Tonight I wanted to talk to you guys about the Home Defense Shooting that occurred in Raleigh, North Carolina this past Sunday involving home owner, 39-year-old Chad Copley and the alleged intruder (deceased) 20-year-old Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas.
I first read about this case Monday Morning and actually was going to put up a decent write-up that Bearing Arms did, but I decided to wait to see if any more information came to light, and sure enough it has.
Heavy just released an article that not only gives a really good overview (with 911 recordings), but also reveals some previously unknown information regarding Copley.
Looking at the Facts of the Shooting itself, IMO, this looks like a case of extremely bad judgement on the part of Mr. Copley.
As I have told you guys many times before, if you are going to decide to carry or use a gun to defend yourself or your property ALWAYS be prepared to FIGHT for your LIFE TWICE. Once in the shooting itself and Second in the Legal Battle that follows.
So right now, with the evidence we have, from a legal standpoint, we have to determine Chad Copley’s Culpability.
Bottom Line, From what I am seeing right now, I think Mr. Copley was Negligent and Reckless in his Actions.
Is it First Degree Murder (Willful and Pre-Meditated)? I don’t think so.
Is it Second Degree Murder (Not Pre-Meditated but done with Malice After Thought?) I Don’t Think So.
Is it Third Degree Murder (or Voluntary Manslaughter) which is defined in North Carolina as:
Voluntary manslaughter refers to an intentional killing resulting from some sort of provocation, often called a “heat of passion” crime. This charge typically is reserved for instances where the defendant acted rashly, under the influence of extreme emotional distress. Involuntary manslaughter, on the other hand, is an accidental killing resulting from criminally negligent or reckless behavior. While states can treat voluntary manslaughter laws differently, North Carolina penalizes the offense (upon conviction) with a minimum of four years in prison.
I think so.
Why? When you look at Copley’s actions from start to finish through this whole incident, the five words I bolded above describes him to a T: Criminally Negligent or Reckless Behavior.
Now will that be the deciding verdict? I don’t know. In Cases like this, having a Lawyer with a winning record in similar cases and one well versed in Self-Defense Law with the ability to plea down is key. But you also have to factor in the kind of judge and jury you get.
The other “X Factor” is the Racial and Political ramifications already surrounding this case.
Don’t be surprised if Barney’s Lap Dog, Attorney General Lynch does not poke her head into this STATE MATTER (just like AG Holder did with the Zimmerman Case in Florida) and start bringing up RACE as a motivating factor for the crime along with questioning Second Amendment and Self-Defense Laws (North Carolina is a Stand Your Ground State).
It would also not surprise me if Lynch does not try to file FEDERAL HATE CRIME charges against Copley if he does in fact get a Manslaughter Conviction.
So there it is guys. Not a pretty picture at all. In fact right now I would label this as the Home Defense Cautionary Tale of the Year.
I will be keeping my eye on this case and bringing you updates as I get them.
Stay Alert, Stay Armed, Be Smart and Stay Dangerous!
Reblogged this on The way I see things … and commented:
Don’t be surprised if Barney’s Lap Dog, Attorney General Lynch does not poke her head into this STATE MATTER (just like AG Holder did with the Zimmerman Case in Florida) and start bringing up RACE as a motivating factor for the crime along with questioning Second Amendment and Self-Defense Laws (North Carolina is a Stand Your Ground State).
It would also not surprise me if Lynch does not try to file FEDERAL HATE CRIME charges against Copley if he does in fact get a Manslaughter Conviction.