Lubbock-Fatal shooting in Hobbs ruled justified

[RPB]

Actually, in NEW MEXICO, not Texas ... different laws, but interesting.

Fatal shooting in Hobbs ruled justified

70 year old Watson Green, of Hobbs, will not be charged in the death of an intruder.

More at
http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/ ... 63EKA.cspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[WildBill]

I was wondering how this one would turn out.

Watson Green, 70 shot a single shot through his front door when a man was trying to break into his house. Green called 911 and the operator told him to put down his gun and wait for the police. When the police arrived they found Wallace Roberson, 40 who had been shot.

http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/ ... 63EKA.cspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[speedsix]

...thank God that he didn't "put down his gun"...or the story would read differently...911 dispatchers have a hard job, but no authority to tell a citizen that...better that they keep the person on the phone till the police arrive and it's clear that they're there...

[RPB]

yeah I had wondered too, because I didn't know if the guy was "shot in the alley" or got shot in the house and ran to the alley before collapsing. The "news facts" are ambiguous.

found 40 year old Wallace Roberson shot in the alley.


After investigating the case, the Lea County District Attorney has ruled the shooting justified, and will not prosecute Green.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/home ... e-burglar-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

fired a single shot through the back door.


The single shot went through Green's back door hitting Roberson. When paramedics arrived they found him bleeding in an alley. He died from his injuries.



Roberson was arrested two weeks ago for burglary. He also has prior convictions for aggravated assault and battery dating back to 2007. Now this case is under investigation and in the District Attorney's hands.

"We're looking at what occurred and to determine if someone was acting in self-defense or if they were acting in any manner that could be considered reckless," Chief Deputy District Attorney Dianna Luce said.

Luce said if the investigation shows there is hard evidence to prove Roberson was trying break into the house, it would give homeowner the right to defend his property and the shooting would likely be ruled as justified.

More at link above
That's New Mexico, not Texas.


Still, I think of an incident where a "home intruder" tried to enter an apartment, resident fired through door and hit a kid .... the drunk previously pounding the wrong apartment door had left. But this was in the guy's back yard ... I'd make sure some kid wasn't knocking because his frisbee was on my roof. But apparently he knew what was going on and took appropriate action for that situation.