Prison Escapee Is Fatally Shot by Woman After He Breaks Into Her Home, Sheriff Says

A felon who escaped from a South Carolina prison early Tuesday morning and barged into a woman’s home was fatally shot by the homeowner in what the local sheriff described as a “shining example” of why people should own guns and know how to use them.

At the news conference, Sheriff Clark called the homeowner a hero and emphasized the need for people — especially women — to get concealed weapons permits.

“This is the shining example of what this lady did — took the time to get her C.W.P. and set herself up to be able to protect herself and not be harmed, killed or raped or whatever,” Sheriff Clark said. “She came out on the good, on this end, and the other guy — the bad guy — didn’t.”

The sheriff’s remarks appeared to echo the “good guy with a gun” theory advocated by the National Rifle Association and President Trump as a solution to mass shootings. Such arguments have once again come under scrutiny after two separate episodes last month in which a black man with a gun was killed by the police; in each case, the families of the men shot by the police have said they were trying to stop other gunmen.

“This was a big guy,” the sheriff said of Mr. McLaughlin. “If she hadn’t had a weapon, no telling what would have happened. But she stopped the crime, she solved the crime for us and she came out a winner.”

Asked to clarify his comments in a telephone interview on Tuesday night, Sheriff Clark said he had wanted to stress the importance of firearms training, which he said he believed had saved the woman’s life.

Yes, she saved the taxpayers a princely sum. Add in the costs of arrest, booking, housing, arraignment, public defender, pre trial hearings, possibly an actual trial, unless the DA allows him to plead to a misdemeanor (horrifyingly common). Then you have a sentencing hearing which necessitates a probation report and possibly psych evaluations.

It won’t necessarily end there with a “guilty” verdict. He will be appointed yet another attorney at taxpayer cpense to prepare the appeal, if there is to be one. (They’re generally only automatic in death penalty cases). That attorney has to come from outside the public defende’s office. Some communities have a special department for conflicts attorneys, others contract the work out.

He will most assuredly lose on appeal. Appeals are meant to be based on some kind of error made by the trial court judge, not just unhappiness with the outcome.

Unless our perpetual defendant has unlimited resources, the court actions will be left there. But, the taxpayers will have the privilege of supporting the guy for however many years to which he is sentenced, barri, gawd help us, early release.

Thus, only one question remains. What elementary school will they be naming after this courageous woman?

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