFZWA3X4

 

[AnaTeresa]

What does bound over mean? Meaning, he's being held in custody until trial? I haven't seen that phrase before.

"Bound over for trial" is a common legal term. It refers to a situation where a case has been heard in a lower court during which the judge has made a ruling to hold the suspect in jail as he/she awaits further trial in a higher court.

It doesn't always have to mean being held in jail. In my state, for instance, juvenile cases are bound over when they are transferred from juvenile court to adult court for some offenders, regardless of whether they are incarcerated. Similarly, some felony offenses are first charged in the Municipal Court and then bound over to the Common Pleas Court, again with the terminology applied without incarceration.

TL;DR - it means transfer.

 

[SwampMama]

I'm sorry to hear he has been charged with 2nd degree murder. I think this was terrible accident that occurred because of many factors and mistakes on both Renisha and Mr Wafer part. But I do not see any evil intent or motive. I see a tragedy that is dividing people and accusations that are in no way helpful to the healing that needs to be done.

I feel for Renisha's family but they cannot lay all of the fault on Mr Wafer. He was sleeping peacefully when Renisha trespassed on his property and seemed to be breaking in and yelling and he responded in a not fully awakened panicked state. He had reason to be alarmed because of incidents in the pasts where his car was vandalized, etc. Please understand, i am not trying to blame either party, i am trying to understand where they both were coming from when they met up on that tragic night. They are both victims to me, victims of circumstances and choices that were made when not thinking clearly. None of us is perfect. We all have regrets and have made mistakes.

I feel bad for Renisha's family but i also feel deeply for Mr Wafer. I personally know the torment that a human goes thru when they are responsible for killing another whether justified or not. He will have a lifetime of judging himself and wishing it could have been different. He does not belong in jail and is not a danger to anyone. He will no doubt suffer from PTSD and nightmares about this for a long time. He has a world of condemnation on him from the publicity from this.

I have intimately lived with a SO who killed someone (and it was completely justified) but he was tormented nevertheless, to his dying day. So i feel for Mr Wafer and wonder about the private torment that he is going thru. The media circus, criminal charges and taking sides is keeping both sides from being able to come to terms with what happened by allowing him to express remorse for what happened and her family giving forgiveness to him. Forgiveness is healing for him and for her family. There needs to be unity, healing and something constructive to come out of this, not punishment and condemnation.

Hate, accusations and blame isn't going to get this situation anywhere. i would prefer to see the involved parties be able to have communication with each other and express their feelings rather than fight it out. I am sure Mr Wafer would like to express remorse, and to make amends and do something constructive with this tragedy but the court case and lawyers have this turned into a situation where that is not possible.

 

[Tawny]

Very well put, SwampMama.

 

[AnaTeresa]

I doubt the state would have charged him if there wasn't evidence pointing to the second degree murder charges. They don't want another repeat of the George Zimmerman trial, or to come away with egg on their face. I think it's likely there is more information that we're not privy to which points to those charges being sensible.

 

[Sonya610]

Usually I check pro-gun sites for legal opinions and this case is getting zero discussion so far. I'm thinking that doesn't bode well for TW but that's just a hunch.

I first heard about the case when I got an email with a link from a pro-gun attorney's site (I am pro-gun and I haven't seen this discussed on boards either).

The attorney, Andrew Branca, said it does not look good for the homeowner.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/1...y-be-legally-weak-in-michigan-porch-shooting/

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I doubt the state would have charged him if there wasn't evidence pointing to the second degree murder charges. They don't want another repeat of the George Zimmerman trial, or to come away with egg on their face. I think it's likely there is more information that we're not privy to which points to those charges being sensible.

Wayne County (MI) Prosecutor Kym Worthy has a reputation for bringing to trial the cases that she knows will be won. Worthy is known to tread carefully, cautiously, and very deliberately before issuing arrest warrants and filing charges. It sometimes takes weeks, if not months, for Kym Worthy to bring charges in certain cases, but she makes the right decisions and gets the job done. I don't live in Wayne County, but I truly admire Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

 

[always reading]

I am sure they are, just as Wafer and his family and friends are hurting. Tragic situation.

They may be, but at least they can see their loved one. Renisha's family would love to be able to see her, but they have been denied that option.

 

[Sherp]

They may be, but at least they can see their loved one. Renisha's family would love to be able to see her, but they have been denied that option.

It's a violent unpredictable world out there particularly in the dark hours, more so when alcohol is involved with the initiator of the contact. Thankfully, she did not kill or hurt another person when she crashed her car, drunk. Sad that she chose to leave the scene of the accident, twice. Tragic with a BA level of .22, she started banging on a stranger's doors at 4AM resulting in bad consequences to her decision making. Who knows what is on the other side of a door?

 

[gxm]

I first heard about the case when I got an email with a link from a pro-gun attorney's site (I am pro-gun and I haven't seen this discussed on boards either).

The attorney, Andrew Branca, said it does not look good for the homeowner.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/1...y-be-legally-weak-in-michigan-porch-shooting/

Thanks! I followed Andrew Branca's coverage of the Zimmerman trial. This is exactly the sort of well-informed commentary I've been looking for on this case.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

June trial set for suspect in Renisha McBride murder case

Theodore Wafer charged with murder in Renisha McBride's death

Published On: Jan 15 2014 06:37:07 AM EST Updated On: Jan 15 2014 10:07:03 AM EST

DETROIT -
A June trial is scheduled for a Detroit-area man charged with second-degree murder after shooting a young woman on his porch ...

Theodore Wafer was arraigned Wednesday, about a month after a judge in another court found probable cause to send him to trial...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ourt/-/1719418/23936276/-/5na15x/-/index.html

 

[Sherp]

Since this event, several black home owners n Detroit have shot at and killed people possible home intruders around their homes. and trying to enter. I don't know if any of them have been charged with 2nd degree murder or only Wafer. Will be very interesting to see where this trial goes and if the others will be standing trial for 2nd degree murder too.
Can be goggled under "Detroit homeowners shoot or fatally kill possible home intruders". Is it justice for all?

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2014/06/18/news/doc53a0ae69b911e282637659.txt

The man charged in the fatal shooting of Renisha McBride last year was scheduled to appear in court Friday for a final conference before his jury trial in July.

However, the hearing for Theodore Paul Wafer, 54, was canceled because a judge has not yet decided whether Wafer’s lawyers will be permitted to show jurors text messages, photos and school records involving McBride, according to The Detroit News.

The lawyers argue the material is relevant to show that McBride had an aggressive side, the report said.

 

[tlcya]

The lawyers argue the material is relevant to show that McBride had an aggressive side, the report said

http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2014/06/18/news/doc53a0ae69b911e282637659.txt

Why is it relevant? Is Mr. Wafer now alleging that this young woman knew she was at a house other than her own and that she threatened him is some way or "aggressed" (don't think that is a real word) against him in some fashion?

I mean aside from her trying to access the house by attempting to get open doors which were locked and prevented her accessing his home so he had to shoot her through his closed door as she stood on his stoop?

 

[Tawny]

Mmm, as supportive as I am of Mr. Wafer, I'm not sure this is relevant to the case. I'm interested to see how this plays out.