Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Public Mood Over Armed Robberies Souring?

This from Richmond, VA.:

An ice cream parlor manager who pursued and fatally shot a man who robbed his store Sept. 6 will not stand trial.

A Richmond grand jury today declined to indict 21-year-old David Fielding in connection with the shooting of Jerome Davis at the Baskin Robbins ice cream store in the 6900 block of Forest Hill Avenue in South Richmond.

Fielding, 21, a VCU art student, fired 11 shots at Davis, who had entered the store waving a weapon and demanded money. Two of the shots struck Davis, 43, one of them in the back, fatally wounding him.

The Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's office this morning presented evidence for a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm. The five-member panel could have indicted Fielding on either a felony or misdemeanor category of the offense, but instead returned no true bill. At least four grand jurors most vote for indictment for a true bill to be returned.

Notice that the armed robber was leaving the scene when he was killed.

The action of Fielding is a big-time "no-no"--shooting someone who is no longer a clear and present danger to one's life is not condoned by any responsible gun-owner.

But the grand jury thought otherwise.

Is it anecdotal, or a sign that the times are changing?

HT: Of Arms and the Law

1 comment:

James Wigderson said...

Wow, that must be one community that is really fed up with crime. First, the DA only wanted reckless discharge? The guy fired 11 shots at a fleeing person, killing him, and the grand jury let him go?

Shouldn't he at least have been charged with something that would've required he spend some time at the gun range to improve his aim?