Disgusted and sick at the justice system

[tercel89]

On March 15, 2012 in Clarksville Tennessee a U.S. soldier shot his roommate , a fellow U.S. Soldier five times and killing him. The wounded soldier manages to crawl  to the neighbor's house to get help but bleeds out and dies on the porch. Clarksville Police arrive  and find the victim dead . The Clarksville Police follow a blood trail from the dead Soldier to the house from where the blood originated. Four police officers announce out loud that they are police and the enter the home  to check for more wounded victims and for suspects.   They clear the top floor except for one room that is locked. They announce police again and clear the bottom floor. They then go back to clear the one locked room. They kick open the door and find the soldier shooting at them instantly . The soldier fires at them both , hitting one officer in the arm. Both officers return fire and hit the soldier. Then there is a stand-off for a few hours.

 Then a year and a half later there is a trial. The suspect gets 2 charges of misdemeanor reckless endangerment for shooting at the officers and hitting one. And gets reckless homicide punishable by only 2 to 4 yrs for killing his roommate !

 What in God's name is wrong with the damn judicial system ???????

 Read or look up the leaf chronicle newspaper here in Clarksville to get a lot more details . The Police Chief, his department ,  and the victims family are all outraged and so am I !

Edited August 29, 2013 by tercel89

[TripleDigitRide]

If he had a joint in his pocket during the shootings, they would have probably given him another 30 to life. 

[rugerla1]

WTH????

[tercel89]

If he had a joint in his pocket during the shootings, they would have probably given him another 30 to life. 

Not this jury !

[TripleDigitRide]

Where there some sort of extenuating circumstances surrounding the shootings? Mental illness?

[c.a.willard]

For Clarksville specifically, this has been an ongoing problem for may years.  Although crime here is raising i feel there is a lot of political pressure to undercharge and plea everything in order to falsely lower the crime data. 

[gregintenn]

Never heard about this on the news. Wow!

[tercel89]

Where there some sort of extenuating circumstances surrounding the shootings? Mental illness?

The shooter says that he had took some drugs. But what the heck ?

[Sam1]

Would be willing to bet that psychological issues had a big role in this one

[Sam1]

The shooter says that he had took some drugs. But what the heck ?

 

If he was high, I say give him more and send him to the firing squad... he won't know the difference.

[frankmako]

the system has been broken for many mango seasons. 

[tercel89]

This was a slap in the face to the victim's family and the officers involved and the officer that got shot !!!!!

[TMF]

Would be willing to bet that psychological issues had a big role in this one

Nope. The defense was that because he was high on ketamine he didn't know what he was doing. Not kidding. The jury bought that.

[tercel89]

Nope. The defense was that because he was high on ketamine he didn't know what he was doing. Not kidding. The jury bought that.

Yeah you're right . What  a pathetic group of people to believe that ! The jury heard the 911 call and the police audio from their recorders on the inside of the house and the gunfire , yet they decided this crap !

[Sam1]

Nope. The defense was that because he was high on ketamine he didn't know what he was doing. Not kidding. The jury bought that.

 

Well I can say from first hand knowledge that if he was actually high on ketamine, he had absolutely no idea what he was doing, but he should still fry because it was his fault for taking the drugs.

 

They gave me a big old dose of that junk last year at UT hospital after my surgery and I couldn't respond to the doctors, had no control over any of my limbs, couldn't speak and then started having full blown hallucinations of getting chased through an open field by cardboard boxes with legs.

 

That stuff is no joke, guy must've had a low dose cause I don't know how he could've even functioned enough pick up a gun, much less aim and fire it.

[TMF]

Well I can say from first hand knowledge that if he was actually high on ketamine, he had absolutely no idea what he was doing, but he should still fry because it was his fault for taking the drugs.

They gave me a big old dose of that junk last year at UT hospital after my surgery and I couldn't respond to the doctors, had no control over any of my limbs, couldn't speak and then started having full blown hallucinations of getting chased through an open field by cardboard boxes with legs.

That stuff is no joke, guy must've had a low dose cause I don't know how he could've even functioned enough pick up a gun, much less aim and fire it.

I believe the dose was from the night before. I think the whole story is BS. I believe there was an argument between the two over this guy being a leechy POS and a slob in which he lashed out by shooting the victim 5 times in the back. Yes, he had to pull that trigger 5 times aimed at this person's back. The whole story is crap. He murdered him with all the intent to murder. He should be sitting on death row.

The jury should be ashamed of themselves that they saw being high as a defense to murder. Absolutely ridiculous.

[Sam1]

The night before? yeah that is total BS then, cause about 5-6 hours after this, I came out of the black out in excruciating pain and went straight back on the pain pump.  There wasn't any kind of dissipation with the effects, it almost completely disappeared instantly.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Like it or not that's our constitutional system.  Juries frequently have a different perspective on the case than the media-driven public because they don't have the same information.  They're just looking at it through a different lens.  It's hard to accept sometimes but they have their reasons.  A classic example is the OJ trial. 

 

If anyone is to blame maybe it's the prosecutor.  They had the burden.  What did they not do to get a first-degree murder conviction?  I take it that's what defendant was indicted on. 

[TMF]

Like it or not that's our constitutional system. Juries frequently have a different perspective on the case than the media-driven public because they don't have the same information. They're just looking at it through a different lens. It's hard to accept sometimes but they have their reasons. A classic example is the OJ trial.

If anyone is to blame maybe it's the prosecutor. They had the burden. What did they not do to get a first-degree murder conviction? I take it that's what defendant was indicted on.

He was indicted on second degree murder and two counts of attempted murder for engaging the police officers.

The sole reason why those charges were reduced by the jury to reckless homicide and two counts if reckless endangerment is due to the drugs in his system. His entire defense was that he didnt know what he was doing and therefore had no intent to do what he did. Being on drugs or alcohol is not, and should never be an acceptable defense. The jurors got it wrong. I followed the case and heard the evidence.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Just curious-- Was the ketamine self-administered, or related to a medical procedure? I don't get out much, but that seems a strange drug of abuse?

[npgunner]

I agree. Being high on drugs you choose to take will never be an acceptable defense in my mind.

From what I understand ketamine isn't that difficult to get. I've known of several anesthesia providers that have lost their license to practice because of it. It's also used in veterinary medicine a lot. On the street some people call it "vitamin K" or "special K."

[Patton]

I remember when that happened. He should fry. I believe both of the guys were SF, we're they not? I actually thought the guy had the police pinned down upstairs so they couldn't even exit the house, he either had a Glock 30 or 21. Edited August 29, 2013 by Patton

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I didn't follow that case, and don't read the Chronicle, but if some drug got him that verdict, it shouldn't be a defense. I

thought drug abuse was a problem that needed stamping out. Look at the meth problem and all the money thrown at that.

I can't buy Sudafed because of it and I have never killed anyone. Most of these people making and/or using drugs and

just becoming a number in the system to be used as a statistic don't deserve life, as it is. Yet, we baby them.

 

I think the Clarksville PD should have just shot this one in the head while defending themselves and getting shot at by him.

 

The whole situation is terrible. The DA must have been in an alternate universe, like usual in Clarksville.

[TMF]

Just curious-- Was the ketamine self-administered, or related to a medical procedure? I don't get out much, but that seems a strange drug of abuse?

Self administered. This POS was a medic, and had a history of drug abuse with controlled meds acquired from his job. He had recently been reduced in rank and was facing other punishment for being a POS. The ketamine was purchased through an online pharmacy.

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

[quote name="Sam1" post="1023185" timestamp="1377744238"] Well I can say from first hand knowledge that if he was actually high on ketamine, he had absolutely no idea what he was doing, but he should still fry because it was his fault for taking the drugs. They gave me a big old dose of that junk last year at UT hospital after my surgery and I couldn't respond to the doctors, had no control over any of my limbs, couldn't speak and then started having full blown hallucinations of getting chased through an open field by cardboard boxes with legs. That stuff is no joke, guy must've had a low dose cause I don't know how he could've even functioned enough pick up a gun, much less aim and fire it.[/quote] I think I'd be asking my dr why he was giving me animal tranquilizers? They use ketamine aka special k to sedate horses, cats, etc for surgery. To be quiet honest you're the first person I've ever heard of that had it used on them. There are certainly better drugs to use for pain ie morphine. Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy. Edited August 29, 2013 by tdoccrossvilletn