[Da Bilge Troll]

My personal opinion is that he should be charged. He was not in fear of his life or anyone else's life.

[Uncle Miltie]

The cost / benefit just wasn’t worth it.

Not that there’s anything wrong with stealing. ..

[Cen-Tejas]

..... I tend to agree but am going to wait for more facts. My central question at this moment is “did the boys menace the shooter in any way?”

[Rurudyne]

The man knew exactly what about the trespassers other than he was outnumbered and that they were stealing?

[oh8eleven]

My personal opinion is that he should be charged.
My guess is that if he didn't have the gun, the three thugs teens would have given him a beat down - possibly a life-threatening one. No charges.

[circlecity]

"He was not in fear of his life or anyone else's life."

How did you come to that conclusion?

[Don Corleone]

Too late smart...too soon dead!

[Jack Hammer]

My opinion is that the only thing he should be sentenced to is additional range time. He only got one.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

:: what was up-in that car was not worth Martinez’s life ::

Well, disregarding the grammar and structure...
Nothing!

When you visit my house without invitation (as if you were Geo.III’s taxing entity?), I’ll...kill you...
if you don’t have authority to do such.

We (US Citizens) continue to fight the Revolution of 1775. How difficult a concept is that?

[bkopto]

"killing Ernest's 13-year-old cousin, Martinez Smith-Payne...."

Hyphenated last name Alert!

[OKSooner]

The state that gets this sort of thing the most right is Texas. Burglary under cover of darkness is de facto evidence of intent to cause personal harm because the victim can't see if the intruder is armed or not. Also can't really tell how old they are, or for sure how many they are.

Bad, tragic decision for a 13yo kid.

[Snickering Hound]

[DJ MacWoW]

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[PATRIOT1876]

The kid should be locked up.

Stupid should be painful.

[DungeonMaster]

Ernest wishes they had gone home instead of riding down that North Point neighborhood alley. I was just thinking while in the jail cell, what was up in that car was not worth Martinez's life, Ernest said on his front porch Monday, standing next to his mother. We all were responsible for going in that car. All three of us made that choice.

That's how you learn when you don't have parents.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

3 kids going bump in the night, trespassing & stealing people’s hard earned property.

Liberals would agree with you that he should be charged.

When folks can’t even defend their own property, there’s not much left to defend.

[RinaseaofDs]

Got it. Your driveway and your car are NOT part of your home?

These three idiots KNEW the risks, took them anyway, and one got shot and died. Breaking into a car, ostensibly containing the remote for the garage door, is part of the castle doctrine.

Three kids 14 years old vs 60 year old man. Fear is imputed and no defense lawyer worth his/her salt is going to kick that hornets nest.

It’s incredible how powerful the press is in getting otherwise clear-thinking people to toss their 1st, 2nd, and 4th amendment protections because a teenager was involved.

[rey]

If there are no consequences for one’s actions, why not engage in them? The car was not theirs. The alleged change was not theirs. The property the vehicle was on was not theirs. If they can take what ever they want whenever they want the supposed owner is little more than a slave (Did I just describe our federal government?).

I had a similar situation years ago. The officer asked if anything in that car was worth someone’s life. I suggested that the perp should have considered that before hand. I asked if I could take what I want from his squad car without consequence. Of course I couldn’t. If anyone can take what they want from me than I am merely a slave, a state that is forbidden by our constitution and one we supposedly fought and died over. So, yes, if I am being enslaved by someone’s actions, thievery, I may respond as the North responded to the South, assuming you believe the war was over that issue.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Charge the surviving thieves with murder.

[Navy Patriot]

My personal opinion is that he should be charged. He was not in fear of his life or anyone else's life.

Absolutely, it was only stealing and unlawful entry, everyone should have to accept that small inconvenience to save these underprivileged youth.

We should wait until they beat and kill a few defenseless taxpayers before we consider protecting the producers in our society, then we can use counseling and diversion programs to get them back home as soon as possible.

[JimRed]

An unlocked car; perfect BAIT for criminals. But shooting over a baited hunting ground is usually illegal, isn’t it?