71-Year-Old Hero Won't Be Charged With Attempted Murder

[MORTARDUDE]

71-Year-Old Hero Won't Be Charged With Attempted Murder

Last issue we told the story of 71-year-old Melvin B. Spaulding, who took action when he saw three men savagely beating his 63-year-old friend. Spaulding got out his .22-caliber pistol, showed it, and told the men to stop. When they didn't, he fired.

Spaulding's shot hit one of the attackers in the arm -- and Spaulding, a grandfather of nine, was arrested and faced possible charges of attempted murder.

A sheriff's department spokesman argued that Spaulding, instead of intervening with his gun, should have... dialed 911. And waited.

Spaulding had an answer to that suggestion.

"911, when you call them, and we have before, is a half-hour to an hour wait to get here," he told a TV news reporter. "I had 10 seconds to decide what to do. I couldn't have called 911. [The assailants] would have stomped him to death."

The attack and arrest took place on November 30. Spaulding spent two days in prison, then was released while St. Petersburg, Florida prosecutors examined the case. On December 17, Associated Press reported that prosecutors had decided not to charge Spaulding with attempted murder. They said the evidence showed Spaulding had acted to defend his friend from death or serious injury, which is legal.

The three accused attackers, meanwhile, will likely face misdemeanor battery charges.

So it's a Merry Christmas for Melvin B. Spaulding and his 63-year-old friend George Lowe. Lowe, who suffered injuries in the beating before Spaulding rescued him, says Spaulding is "...my hero. He's my friend, but he's also my hero."

(Sources: Associated Press / St. Petersburg Times
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.d.../APN/312170637
BayNews9.com:
http://www.baynews9.com/site/NewsSto...?storyid=28841 )

[catman]

Should have a Psyco vets round up and wait for these assholes to get out of county! Hate to say it but they will probably go find Spaulding.

Trav

[HARDCORE]

Another case where the rights of the criminal takes precedence over the safety of the citizen! And had this Spaulding relented and not taken affirmative action, his friend (and maybe he himself), could have ended up dead! I fear that we are becoming a society divided among the predator and the perenial victims!"

Is vigilante law to be preferred over legal justice - Hell No, but what would any of you do in such a case. especially knowing that the perp will probably be back on the streets before the body(s) of his victims are even cold!

Chances are, the poor old fella will probably also be sued for saving his friend's life? But would he react any differently in defense of his bro - I think not!! That is the difference between a man and and just one more of society's plethora of victims! :cd: (opinion)

VERITAS