And yet again, another issue on "Hate in West Virginia". I will say I can understand the person being investigated saying he was afraid. Somehow we forget how three teenagers can be if they have a mind too. And I don't care what color they are. But for some years, it is proven by surveys/ investigations that many White People are afraid of young Black Males. Again, a sad commentary on our times.
Federal Authorities Investigate Teen's Fatal Shooting as a Hate Crime
ENJOLI FRANCIS and ANGELIQUE YACK,Good Morning America 9 hours ago (Posted here 9:30 A.M., 24 Nov. 2016)
Federal authorities said today they are reviewing the shooting death of a black teenager in West Virginia as a hate crime.
On Monday around 8:45 p.m., according to the criminal complaint, Charleston police responded to a report of a shooting in East Charleston, Kanawha County.
According to the complaint, James Means, 15, bumped into William Pulliam, 62, of East Charleston, and the two "exchanged words." Pulliam then went into a store but when he came out and made his way home, he and Means again had a "verbal dispute." ( May I ask why were they still there when he came out? A reasonable person might ask but what they were "laying" for him? I would suggest this was a sad, sad event that came to an ugly end?) News this evening says as he left a local store there, he had words with the lad and went across the street to confront him near the lads home. That would seem to cast a different light on the issue as he may be seen as "aggressive" by going to the lad? Still a bad end to an even worse issue; the loss of another young life.
Pulliam admitted to shooting Means twice in the stomach with a .380 revolver "because he felt threatened," according to the complaint. Means was taken to a hospital but later died.
Pulliam expressed no remorse for the slaying, according to the criminal complaint, which also noted Pulliam said that after the shooting, he'd eaten dinner and visited a friend.
"The way I look at it, that's another piece of trash off the street," he said, according to the complaint. (If this is true, it is a sad reflection on our times in how the older generation (s), (color immaterial), see the younger ones today?)
He has since denied making that comment. On Tuesday, he spoke to ABC affiliate WCHS-TV in Charleston, saying he feared for his life Monday night and that the shooting had nothing to do with race. Means is black and Pulliam is white.
"I don't care if they're white or black. Nobody is going to do me like that. It doesn't make any difference he's black," Pulliam said.
Pulliam said that Means and two friends were taunting him that night.
"Believe me, I didn't want to kill anybody but you know, they are not going to kill me," he told WCHS-TV. "I felt my life was in danger. I'm sorry but, I mean, I'm 62 years old. ... I work. I'm a good citizen. I don't do anything to anybody, never have done anything to anybody."
In an email to ABC News, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed that federal authorities had been asked to review whether the shooting falls within the federal hate crimes statute.
"That review is in its early stages, and the fact that a review is being conducted should not be taken as any indication of what the review's outcome will be," Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Ruby said.
The hate crimes statute "establishes a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for willfully using a firearm to kill another person because of the victim's actual or perceived race, color, religion or national origin."
Means' family also spoke out, saying they did not want friends or family to retaliate. (I think this shows real class on the part of the family under what must be some very trying times. I hope the folks in the 'hoods listen to the family? As noted below, let it play out in the Courts and hope for Judges who can read and understand the Laws?)
"I'm going to leave everything up to the courts to take care of this man and to do whatever they have to do to make him be punished as well as my son had to suffer and my family had to suffer through this," Means' mother, Nafia Adkins, told WCHS-TV.
Pulliam faces first-degree murder charges. If found guilty, he could face life behind bars. A preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 1.
I continue to be astounded at the Police Officers that are being shot and killed for no other reason than being a Cop. While we all know those few and I mean few are little more than thugs with badges, the other 98- 99% are hardworking folks who have every right to go home each day at the end of their shifts.
There is sadly little we can do for the time being as they all seem to be untraceable acts that are pre planned by the shooter or just spur of the moment as opportunity presents. There can be little doubt that Mr. Obama with his open support of Black Lives Matter has exacerbated the problem. But this also holds true with his incompetence, malfeasance in office that has also left him with the bloods of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Middle Eastern and North Africans on his hands.
Some would come back at me that it has only been a couple of dozen cops compared to the others. I say that any Police Officer in the 98- 99% that are victims are too many. Rogue Officers are all the time another story and may well deserve a despicable end for dirtying their Profession? 'nuff said'.