Should this guy be charged?

[daddyo]

I keep hearing that domestic disputes are the most dangerous situations for police to respond to. So, why would anyone else want to intervene?

Call 911 and be a good witness. Don't go around shooting through doors that don't belong to you (even if it is breaching the lock).

[TMF]

I keep hearing that domestic disputes are the most dangerous situations for police to respond to. So, why would anyone else want to intervene?

Call 911 and be a good witness. Don't go around shooting through doors that don't belong to you (even if it is breaching the lock).

Well we still don't know all of the back story. Even then, he heard a woman screaming for her life. Turns out he bad guy had already assaulted her and threatened her with a knife; there's a chance that his actions saved her life. I would have absolutely intervened in that scenario. In the heat of the moment he made a bad choice by trying to breach with a slug, but his intent was to save the life of an innocent and no one was injured due to his bad choice. He deserves no charges.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

You beat me to it, Dave. What I was going to say.

[RobertNashville]

No one is or should feel required to intervene and probably in most cases, people shouldn't.

However, if I believe some innocent person is in imminent danger of death from an aggressor and I don't believe law enforcement will arrive in time and I'm in a position where I believe I CAN intervene and have some success then I believe that the honorable thing to do IS to intervene. I'm not suggesting that people do so recklessly but that doesn't mean we should never get involved and rely on "911".

If by chance I am ever in a position to save an innocent life and I die in the process; well...I can't think of any more honorable way to face the end all of us will face one way or the another.

[Guest cardcutter]

"If by chance I am ever in a position to save an innocent life and I die in the process; well...I can't think of any more honorable way to face the end all of us will face one way or the another"

Amen Brudder!

My Uncle was a cop in Birmingham for thirty odd years. He used to say that the two most dangerous things a cop will ever respond to is a routine traffic stop and a domestic dispute. You cuff and stuff the guy and the women will attack you for taking away her one true love,who just so happens to have been beating the daylights out of her mere moments ago.

It is a bad situation all the way around and it is real easy to get yourself in a bind intintervening. That doesn't mean you should never do it just that you should think long and hard before you do.

Edited March 13, 2012 by cardcutter

[daddyo]

I've read too many accounts where someone intervened in a domestic dispute and the person they were trying to protect turned on them.

And considering what a litigious society we live in nowadays, no thanks. If someone makes the decision not to provide for their own protection, that's simply not my problem. Not trying to be callous or uncaring, but part of self-protection involves protection from legal repercussions, which can also have an effect on my family and their financial future.

[Oh Shoot]

....If by chance I am ever in a position to save an innocent life and I die in the process; well...I can't think of any more honorable way to face the end all of us will face one way or the another.

Just any ole other homo sapiens worth your own life, huh?

- OS

[Guest RobThatsMe]

There was an update to the posted story.

Police determined that Ferrell attacked the woman, causing some minor bodily injury. During the assault, the female victim was physically forced into a bedroom. Police said when she left the bedroom, she was physically assaulted and threatened with a knife.

"I'll never forget that scream," said neighbor Chase Jones. "This woman just screamed out, 'Oh, God, please help me. Somebody please help me'."

After speaking with a neighbor and listening to what was going on in the apartment, Jones said he was sure the woman's life was in danger.

"I got a shotgun out from under the bed and I ran down there," said Jones. "I thought I had a buckshot in the gun, and I shot at the doorknob to kick it open. It turned out to be a slug, and I just thought, 'Oh my goodness. Maybe I've done more harm than good'."

The bullet hit the floor, only feet from the victim and her attacker. Police said the shot caused Ferrell to bolt from the apartment, later being picked up by police.

Also arrested was Jones, who said two counts of reckless endangerment is a big problem for his family of fiance Kristen and their three-month-old son, Ashton Chase.

"It's really going to mess our lives up now," said Jones.

Neighbors said they were proud of Jones for what he did.

"He's a hero in this community," said neighbor Ashley Williams. "He may not think so, but he is."

"I probably should have went about it a different way," said Jones. "I was trying to do the right thing. I'm glad she's okay, so glad she's alright."

Ferrell was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. His bond has been set at $1 million. His court date is set for April 25.

Jones was charged with two counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. He has been released on a $2,500 bond. He is also scheduled to be in court date April 25.

The victim in this case declined to give an interview, but she did tell Channel 4 she's certain Jones saved her life. She said she'll be catching up with Jones soon to tell him 'thank you'.

[RobertNashville]

Just any ole other homo sapiens worth your own life, huh?

- OS

I have no desire to throw my life away in a worthless attempt to be heroic but I tend to find all life as something that should be protected - should I ever be in a position where I can protect an innocent life, I hope to God I have the courage to act.

I'm not judging anyone else for their opinions on this; if someone else would never act, that is their right - we each should do as our conscious and our convictions lead us.

Edited March 13, 2012 by RobertNashville

[TMF]

And considering what a litigious society we live in nowadays, no thanks. If someone makes the decision not to provide for their own protection, that's simply not my problem. Not trying to be callous or uncaring, but part of self-protection involves protection from legal repercussions, which can also have an effect on my family and their financial future.

If I hear a woman screaming for her life the furthest from my mind will be civil liabilities.

I get what you're saying, and it makes sense on paper, but in the heat of the moment folks don't always have time to consider the 2nd and 3rd order effects of their decision. Its a lot easier to armchair quarterback those decisions.

[DaveTN]

Intent?

They don’t need to prove intent, just negligence.

But I don't think it will go that far.

[daddyo]

If I hear a woman screaming for her life the furthest from my mind will be civil liabilities.

I get what you're saying, and it makes sense on paper, but in the heat of the moment folks don't always have time to consider the 2nd and 3rd order effects of their decision. Its a lot easier to armchair quarterback those decisions.

And I get what you're saying as well. It really sucks to have to make a decision like that based on whether or not you might lose everything you own.

Edited March 13, 2012 by DaddyO

[TMF]

They don’t need to prove intent, just negligence.

But I don't think it will go that far.

Me neither.

[gjohnsoniv]

I think in the end he really won't be charged with anything, a slap on the wrist and community service is what I'm seeing. I have no law background so I'm just guessing as much as y'all are though. Maybe Stegall will get on and give us an idea of what could happen. The one time when breaching slugs should be kept on your shotgun I guess?

[Oh Shoot]

I think in the end he really won't be charged with anything, a slap on the wrist and community service is what I'm seeing. ...

They can't give him even that unless he's charged and convicted of something, ya know?

- OS

[gjohnsoniv]

That's a fair statement. It was stupid of him to do what he did but I really hope that he doesn't end up with felony because of it.