L.A. Man shoots car thieves, charged with murder

[rogue]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&c ... &printer=1

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A 26-year-old Los Angeles man who prosecutors say shot at two thieves stealing his car, killing one of them, was charged on Wednesday with murder.



Yoon Ho Song could face 50 years to life in prison if he is convicted of the first degree murder of Mario Sandoval Martinez and a special allegation of using a handgun, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.


Prosecutors say Song came out of his house to find two car thieves pushing his customized Honda out of his driveway in the predawn hours on Monday and opened fire, hitting Martinez, 25, in the back. The second suspect got away.


"The fact that your car is being stolen isn't a legal justification for killing somebody," Deputy District Attorney Frank Somes said. "Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony or you are acting in self defense."


Somes said police initially focused on Song as a crime victim but "essentially began questioning whether he was the victim or a suspect when they learned the person stealing the car had been shot in the back."


An attorney for Song, who was expected to make his first court appearance in the case as early as Wednesday, could not be reached for comment.


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I'm sure he didn't mean to kill him, and I would might have done the same in his position (only I would aim for the legs). I kinda hope he gets away with it (maybe Johnny Cochrane will take the case?) - the world is a better place minus one car thief...

[dadx2mj]

You shot him in the legs and he will turn around and sue you the end result being that you will support him for the rest of his life. The law here in Ca is that you can only use deadly force when you or someone else is threatened with deadly force. Not saying I agree with the law but until it is changed that is what we have to live by. If you are going to be a gun owner and be willing to use a gun in a situation like that you had better know the laws and what you are getting yourself into. Failure to do so will put you in a situation just like this guy is in.

[tunis5000]

Guess he should have just shot into the air and told those mofo's to get the funk out before he starts shooting body parts. Or he could have just told them to stay put with a gun on them and called the cops...

[eGoCeNTRoNiX]

Originally posted by rogue
[url]Yoon Ho Song could face 50 years to life in prison if he is convicted of the first degree murder of Mario Sandoval Martinez and a special allegation of using a handgun, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

Hmmmm.... Not that I really hope he's dead.. But maybe he shot MSand the TROLL!!!

eGo

[DoPeY5007]

Originally posted by rogue
""Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony"

wtf is up with that line?


so, if I see someone do a hit and run where they hit a person or something I can kill them?


or, if I see someone performing domestic violence I can kill them.....

[fearfox]

That totally sucks i know sort of how it feels some college pricks stoled my modded civic hatback. If theres any crime committed should be negligance not murder, he defended his property and the robbers trespassed on his property.

[dadx2mj]

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
wtf is up with that line?


so, if I see someone do a hit and run where they hit a person or something I can kill them?


or, if I see someone performing domestic violence I can kill them.....

What do you think, you see someone doing something wrong and you can become Judge, jury and executioner and start handing out death penalties? I kind of tend to agree with the law with the exception of when someone is invading your home. In that case I think you should be able to drop them where they stand no questions asked. To kill someone for steeling a car is in my eyes a very harsh punishment unless that thief is armed and threatening to use deadly force and in that case dropping him where he stand would be ok by the CA law.

[Pugsley]

well then i guess ill just keep a shot gun loaded with 8 rounds. the first 6 are rock salt, next regular buck then a slug. if i manage to empty it you better bet you be dead.

[renovation]

Originally posted by eGoCeNTRoNiX
Hmmmm.... Not that I really hope he's dead.. But maybe he shot MSand the TROLL!!!

eGo

Humm my very thoughts !

[ShibasScotch]

Originally posted by rogue
[url]Somes said police initially focused on Song as a crime victim but "essentially began questioning whether he was the victim or a suspect when they learned the person stealing the car had been shot in the back."

So... If you shot him in the face instead, they would have assumed him to still be a victim right? Cuz its only not legal to shoot someone in the back. anyway, this is both bs, and proper. Noone has the right to take the life of another, for nay reason, whatsoever. However, In my shoes, I would have defended my car. Tought, death would have been an escape compared on what I am thinking.... :-D

[TheManiacal1]

<shaking head>
i'd have shot the fu(ker too...

[rogue]

On second thought, its hardly worth killing someone over a riced out civic...now a Lamborghini, on the other hand...

[dadx2mj]

Originally posted by ShibasScotch
So... If you shot him in the face instead, they would have assumed him to still be a victim right? Cuz its only not legal to shoot someone in the back. anyway, this is both bs, and proper. Noone has the right to take the life of another, for nay reason, whatsoever. However, In my shoes, I would have defended my car. Tought, death would have been an escape compared on what I am thinking.... :-D

There seems to be some conflicting reports here. The local news (I live in LA area) said at first the cops considered it self defense because the the guy claimed the thief had a gun and the cops were good with that. It is when they could not find the thief's gun that they decided to charge the guy with murder. My guess is by the time this is all over with the charges will end up being some degree of manslaughter rather than murder charges.

[DoPeY5007]

Originally posted by dadx2mj
What do you think, you see someone doing something wrong and you can become Judge, jury and executioner and start handing out death penalties? I kind of tend to agree with the law with the exception of when someone is invading your home. In that case I think you should be able to drop them where they stand no questions asked. To kill someone for steeling a car is in my eyes a very harsh punishment unless that thief is armed and threatening to use deadly force and in that case dropping him where he stand would be ok by the CA law.

I think you took what I said wrong, I was going by what I quoted. Read that quote again then what I wrote

[dadx2mj]

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
I think you took what I said wrong, I was going by what I quoted. Read that quote again then what I wrote

YEP I sure did read that wrong my apologies. I should have known better I thought that was really out of character for you.