Judge, Jury, & Executioner Acceptable Lifestyles . . . .

Two stories that ought to forever dispel the fanciful notion that American society is unquestioningly superior to any other nation's society in the world.

Story #1:

After two days of testimony in Hillsborough Circuit Court, a jury decided Wald committed no crime when he fatally shot Walter Conley, a man less than half his age, on March 10. Wald woke around midnight in his Brandon home and found Conley and Flores having sex on the floor in the living room. He took a .38 revolver from his bedroom and shot Conley in the stomach and head.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/brandon-defendant-accused-of-murdering-wifes-lover-to-testify/2123822

Story #1 basic facts:

• Man finds wife and lover in throes of consensual sex in his house
• Wife's lover is shooter's next door neighbor and former employee
• Deceased man has tattoo on back with shooter's wife's name in it
• The deceased man was naked, unarmed and prone on floor when shot

And a jury of Wald's peers acquit him of murder charges based on Florida's "Stand Your Ground' law.

While you dear reader are mulling that bit of idiocy over, here's another story that will give Story #1 a competitive run for it's money in the lunacy department:

Story #2:

A jury in Bexar County, Texas just acquitted Ezekiel Gilbert of charges that he murdered a 23-year-old Craigslist escort—agreeing that because he was attempting to retrieve the $150 he'd paid to Lenora Ivie Frago, who wouldn't have sex with him, his actions were justified.

Gilbert had admitted to shooting Frago in the neck on Christmas Eve 2009, when she accepted $150 from Gilbert and left his home without having sex with him. Frago, who was paralyzed by the shooting, died several months later.

Gilbert's defense argued that the shooting wasn't meant to kill, and that Gilbert's actions were justified, because he believed that sex was included as part of the fee. Texas law allows people" to use deadly force to recover property during a nighttime theft."

http://gawker.com/texas-says-its-ok-to-shoot-an-escort-if-she-wont-have-511636423

Story #2 basic facts:

• Shooter was in act of committing a crime (solicitation of prostitution)
• Deceased woman was shot in neck, without warning
• Deceased woman never physically attacked or threatened to attack shooter
• Under Texas law, if shooting had occurred in daylight hours, it would not have been legal

And a jury of Gilbert's peers acquit him of murder charges because under Texas law, the shooting occurred under the moon and stars instead of a sunny, unclouded sky.


Sigh . . .

George Carlin used to quantify his harsh views toward U.S. society by saying that he loved America, it's just that the people are fucked.  The Gadfly has been a faithful adherent of that outlook for some time himself, but when he reads stories like this, it induces him to want to re-examine his unconditional love of his country as a standalone entity.


----TFG