pharmacist sentenced to life for killing would-be robber

[Snowman]

Oklahoma pharmacist sentenced to life for killing would-be robber (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43710936/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?GT1=43001)

"An Oklahoma pharmacist has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder in the shooting death of a teenager who tried to rob the south Oklahoma City pharmacy where he worked.

Fifty-nine-year-old Jerome Ersland was sentenced Monday after Oklahoma County District Judge Ray Elliott rejected a defense motion to suspend the sentence.

Ersland had no reaction and said nothing as the sentence was handed down. As he left the courtroom, he responded to a reporter's shouted question by calling the sentence "an injustice of a monumental proportion."

A jury convicted Ersland and recommended the life with the possibility of parole sentence for the May 2009 shooting of 16-year-old Antwun Parker. Defense attorney Irven Box said the conviction and sentence will be appealed.

Confronted by two holdup men, Ersland pulled a gun, shot one of them in the head and chased the other away. Then, in a scene recorded by the drugstore's security camera, he went behind the counter, got another gun, and pumped five more bullets into Parker as he lay on the floor unconscious.

At the trial, prosecutors argued that Ersland crossed into the wrong when he shot the unarmed and unconscious Parker five more times.

Ersland contended that he was defending himself and two co-workers from a robber who still posed a threat."

Surveillance Video (http://bcove.me/iqzxct9z)

[dragos13]

WOW!

When I first started reading this I almost felt sorry for the guy and was wondering how someone could be convicted. Then I read this:

"Then, in a scene recorded by the drugstore's security camera, he went behind the counter, got another gun, and pumped five more bullets into Parker as he lay on the floor unconscious."

You shoot someone to eliminate the threat. You can't dump 5 more shots into an unconscious person. Had he stopped after the first headshot, I think he would be a free man...

[gtn]

He looks pretty calm about it in the video.

I agree that had he called the cops and covered the wounded robber until they arrived, he'd be a free man.

[MetaLord 9]

WOW!

When I first started reading this I almost felt sorry for the guy and was wondering how someone could be convicted. Then I read this:

"Then, in a scene recorded by the drugstore's security camera, he went behind the counter, got another gun, and pumped five more bullets into Parker as he lay on the floor unconscious."

You shoot someone to eliminate the threat. You can't dump 5 more shots into an unconscious person. Had he stopped after the first headshot, I think he would be a free man...

^^Agree. Same reaction.

If you're shooting somebody 5 times out of self defense, you're either the worst shot in the world and you're using a .22, or you're being assaulted by a zombie.

[Sean]

Five more rounds into the nearly deceased robber, sounds like the pharmacist has a little displaced aggression. :dunno:

As with all news stories, I wonder what they left out?

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I wouldn't have a problem with setting the guy free and giving him a medal........ :)

[Snowman]

I wouldn't have a problem with setting the guy free and giving him a medal........ :)I bet you would have condoned crucifixion out front of the store to make an example to anyone else thinking of robbing the place.

From what I read the head shot did not kill the robber but did knock him out. He bleed out from the 5 shots to the stomach.

[sprtbkbabe]

Anyone legally allowed to dispense probably partakes on occasion.

That may have been a double dose day though :shock:

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I bet you would have condoned crucifixion out front of the store to make an example to anyone else thinking of robbing the place.

From what I read the head shot did not kill the robber but did knock him out. He bleed out from the 5 shots to the stomach.
Man, that's an even BETTER idea! Only, have the cross upside-down!:)

All sarcasm and joking aside, it could easily have ended with the pharmacist and others laying on the floor dead. So, who would then be crying for those victims? For people that would use guns to rob a store, it's only a matter of time before they pull the trigger on their victims. I don't consider this guy a "victim" at all. Live by the sword, die by the sword. But, I agree, in the purely "legal" world, he COULD and probably SHOULD have stopped after the first shot if the guy truly was incapacitated (maybe he wasn't truly and was moving slightly, none of us was there). Maybe a double-tap just to make sure....... ;)

[~Barn~]

Crikey.

[MetaLord 9]

Frank, I'd say it's a pretty far leap that an unconscious robber with a headshot is likely to spring up and mow down a shop full of employees, especially since the first thing they shoulda done to the unconscious kid was check him for weapons and remove everything. maybe zip tie his hands instead of shooting out his stomach

[Snowman]

But, I agree, in the purely "legal" world, he COULD and probably SHOULD have stopped after the first shot if the guy truly was incapacitated (maybe he wasn't truly and was moving slightly, none of us was there). Maybe a double-tap just to make sure....... ;)How many twitching bodies do you consider a threat to your life, Frank?

[MetaLord 9]

How many twitching bodies do you consider a threat to your life, Frank?
You two should make out. :makeout:

[Treyjack]

As a concealed carrier I hope to never end up having to shoot someone. But as taught, you shoot to kill if yours, your family's, or innocent bystander's life is in jeopardy. Once that threat is eliminated you should holster your weapon and call law enforcement. IMHO that guy went too far. He stopped the threat and chased the other BG away. It should have stopped there. Pumping the dead/unconscious guy full of lead is an aggression releasing strategy that belongs in Call of Duty. On the other hand it is hard to think of what was going though his head at that point in time with all the adrenalin flowing and things happening so fast.

[Snowman]

You two should make out. :makeout:That would just lead to another hideous custody case that Frank would lose...

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

How many twitching bodies do you consider a threat to your life, Frank?
ALL of them. They could turn zombie at ANY second......:)

So, say the pharma guy had shot him once. The perp gets off on a plea in a couple years, goes back to the pharmacy and shoots the guy dead, and a few others just for fun. Happy now? I can't say the pharma guy was 100% in the right, but I'm not going to shed a tear for the perp. He got what he deserved. Too bad the initial headshot wasn't fatal and the guy didn't feel he had to shoot him again. Same outcome for the perp, but now nobody crying about it. Ahh well.....

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

That would just lead to another hideous custody case that Frank would lose...
:lol: ....and why does that remark remind me so much of the "Abdominal Snowman" pic!:lol:

[Snowman]

ALL of them. They could turn zombie at ANY second......:)

So, say the pharma guy had shot him once. The perp gets off on a plea in a couple years, goes back to the pharmacy and shoots the guy dead, and a few others just for fun. Happy now? I can't say the pharma guy was 100% in the right, but I'm not going to shed a tear for the perp. He got what he deserved. Too bad the initial headshot wasn't fatal and the guy didn't feel he had to shoot him again. Same outcome for the perp, but now nobody crying about it. Ahh well.....That was mentioned in the comments that if the head shot would have been fatal the 5 other shots wouldn't have been considered murder.

Not sure I agree with the premise that anyone who threatens you should but put down just in case they might discide at a later date to take revenge. Seems to me you would be judging that individual on things that hadn't happened yet.

[dirkterrell]

This ought to stir the pot a bit:

http://www.koco.com/r/24703285/detail.html

[Snowman]

This ought to stir the pot a bit:

http://www.koco.com/r/24703285/detail.htmlYou're board too, Dirk?

[cptschlongenheimer]

This ought to stir the pot a bit:

http://www.koco.com/r/24703285/detail.html

/facepalm


P.S. Don't read the comments attached to that one unless you're prepared for a lesson in racism.:shock:

[MetaLord 9]

No. Sorry, if caught on tape robbing a store, you are not the innocent party.

She calls the guy who defended his store a coward. He was an idiot for shooting the kid 5 more times, but, if anything, the kid robbing the store (even if he was "put up to it") is the coward. I'm sorry he was put up to it and so scared to do it, but that's probably because he knew it was wrong. Not saying the kid deserved to die, but if the head shot had killed him, would he still be a "hero?"

[Snowman]

/facepalm


P.S. Don't read the comments attached to that one unless you're prepared for a lesson in racism.:shock:Being that this happened in Oklahoma, it doesn't surprise me.

[MetaLord 9]

P.S. Don't read the comments attached to that one unless you're prepared for a lesson in racism.:shock:
Yeah no kidding. Ignorance, level 70.

[Tim K]

But as taught, you shoot to kill if yours, your family's, or innocent bystander's life is in jeopardy.

I understand what you mean here, I think, but you might want to rephrase that. I carry too, and if ever confronted with a life threatening situation that can't be avoided (read: Tim runs away), I shall shoot till the bad guy stops being a threat. I will not shoot to kill, though that is a likely consequence of being shot, I will shoot till the threat ends. Semantics maybe, but possibly important during your statement to the police after the shooting. Plus, it's the morally responsible approach.

[Keyser Soze]

http://www.absolutet-shirts.com/images/rule-2-double-tap.jpg

I dont feel bad for the little punk ass that wound up with a belly full of lead.

[Keyser Soze]

This ought to stir the pot a bit:

http://www.koco.com/r/24703285/detail.html

Sweet baby jesus! Awesome parenting skills right there. No wonder the 16 year old was already holding up pharmacies.

[~Barn~]

WTF, Oklahoma City?! Everybody in this story sucks.

I don't know if I've ever seen a Pharmacy with an "UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT" banner aloft, but if anyone desperately needed one!...

[modette99]

The mother is looking to get rich is all...
http://youtu.be/oCXiUQQnsmU

Being my wife is a Pharmacist I take offense to it being said they partake in the drugs they give out. Really is that what you think? 7 years of schooling...not worth loosing a $130K a year job to partake in anything...LOL

Then again its amazing more don't with the stupid fucks they deal with in terms of customers.

I'm so glad that the 16 year old die, now if only someone would do away with the mother who just wants MONEY. All she sees in her eyes is green, plus she has to be on crack to call her son a Hero...LOL The son like her was a looser, who needed to be dead. He risked going in and robbing someone for a few bucks or drugs and got killed. Booo the fuck woooo.....

Was the Pharmacist legally int he wrong, yeah probably no need to wast good ammo on the punk who was dead or close to dead, might of died anyways. Where the Pharmacist fucked up he should of first shot the kid multiple times then ran out and then reloaded should they have came back. There was techs there to call the police so he did not need to handle that.

I don't feel sorry one bit, you play with fire you might bet burnt at some point. The real shame being that the other robbers did not also die.

[~Barn~]

The real shame is that this thread doesn't have any tricky acronyms in it. :cough: PS2 :cough:

You can't buy that kinda comedy.

[Dr. Joe Siphek]

IMO this guy is lucky to be in jail, if he was free, he'd probably be living in fear of reprocussion for the rest of his life.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

http://www.absolutet-shirts.com/images/rule-2-double-tap.jpg

I dont feel bad for the little punk ass that wound up with a belly full of lead.
Me neither. ;) Quintuple-Tap FTMFW! :)

[Treyjack]

I understand what you mean here, I think, but you might want to rephrase that. I carry too, and if ever confronted with a life threatening situation that can't be avoided (read: Tim runs away), I shall shoot till the bad guy stops being a threat. I will not shoot to kill, though that is a likely consequence of being shot, I will shoot till the threat ends. Semantics maybe, but possibly important during your statement to the police after the shooting. Plus, it's the morally responsible approach.

Agreed. I guess what I poorly portrayed was that if I was in that situation shooting to only "teach him a lesson" or to place a shot(s) to only injure him will be the last thing on my list. Stopping the BG by whatever means necessary will be at the top...well that and making sure that the nice 90 year old lady isn't directly behind him. ;)