Autopsy: Detroit Woman, 19, Shot in Face on Porch.......

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=20857317


An autopsy on a 19-year-old woman killed on a suburban Detroit porch where she'd reportedly gone to seek help after a car crash confirms that she died of a gunshot wound to her face.

Renisha McBride, of Detroit, who was black, was fatally shot Nov. 2 in predominantly white Dearborn Heights. Civil rights groups have called for a vigorous prosecution in the case, saying McBride was targeted because of her race.

Prosecutors say they're reviewing whether to charge the 54-year-old homeowner. Wayne County prosecutor's office spokeswoman Maria Miller said Monday a warrant review process is underway as they await information from Dearborn Heights police.

Police did not return messages seeking comment Monday.

Investigators have said the homeowner told them he thought someone was trying to break into his home and that he accidentally discharged his shotgun.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office report released Monday ruled McBride's death was a homicide. There's no evidence she was shot at close range, according to the report.

The homeowner's attorney, Cheryl Carpenter, told The Detroit News that the man was awakened in the early hours by what sounded like "a person or persons" trying to get into his home. Carpenter said the shooting was justified but did not comment on reports that it was accidental.

She said she and her client "recognize it's a tragedy and a 19-year-old woman died."

"Let's wait and not prejudice," Carpenter said. "Nobody including the police, the prosecutor or the public has all the information yet."




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What gets me about some of these killings is how can this be racially motivated until there's been an investigation? Not to sound cavalier about this but I can put myself in the homeowner's shoes. Having someone come to your door banging unexpectedly is frightening, I know, I've been there and fortunately for the "banger" I had no gun but if I had, he would have been toast as he was going to harm me. To this day, I still see his face and that was in 1975!

I put myself in her shoes, Nosey. She was in an accident and she needed help. Of course she was knocking loudly; it was late and the home owner needed to be awakened. The question then becomes: What would you do if you needed help? And what would you do if someone needed your help? I submit to you that it does not matter the race of the victim. If you kill them for banging on your door, you deserve to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

I would certainly be unnerved is someone were knocking on my door in the middle of the night. I would be inclined to call the police and let them sort it out. That’s what the homeowner should have done instead of resorting to using his gun. I don’t know enough about the accident the young woman was in, but how damaged was her car? Did her phone get destroyed or lost, which was why she had to go knocking on people’s doors in a strange neighborhood for her? I’m not trying to blame her for what happened,I just want to get a clear picture of what went down prior to this. I hope the homeowner is charged with something.

From what I am hearing, the girl was intoxicated when she had the accident. I believe she hit a parked car........left the scene, but then returned. She left the scene again and walked something like 6 blocks before she went to the guy's house for help. Keep in mind that she was only 19 years old. I remember having my first auto accident driving my dad's car at 19! You panick, you are unsure of really what to do.

This accident happened very late at night, so I can imagine the girl was a bit scared. Still, the guy did not have to shoot her in the face and then try to figure out what she wanted at his door. There are too many guns and gun owners in this country. I was in Dearborn, MI several weeks ago [[where this incident occurred) and it has not changed much from when I was a kid. It never felt like a friendly place way back then and it still didn't when I was there in early Fall 2013.

I hope the man is charged with something. This was just too much force used in this situation.

This reminds me of the case earlier this year in North Carolina when the cop shot the guy who had been in an accident and ran to a residence seeking help. I think he was shot seven times because the cop said he was "aggressive". Then you had the case in Florida when the guy was running down the street naked after a friend stole his clothes at the beach and a passing motorist confronted him. It's crazy that we're a shoot-first society now.

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

This reminds me of the case earlier this year in North Carolina when the cop shot the guy who had been in an accident and ran to a residence seeking help. I think he was shot seven times because the cop said he was "aggressive". Then you had the case in Florida when the guy was running down the street naked after a friend stole his clothes at the beach and a passing motorist confronted him. It's crazy that we're a shoot-first society now.

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It is sad that you cannot go to your neighbor, fellow citizen for help these days without being suspected of doing something wrong or appearing threatening. It is an impossible situation to be in.

The guy probably looked through the peephole and saw a black face. That's all he needed to shoot first.

The only way these laws are going to change is if Black folks start arming themselves just like white folks, and using the law just like white folks. Then you'll see some gun law reforms!

A guy in my town found two burglars in his house and did the right thing - he called the cops. At some point, he decided to confront them, so he found his gun and chased them out of his home. Of course, the pigs saw him running out of his house with a gun and shot him to death; no warnings, no signs of resistance, nothing but a brother with a gun in his hand.

There used to be a moral obligation to shoot only when your life is threatened. Nowadays, it's only an obligation to fire if you think that your life could eventually be threatened. Without getting racial, I am eagerly awaiting the case of a Black shooter who shoots first. I wonder if he/she will get the consideration of innocence that seems to be freely offered to others.

This is the funeral service program for the young woman, Renisha Mcbride that was the murder victim:

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

This reminds me of the case earlier this year in North Carolina when the cop shot the guy who had been in an accident and ran to a residence seeking help. I think he was shot seven times because the cop said he was "aggressive". Then you had the case in Florida when the guy was running down the street naked after a friend stole his clothes at the beach and a passing motorist confronted him. It's crazy that we're a shoot-first society now.

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The Charlotte, North Carolina case of Jonathan Ferrell who was also involved in a late night auto accident and went to a private residence seeking help only to be shot down by Officer Randall Kerrick in cold blood is another abomination! He was neither armed, intoxicated or attempting to rob the woman at the residence where he sought help. She called 911 and Officer Kerrick arrives with two other officers [[whom happened to be black) and proceeds to shoot Ferrell 12 TIMES! He struck young Mr. Ferrell 10 times. You don't treat an animal that way, let alone an innocent human being.

I just got an email from the NYT stating the homeowner in the Detroit case was charged with second degree murder, manslaughter and felony firearms possession

And some sheriff in Florida just spilled his coffee all over his computer screen wondering what the hell is wrong with them damned Yankees and their overzealous prosecution... Lets pray that the facts are fairly investigated and the case is presented to an unbiased jury. I need to have my faith in our judicial system upheld after all of the horrible cases in the last few years.

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Originally Posted by MotownSteve

I just got an email from the NYT stating the homeowner in the Detroit case was charged with second degree murder, manslaughter and felony firearms possession

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Now that is some positive news for a change. I will be following this one. Thank you MotownSteve.

Very sad incident all around. If this guy felt that he and/or his home and family were being threatened by this young lady, he should not have opened the door. He should have kept his shotgun handy just in case, then called the cops right away. She would probably still be alive and he wouldn't be facing murder charges.

Don't be surprised if he gets convicted and sent to prison. Detroit ain't Florida.

The killer is saying that he thought that she was breaking in and that his 12 gauge shotgun went off accidentally. Was it accidentally pointed at her face?

I’ve now read up on the case. I agree, a very sad case all in all. Just a series of bad and ill considered decisions. The girl got drunk and decided to drive. Was she drinking alone? Or didn’t any of her friends offer to drive? If someone had offered to drive her home, she would still be alive. Then when she crashed and started wandering, no one on that block took any further action than calling 911. What if someone had asserted themselves and comforted her? She would still be alive. And the city of Detroit police department made the accident low priority and didn’t respond for a couple of hours. Perhaps if they had come sooner she might still be alive. And then the gun toting homeowner. If he had just called 911 and kept his main door shut, instead of opening it and getting all trigger happy and shooting her through the screen door, she would still be alive.

If course, his defense will now trash her memory by pointing out the fact that she was underage and driving while drunk after also smoking weed. It is sad that thing people sometimes make choices that contribute to tragedy. What you will not hear the defense say is that she in no way deserved what happened to her, regardless of what she did prior to the incident.

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

If course, his defense will now trash her memory by pointing out the fact that she was underage and driving while drunk after also smoking weed. It is sad that thing people sometimes make choices that contribute to tragedy. What you will not hear the defense say is that she in no way deserved what happened to her, regardless of what she did prior to the incident.

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They will try to find out is the young woman got bad grades in school, ever had any cavities and stayed up past 9 pm as a child. Anything to paint her as a bad citizen and potential threat to the man that shot her in the face.

How will he convince a jury that he was afraid of this 19 year old, 5'4" girl that was on his front porch knocking at this door is something I'd like to see. He is lucky that Kim Worthy is not prosecuting this case....whew!

It's there any doubt that if it was Miley Cyrus on that porch, high on weed and banging loud as hell on the door, that she would not have been shot?

Too bad a toxicology test wasn't done on the homeowner. Maybe he went to bed drunk or high on drugs.

Uh Oh! OMG! Trouble! hehehehehehehe...... It turns out that Kym Worthy will be involved in this case! Anyone from Michigan KNOWS what this means! I am sure the shooter, Theodore Wafer wet his pants when he found out about this..........

Okay. But since I'm not from Michigan, could you explain? I never heard of Kym Worthy but I'll bet her rep [[good or bad) won't pop up on her Wikipedia page.

I remember watching her on the old CourtTV show back in the 90s when she was skinny. [[smile) She is one tough cookie. She went on to become a judge and now she's back to being a prosecutor.

This is tragic. The cynical side of me has to ask why this case has garnered so much media interest. There have been other tragic senseless killings in Detroit and other cities across the country.

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

Okay. But since I'm not from Michigan, could you explain? I never heard of Kym Worthy but I'll bet her rep [[good or bad) won't pop up on her Wikipedia page.

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Sure! She is the one that prosecuted those cops in the Malice Green police brutality case back in the early 90's! The cops [[Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers ) were convicted and sentenced to prison for the murder of Malice Green. This is how Ms. Worthy made her name. She put on one of the most compelling cases I had ever seen. I use to rush home at lunch time from my job to catch the procedures on Court TV I believe it was [[the trial was televised). She is not for the faint of heart.

Kym Worthy is ferocious! hehehehehehe....... a legal barricuda! In a word.......she is AWESOME!

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Originally Posted by nosey

I remember watching her on the old CourtTV show back in the 90s when she was skinny. [[smile) She is one tough cookie. She went on to become a judge and now she's back to being a prosecutor.

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That's right Nosey. She is one tough customer. Very smart too...........

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Originally Posted by skooldem1

This is tragic. The cynical side of me has to ask why this case has garnered so much media interest. There have been other tragic senseless killings in Detroit and other cities across the country.

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The circumstances........it's mostly about the circumstances under which this murder, crime or accidental shooting occurred.

What is so different about this one? I ask not because I am not sympathetic. What makes this more tragic than others?

Here is a little refresher on the Malice Green case from Detroit in 1992. The news report video pretty much tells the whole story:

http://newsone.com/2183374/larry-nev...-malice-green/

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Originally Posted by skooldem1

What is so different about this one? I ask not because I am not sympathetic. What makes this more tragic than others?

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I don't know. Maybe because she was unarmed female teenager [[5'4", 19 years old) hardly physically threatening to a 54 year old grown man in the security of his home and well armed.

He shot her with a rifle in her FACE! In her FACE! When you shoot someone in the face, you are not trying just to defend yourself, you are trying to kill the other person.

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Originally Posted by marv2

Here is a little refresher on the Malice Green case from Detroit in 1992. The news report video pretty much tells the whole story:

http://newsone.com/2183374/larry-nev...-malice-green/

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Wasn't she also involved in the successful prosecution of Kwame Kilpatrick, the corrupt ex Detroit Mayor?

Sadly, skooldem1 is 100% right. The circumstances of this case are alarming to us but no more disturbing to the families of any number of people killed in random drive-bys in any city of America. Dead is dead and it's a shame when a young person dies well before her time.

I don't envy her. http://www.mlive.com/detroit-river/i...ors_offic.html
Kym Worthy has a tough job made tougher thanks to some politicians. Seems like they don't want life in Wayne County improved.

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Originally Posted by smark21

Wasn't she also involved in the successful prosecution of Kwame Kilpatrick, the corrupt ex Detroit Mayor?

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I am not sure, but I would not be surprised if she did.

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Originally Posted by MotownSteve

I don't envy her. http://www.mlive.com/detroit-river/i...ors_offic.html
Kym Worthy has a tough job made tougher thanks to some politicians. Seems like they don't want life in Wayne County improved.

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I know she has a tough job. Did you hear? The Mayor of Highland Park, Deandre Windom was shot at a nightclub last night in Detroit:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...hot_at_de.html

Wow. Why in the world is public safety not the first concern for government at any level? That article shows what happens when the wheels all fall off of an apple cart priority-wise.

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Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

Sadly, skooldem1 is 100% right. The circumstances of this case are alarming to us but no more disturbing to the families of any number of people killed in random drive-bys in any city of America. Dead is dead and it's a shame when a young person dies well before her time.

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Even though he's right, it marginalizes the issue at hand. He uses it as a red herring.

That man would not be charged if he hadn't first used a 12 gauge shotgun and pointed it to her face, and second contradicted himself. First he says that the gun accidentally discharged, then he says he used it in self defense. Even worse for him is that his outer door was locked too, and there was no sign of forced entry.

Bottom line: he saw a Black face and shot. Didn't even ask questions or call the cops.

It works in Florida, so why not try it in Michigan? Who wants to bet that ALEC and the Koch Brothers will not be trying to extend Castle Doctrine beyond the interior of someone's house to anywhere on their property? It won't take long for the typical wingnut bullshit artists to rally in support of the shooter just like they did for Zimmerman and eventually, he'll be portrayed on Faux News as the real victim here. Same script; different day.

Yup. You can always count of the folks at Faux news, and Rush Limbaugh, to influence the conservative opinion.