Michael Dunn is a 47 year old software engineer. Last November 23rd he pulled into the parking lot of a Jacksonville, Florida convenience store with his fiancee, Rhonda Rouer and came to a stop next to a SUV. Within a few minutes of that decision we found out three things about him. One, he really doesn't like loud rap music. Two, he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Three, he was willing to use it.
Yes, we're back in Florida with another armed white guy in a confrontation with black kids. Dunn, who has been charged with first degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, is claiming--you guessed it--self defense. NBC reports, Dunn took the stand today and testified, among other things, "I was in fear for my life. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing."
According to Dunn's version of events, the SUV's volume and bass were turned up so loud his, "...rear view mirror was shaking, my eardrums were vibrating. It was ridiculously loud." He told the judge and jury he asked the occupants of the vehicle to tune it down. He said they did and he thanked them.
Apparently that is when things went terribly wrong. Dunn testified someone in the SUV began cursing and used the terms, "cracker and white boy." At that point the music went back on loud and Dunn says the teens became menacing, one going so far as to scowl at him. That's right, it is the old he scowled at me defense, which is always useful when explaining why you opened fire on a black kid.
He told the court, he asked them, "Are you talking to me?" It is the line made famous by the psychotic lead character in the movie, "Taxi Driver." Dunn maintained by saying it he was trying to, "de-escalate the situation." As you can expect, it didn't.
He then said a passenger in the back seat reached down, picked something up, and pointed what he believed to be a shot gun barrel at him. At the same time another youth got out of the SUV. Dunn described the actions as a, "clear and present danger."
He told the jurors he reached into the glove compartment of his car, pulled his weapon out, said, "You're not going to kill me you son of a bitch," and fired nine rounds. Immediately after the shooting he and his fiancee pulled out of the parking lot and drove to a hotel where they were staying.
The NBC story doesn't say if the prosecution asked him what would seem to be the most obvious question--which is--Mr. Dunn, why didn't you do that in the first fucking place?
The result of all this nonsense was that 17 year old Jordan Davis, of Marietta, GA was killed. There wasn't a shotgun, or any other type of weapon in the SUV. Michael Dunn was, at best, mistaken. At worst, he's just another middle aged white guy pissed off by what he described on the stand as, "rap crap," being played loudly. Not to mention, one so scared shitless by the close proximity of black teenagers, he's willing to use deadly force at the drop of a hat.
Dunn testified he didn't know anyone was killed until he saw news reports later. According to him, "We just thought we made them go away."
That is one way to put it, because Jordon Davis has certainly gone away. And he won't be back--ever.
Meanwhile here in Oklahoma City, today's daily paper carried an offer for a different sort of Valentine's Day sweetheart package. A south side gun range is asking you to, "Bring your Someone Special for a memorable Valentine's Day." The great memory would include, "range time and dinner for two" on Friday, February 14th. Next to the pink and black ad copy is a photo of bullets set up in the outline of a heart.
Well why not? Nothing says amore quite like an intimate dinner for two and a couple of hours spent making sure you and your true love have all the requisite skills needed to blow away those deadly scowls teenagers wield so ruthlessly.
Land of the free, my ass.
2-11-14
No comments:
Post a Comment