Why isn't this murder?

[Dinner]

The teen was being black.

FTFY

In the 1930's that could have been a valid (or at least legal) reason to shoot someone but it hasn't been legal to shoot someone for being black in a white neighborhood for some time now. Even in the south.

[KrazyHorse]

I do retain a 20-30% probability that the vigilante merely said something obnoxious and was attacked by the teen physically for his trouble, which led to an object lesson in the importance of superior firepower. In this case the defense wins, assuming they can show this is what happened.

Checked alby's link, didn't see any video.

[Dinner]

That's what I'm saying! There was not a video when I first saw that link and now there is a video.

[a.kitman]

This wouldnt have happaned if the black kid had a gun. Well the case would have been alot clearer if he did. Life whitout parol for the black kid.

[onodera]

Of course the "cap" said something, anything from "stop right there, you criminal scum" to "hey ******, what the **** are you doing in my community". The kid told him to **** off or ignored him; when the "cap" grabbed him, he socked him on the nose so hard the guy fell onto someone's lawn, got up, pulled the gun out and shot the kid.
That's my completely groundless interpretation.
Hitting anyone who tries to restrain you and has not identified himself as a police officer is completely justified in my book, if you give them a fair warning.

[Egbert]

Is an Oerdiness the Oerdin's wife? I mean the baroness is the baron's wife and the Duchess is the Duke's wife so the Oerdiness must be the Oerdin's wife. Perhaps you meant Oerdinness as in the ness of Oerdin? Though I have to confess that sounds kind of kinky.

That's what you need. An Oerdiness, to give you little Oerdinets and Oerdinettes.

[Donegeal]

Of course the "cap" said something, anything from "stop right there, you criminal scum" to "hey ******, what the **** are you doing in my community". The kid told him to **** off or ignored him; when the "cap" grabbed him, he socked him on the nose so hard the guy fell onto someone's lawn, got up, pulled the gun out and shot the kid.
That's my completely groundless interpretation.
Hitting anyone who tries to restrain you and has not identified himself as a police officer is completely justified in my book, if you give them a fair warning.

You are completely right.

And please Al, I hope you realize that I do believe the watch is most likely guilty of something, I'm just not sure what yet. Could be anything from murder 1 with a hate crime enhancer to just plain old disorderly conduct.

[Provost Harrison]

Sounds like the whole Stephen Lawrence debacle where a black kid was murdered (in Eltham in fact where I used to live in London) and nothing really happened until recently because the police (ha, the delightful Met) just "assumed" he was some "black kid" and nothing but trouble. Turned out he was in education and just a normal lad. Scary. But at least over here it isn't viewed as rather routine, which I find disturbing.

[Jon Miller]

I have never known it to be 'routine' for neighborhood watch to shoot someone.

In fact, I don't think I have heard of it before (although I am sure it has happened).

JM

[Felch]

It's routine in the imaginations of ignorant people.

[Guynemer]

I'm trying to imagine a scenario where a black NW captain shoots a white teen, and isn't arrested immediately.

I can't come up with anything.

[Lorizael]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Man%27s_Burden_(film)

[BlackCat]

Is an Oerdiness the Oerdin's wife? I mean the baroness is the baron's wife and the Duchess is the Duke's wife so the Oerdiness must be the Oerdin's wife. Perhaps you meant Oerdinness as in the ness of Oerdin? Though I have to confess that sounds kind of kinky.

No, it was more like confusedness.

[The Mad Monk]

That makes even less sense.

[Dinner]

I have never known it to be 'routine' for neighborhood watch to shoot someone.

In fact, I don't think I have heard of it before (although I am sure it has happened).

JM

Supposedly the neighborhood watch program's guidelines instruct people to never confront suspicious people and instead to simply call the authorities.