Florida Castle Doctrine case...
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:53 am
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While I agree, freedom does have its price. Arson certainly is a crime against this man, and justice should be pursued against that crime. I certainly do not know why his dogs were euthanized, and it's a shame if it were done for no just cause.T3hK1w1 wrote:Let's see, he wins the the case, but loses his dogs, his house, and 8 months of his life...that's tragic.
The founding fathers never said we were entitled to be happy. They simply stated that we have a right to pursue that end. As was with the founders of this country, the exercise of our rights may result in discomfort, danger, and even death. This man's exercise of his right to Life certainly has brought discomfort and danger upon him by those who wish to rob him of his rights. The good news in this case is that this man has been upheld his rights.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Man{read gangbanger} who survived shooting spree testifies
By LARRY KELLER
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 21, 2007
WEST PALM BEACH — — The sole survivor after Norman Borden fired 14 shots into a Jeep carrying three men who almost ran him over admitted Wednesday that the men had intended to "rough him up a little bit."
After Borden emptied his 9 mm handgun — wounding Juan Mendez, now 21, and killing his cousin Christopher Araujo, 19, and a friend, reputed gang leader Saul Trejo, 21 — Borden spoke to them, Mendez said in the first day of testimony in Borden's trial.
The man he knew as Buddy "was saying 'you guys think you're bad, you're not so bad anymore,' " Mendez, the first witness, testified.
Borden, 44, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder and two other felonies. He contends he acted in self-defense and that Florida's "Castle Doctrine" law, which expands one's right to self-defense to include shooting a person in a public place, applies to him. Borden was walking his four dogs in October when the confrontation occurred.
Testimony began amid tight security. Trial spectators were subjected to a thorough search. Two or three jurors expressed concern because they weren't escorted to lunch. Judge William Berger, at the behest of the sheriff's office, did not tell jurors publicly where they would be picked up and dropped off.
At the end of the day and with the jury gone, lawyers argued for 55 minutes over a motion by Public Defender Carey Haughwout to prohibit the media from publishing names, addresses or photos of jurors for the duration of the trial because of concerns about potential gang retribution should Borden be acquitted.
Palm Beach Post attorney Martin Reeder called the suggestion "drastic" and said the newspaper and other media don't identify jurors during a trial "unless a particular juror becomes involved in some newsworthy event." Berger denied Haughwout's motion.
If Borden is acquitted, he will be the first defendant in Palm Beach County to succeed under the Castle Doctrine.
In the hours before the incident, Mendez and Araujo watched the movie Scarface and drank "a couple of 12-packs" of beer, Mendez said.
Sometime after 2 a.m., they and Michael Garcia, the brother of Araujo's fiancee, heard voices down the street, Mendez said. The three got in Araujo's Jeep to investigate because they didn't think anybody else should be on Araujo's street.
They saw Borden and a friend walking the dogs, made a U-turn and yelled taunts as they drove close to him, Mendez said. Araujo became enraged when Borden kicked the passenger door of his Jeep as it passed close by, he said.
The group returned to Araujo's apartment, dropped off Garcia, 13, and went to the nearby house of Trejo. "(Borden) was a pretty big guy. We probably needed another person if we were going to rough him up a little bit," Mendez said.
Trejo was the local leader of a national violent street gang known as Sur 13, authorities say.
Mendez was shot several times in both legs by Borden. Araujo was shot seven times in the face. Trejo was killed by a single shot that pierced his heart.
Borden probably thought Araujo — who was at the wheel of the Jeep — was trying to run him over, Mendez conceded.
Borden began shooting at him and the others through the Jeep's windshield, Mendez testified. From there, in what "seemed instant," Borden went around to the driver's side and kept firing, he said.
Notice the last sentence where the prosecutor says "The truth hurt me . . . ""This case kind of stands on its own," Williams said. "They were bringing a lot of violence to this defendant. I don't think the new law made any difference. The truth hurt me in this case."
Sort like in the Jim Carrey movie Liar Liar:HankB wrote:Interesting quote in the original story from the prosecutor:Notice the last sentence where the prosecutor says "The truth hurt me . . . ""This case kind of stands on its own," Williams said. "They were bringing a lot of violence to this defendant. I don't think the new law made any difference. The truth hurt me in this case."
The truth hurt him?!?
Wonder if that's just a poor choice of words, or an indication of a rather odious mindset on his part . . . and if he knew the truth as he prosecuted the case . . .
Araujo once told Borden that he carried two guns and had held a weapon to a woman's head, according to trial testimony.
But apparently they were harmless, (ya, right!):...three men in a Jeep who he said shouted threats at him and tried to run him over...
Araujo's fiancée, Anastasia Bocanegra, 20, wept as the verdicts were read and was incredulous afterward.
"He got away with killing two people," she said. "The car was stopped. Norman was not in fear for his life. These were not bad guys. They were babies."
This stuff really gets under my skin. If they where not bad guys there would not have to be giving that statement to the new reporters.Araujo's fiancée, Anastasia Bocanegra, 20, wept as the verdicts were read and was incredulous afterward.
"He got away with killing two people," she said. "The car was stopped. Norman was not in fear for his life. These were not bad guys. They were babies."
The sad part is that it's probably going to get worse.AggieCPA wrote: You just have to hope that he can avoid any further retaliation by the gang.
Lets buy the beer first, and decide later if we feel like trading lumps...Wildscar wrote:The sad part is that it's probably going to get worse.AggieCPA wrote: You just have to hope that he can avoid any further retaliation by the gang.![]()
What ever happen to the days where two men would go beat the crap out of one another and then go have a beer and become best friends