Friday FGS
.45 Liberator
Charges dismissed against West Valley man accused in deadly argument turned shooting
by Alyssa Roberts|
(KUTV) — Charges filed last year against a man who police say took part in an argument that turned into a deadly shooting at a West Valley apartment complex were dismissed Tuesday, according to state courts public information officer Geoffrey Fattah.Carlo Toledo, 40, had been charged with murder and six counts of felony discharge of a firearm in connection with the Feb. 13, 2018 incident in which a man was killed and a teenager was paralyzed from the waist down.
A three-day jury trial had been scheduled to begin Wednesday, before charges against Toledo were dismissed. A judge ordered the case be dismissed after the state’s witnesses failed to provide consistent testimony.
Toledo’s lawyer, Rudy Bautista, told 2News the state’s witnesses were actually supporting his argument that Toledo was acting in self-defense during the shooting.
“To begin with, the witnesses not only made inconsistent statements, but actually supported that the defendant was acting in self-defense, so that was a crucial turning point for this case,” Bautista said.
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The rest of the article may be viewed here: KUTV.com
Papa John’s worker acquitted for shooting would-be intruder outside St. Louis restaurant
By Joel Currier
ST. LOUIS — Clinton Eckenrodt fatally shot an intoxicated man last year outside a Papa John’s pizza store on South Grand Boulevard.A St. Louis judge ruled late Tuesday that Eckenrodt had no duty to retreat, acquitting him of the charge after an Oct. 18 bench trial.
“Here, the court finds the state failed to show that defendant’s belief that he needed to use deadly force to protect himself from death, serious physical injury, or another forcible felony was unreasonable,” Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser wrote in his ruling.
Police, court documents and the judge’s ruling give this account of the encounter:
The Papa John’s store at 3630 South Grand was closed to walk-ins about 1:40 a.m. on June 2, 2018, when Upchurch pulled his car onto the sidewalk in front of the shop, knocked on the front door and put his credit card on the glass signaling his desire to buy something. Eckenrodt opened
the door to tell Upchurch the store was closed but Upchurch stuck his foot in the doorway when Eckenrodt tried to shut it.
Eckenrodt eventually deadbolted the door, and Upchurch continued shouting at him and his manager from outside. Upchurch went back to his car and pulled it several feet forward before coming back to the window and shouting more. When he came back a third time, Eckenrodt called 911, describing Upchurch as a “belligerent drunk.”
“Mr. Upchurch seemed more agitated each time he returned,” Sengheiser wrote.
Eckenrodt’s manager also called 911 and locked himself in a rear cooler/panic room. Upchurch returned twice more, at one point parking his car in the middle of South Grand, and coming back to the window with a cinder block.
His first attempt at tossing it through the window failed to shatter it. By his second attempt, Eckenrodt emerged from the side of the building, encountered Upchurch and fired three 9 mm shots, hitting him once in the hip. The bullet took a lethal path inside his body, puncturing an artery and one of Upchurch’s lungs.
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The rest of the article may be viewed here: St. Loius Post Dispatch
Victoria police investigate fatal exchange of gunfire that appears to be self-defense
By Jon Wilcox
Victoria police are investigating a death Wednesday resulting after an exchange of gunfire that appears to be self-defense.
At 12:25 a.m., police were dispatched to the 200 block of Monterrey Drive for a reported shooting, according to a police news release.
Police have determined that Andrew Guzman, a 31-year-old resident on the block, had shot Kyle Kirby, a 42-year-old Victoria man. Kirby succumbed to his wounds at the scene of the shooting.
A preliminary investigation determined an altercation had occurred before officers’ arrival, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Police have discussed the shooting with the Victoria County District Attorney’s Office, and no arrests had been made as of Wednesday morning.
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The rest of the article, such as it is, may be viewed here: Victoria Advocate
Three morts, one inconvenienced and none in the wind for a Friday Trifecta, Delta Whiskies and Whiskettes. Nice way to end the work week and recognize Wilted Willie. Hope you’re on the road to recovery, Bro.
An enemy of liberty is no friend of mine. I do not owe respect to anyone who would enslave me by government force, nor is it wise for such a person to expect it. — Isaiah Amberay
Category: Feel Good Stories, Trifecta
Good score for our Brother WW. We all hope he is doing more better.
That is STILL a fugly little gunz. Guess after all the beauty of his most Saintly John Moses Browning’s (Howitzer be his name) designs this past week, you had to give equal time.
Ditto on WW.
The gun is fugly as all get out, but embodies the creed that “if it is stupid and it works, it ain’t stupid.” It did the job that was needed.
Not that I’m inclined to buy one myownself.
Ahh, the venerable .45 Liberty single shot pistol. It is a sort of high-end commercial zip gun. The were dropped by the hundreds to underground forces in WWII. The idea was they would be used to shoot enemy soldiers to then seize their weapons. They are now quite rare and worth well over $1K to collectors.
Uh, correction. The .45 ACP “Liberator.” Although one million were made, most were distributed in the Philippines and China. One in 70% condition is worth over $2K.