Posted on 02/14/2007 9:23:54 AM PST by CedarDave
Joseph Page was asleep in bed in his Santa Rosa home when he heard glass shatter, feared someone was breaking in and got his shotgun to defend himself, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Page, in jail on a $1-million cash bond on two counts of murder in the deaths of two young women, was a victim of a group of kids trespassing and scaring him in the dark— not a murderer, said Assistant Public Defender Lelia Hood.
.... This is a horrible, horrible tragedy," Hood said. "But what are people supposed to do if someone is coming into their home and they're about to be attacked and burglarized? It was dark, he was alone, the window glass broke and he was defending his own home."
Hood described Page, a 55-year-old yard man, as a "Boo Radley character" referencing the misunderstood gentle giant in "To Kill A Mockingbird."
Hood asked the court that Page to be evaluated for his mental competency to stand trial. Magistrate Judge James Moncayo of Santa Rosa granted the motion. Page was a lifelong resident of Santa Rosa who had no criminal record ...
Page told police he shot Yvonne Gallegos, 20, at his home Saturday night as she was breaking in through his window. He then walked outside his home and fired two shots that hit 18-year-old Tenika Dodge, police said.
Gallegos and Dodge, along with two friends, were outside Page's house, which sits at the end of a dirt road outside of town near a popular party place for teens... Reportedly Gallegos broke into the house because she needed to use the bathroom. ...
... a little more than 24 hours after the shootings Page's home— and the crime scene— burned to the ground. Police suspect arson and said revenge was a possible motive.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
Darwin awards to the 2 girls.....
He then walked outside his home and fired two shots that hit 18-year-old Tenika Dodge, police said.
He might have had a case had he not done this.
I guess the days of ringing the door bell or knocking have gone by the wayside....
The girls took their chances. No one should have to put up with people breaking into their homes. That is a completely willing, malicious act with a high concern of danger for occupants.
For the man to have his house burnt down is a shame. I don't know if the second shooting was justified, but the first sure seemed that way.
Whoops. One was no longer a teen -- 20 years old.
Ping, sir.
I take it New Mexico has not castle doctrine to protect page from political prosecution.
Yep. True.
"feared someone was breaking in..."
Someone WAS breaking in.
Someone else committed an act of revenge and burned his home down.
Someone else committed a criminal act far worse than what he did.
Did the arsonist(s) make sure that all residents (including pets) had left the home? Or was it a case of premeditated attempted murder?
It was with a single shot .410 as well, meaning he reloaded atleast twice.
My grandfather, a lawyer, once told me that if I shot someone trying to break into my house and they fell outside, drag them inside.
No, he's still fine.
Intruders are intruders.
Normal people in that situation would either find a quiet place to pee outside or they would have KNOCKED and the door and asked for permission to use his bathroom. They would NOT have broken into his home.
Those girls were up to no good and they got it back in spades, unfortunately.
Not when they're outside. He executed the girl who was outside. He's toast.
The question could be asked did he still feel at risk or was scared and fired into the darkness. I don't know at what point the charges change from self-defense (for the first one killed) to manslaughter for the second. Certainly both murder charges are out of line. They were trespassing, for gosh sakes. And it does sound like he was somewhat mentally challenged. A competency hearing does sound like a good move.
Absolutely. In CT, once the threat leaves you cannot give chase, or shoot those who are fleeing. CT law then looks at YOU as the threat at that point.
Maybe this young angel threatened to kill him when he had the audacity to go outside (in his own yard) and confront the idiots. To call it an "execution" is completely biased. Everything that happened that night is the fault of the intruders, period, end of story.
"20" isn't a "teen".
"18" is an "adult".
Darwin Award for both.
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