VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME LOSE TWO BIG ONES

Potential victims of dangerous criminals (those of us still standing) had two recent setbacks nationally.

1. As reported on May 28, in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, an Oklahoma City pharmacist who shot and killed a robber while in defense of two coworkers, was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury of his peers. The harsh penalty for one's simply defending himself and his business from a predator, sets a dangerous president. It seems that what hurt pharmacist Jerome Erland's defense for shooting robber Antwun Parker, was fourfold in nature. 1. Antwun was just seventeen years old (thus presumably incapable of threat because of his tender youth). 2. Antwun was unarmed--but how is a victim always to know that? 3. Erland's first shot knocked down the youth, but then Erland grabbed another pistol and fired at the prone robber five more times, finally dispatching him. 4.The jury was composed of 8 women and 4 men, not particularly good for Erland, as a teen was involved.

Alas, Erland, a former Air Force lieutenant colonel, just protecting his pharmacy from a robber, may spend 38 years in prison for this new sort of crime, that of not using deadly force responsibly. Such was the admonition of D.A. Prater and the one which carried the day.
Apparently, shooting Atwun once was acceptable in Oklahoma, but the the followup shots were not. So I suppose store owners in the Sooner state, those brave folks still willing to defy the court, had better make that first shot count from now on. One hopes, however, that this idiotic decision will be considered as such by the public and the appeals court, where the case will no doubt be headed. It should strike terror, though, in store owners, shopkeepers, and other potential victims of predators who work in high-crime areas. For too many people may now eschew an armed defense, for fear of killing a thug and thus risk winding up on a state's death row.

Meanwhile, one Major Hassan, who allegedly murdered thirteen innocent service men at Ft. Hood a while back, has yet to face a jury. Why? only our esteemed Attorney General Eric Holder holds the answer. Perhaps Mr. Prater should try Hassas as well. And there's one Mr. Mumia, formerly of Philadelphia, who was convicted of cold-bloodedly murdering a police officer over 20 years ago, is still breathing, still worshipped by many of Hollywood's leftist elites, and still has hopes of being freed. Sometimes Justice is truly blind.

2. The second setback came from the effects of a long drawn out case in touchy feely California, wherein grave concern over prison overcrowding is about to turn loose thousands of criminals from behind bars. How potentially tragic this will be for the Golden State population who, like me, are not swayed by officials who assure us that the really dangerous felons will continue to mark time in their anonymity--only the nonviolent predators will be given early release. Sorry, but I'm not fooled by such self-serving rhetoric. The state has already admitted it accidentally--due to computer glitch problems-- loosed onto the streets of California 450 violent thugs. One has to thank the Carter, Clinton, and Obama-type federal judges for this, those who often show a tender compassion for prisoners, but not so their victims. Unfortunately, it's an old story here in the land of the fruits and nuts. Hopefully, though, homeowners protecting their families with deadly force won't suffer a similar fate as did Oklahoma's pharmacist Erland.

BIN LADEN DEAD, MAJOR HASSAN IN THE ON-DECK CIRCLE

If the reason for not quickly trying Major Hassan for his cold-blooded murder of 13 American troops has been concern that it might upset Bin Laden, well, I guess we can forget that now. So, why not ignore political correctness for once and put Hassan on trial? Let's do it quickly, too! We'll look weak if we don't. And since we're swimming with sharks, we'd better be the biggest shark in the pool.