Here we go again...but with a twist
July 27, 2013 8:23 AM Subscribe
In New Orleans at 2:00 a.m. Marshall Coulter, an African American 14-year-old boy, was shot in the head by a homeowner who said he thought the teen was trying to break into his house. But police said the teen was unarmed and did not pose an "imminent threat" when he was shot and have charged the owner with attempted second-degree murder.
The twist? This time a neighbor's surveillance camera captured part of the incident.
Long before Louisiana took steps to enact its own stand your ground laws in 2006, it had in place strict "castle laws." These statutes allow any Louisianian to use force, deadly or otherwise, to protect oneself on his or her property, or "castle." The protection is applicable to both one's home and car. Specifically, before 2006 the law said the use of force was justifiable when preventing an offense against one's personal safety or the safety of one's property, but only if the amount of forced used was "reasonable and apparently necessary to prevent such offense."
In 2006, legislation introduced by then state Rep. Eric LaFleur added the "stand your ground" provisions to Louisiana's castle laws. All previous castle law provisions remained in place, in addition, the provisions were added to Justifiable homicide, RS 14:20. Understanding Louisiana's Stand your ground laws.
Police said that Coulter did not pose a threat to the homeowner, Merritt Landry, who works as a building inspector for the Historic District Landmarks Commission. A spokesman for the City of New Orleans said Landry has been placed on emergency suspension without pay, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
Marshall Coulter is the seventh of eight children. Coulter's 23-year-old brother, David Coulter, said he had largely raised the children after their father died three years ago of stomach cancer. "He would steal -- he was a professional thief, sure," David Coulter said. "But he would never pick up a gun, not in a million years. He was too scared to aim a gun at the grass, let alone aim it at a person. No way. Before he'll ever pick up a gun, he'll be your friend first. "He's still a little boy," the brother said. "Who pulls a trigger on a 14-year-old? What if it was your little brother or your sister? How would you feel?"
Merritt Landry, a 33 year old white male, who has a pregnant wife and baby daughter, believed the teen was trying to break into his house. Landry told police that he approached the boy from his front yard, near his vehicle. As he grew closer, he said, the boy made a "move, as if to reach for something" -- possibly a weapon -- so Landry shot him, the warrant states. Police said the teen was near Landry's vehicle when he was shot about 2 a.m. Landry's friends said the vehicle was in the driveway behind a gate just a few feet from the house's backdoor.
Judge Franz Zibilich set Landry's bond at $100,000. Landry posted a property bond and was released late Friday.
Long before Louisiana took steps to enact its own stand your ground laws in 2006, it had in place strict "castle laws." These statutes allow any Louisianian to use force, deadly or otherwise, to protect oneself on his or her property, or "castle." The protection is applicable to both one's home and car. Specifically, before 2006 the law said the use of force was justifiable when preventing an offense against one's personal safety or the safety of one's property, but only if the amount of forced used was "reasonable and apparently necessary to prevent such offense."
In 2006, legislation introduced by then state Rep. Eric LaFleur added the "stand your ground" provisions to Louisiana's castle laws. All previous castle law provisions remained in place, in addition, the provisions were added to Justifiable homicide, RS 14:20. Understanding Louisiana's Stand your ground laws.
Police said that Coulter did not pose a threat to the homeowner, Merritt Landry, who works as a building inspector for the Historic District Landmarks Commission. A spokesman for the City of New Orleans said Landry has been placed on emergency suspension without pay, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
Marshall Coulter is the seventh of eight children. Coulter's 23-year-old brother, David Coulter, said he had largely raised the children after their father died three years ago of stomach cancer. "He would steal -- he was a professional thief, sure," David Coulter said. "But he would never pick up a gun, not in a million years. He was too scared to aim a gun at the grass, let alone aim it at a person. No way. Before he'll ever pick up a gun, he'll be your friend first. "He's still a little boy," the brother said. "Who pulls a trigger on a 14-year-old? What if it was your little brother or your sister? How would you feel?"
Merritt Landry, a 33 year old white male, who has a pregnant wife and baby daughter, believed the teen was trying to break into his house. Landry told police that he approached the boy from his front yard, near his vehicle. As he grew closer, he said, the boy made a "move, as if to reach for something" -- possibly a weapon -- so Landry shot him, the warrant states. Police said the teen was near Landry's vehicle when he was shot about 2 a.m. Landry's friends said the vehicle was in the driveway behind a gate just a few feet from the house's backdoor.
Judge Franz Zibilich set Landry's bond at $100,000. Landry posted a property bond and was released late Friday.
This post was deleted for the following reason: It is terrible that another incident like this has happened but we have just been through a couple of very lengthy threads about the Zimmerman case, and I don't know that we need to have the exact same discussions over again so soon. -- LobsterMitten
Well, of course.
But the biggest problem* in cases like Trayvon Martin's is that the authorities and the white community immediately rally around the shooter, legitimizing what happened and making it difficult to get at the truth of the situation. This doesn't appear to be happening in this particular case, which is refreshing.
*Other than the actual murder, obviously.
posted by Sara C. at 8:35 AM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
But the biggest problem* in cases like Trayvon Martin's is that the authorities and the white community immediately rally around the shooter, legitimizing what happened and making it difficult to get at the truth of the situation. This doesn't appear to be happening in this particular case, which is refreshing.
*Other than the actual murder, obviously.
posted by Sara C. at 8:35 AM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by Sara C. at 8:28 AM on July 27, 2013 [1 favorite]