http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshihiro_Hattori

I guess you need to dispute this account then, mule.

You do know that I could post my account of the story on Wiki? The story is obviously written by an anti-gun rights type. A few details vary but not that significantly.

yes, I was just looking for correct accounts. Some say he went to the back, some say he was only in the front . It was a tragic error and a clash between cultures.

That Wiki entry has been pretty thoroughly deconstructed, Steve. It's about as biased as can be, cherry picking pertinent facts, ignoring others, and presenting the authors' opinions as facts.

It was a tragedy, no doubt about it. The kid clearly meant no harm. The home owner was clearly scared to death, with good reason (based on a number of factors; local violent crime rate, etc.). All that Wiki entry did was add fuel to the fire. It brought no increased clarity, but rather muddied the waters. Most folks familiar with the case have dismissed it as no more than the victim's supporters expressing their outrage, and infusing their politics. Wiki has gone quite far downhill in allowing that sort of thing.

Jeff or Mule

Is there an accurate account anywhere? Just curious.

this may be better http://www.blogd.com/archives/000124.html

I'm recalling from N.O. local news stories. It was covered big time. Shortly before that story the was another famous story about a guy whose son had been kidnapped & molested by his karate teacher. When they capture them, Dad calls the State Police & tells them blatantly, "If ya' bring him back. I'm killing him." On the 5 o'clock news he is being walked up the concourse at Moisant. The camera zooms out & to the right is a guy on a pay phone. He gives a look up the concourse, hangs up the phone, turns towards the camera, but keeps on turning as he's pulling out his pistol and shoots the guy in the side of the head from about a foot away, live on the 5 o'clock news! Guy dies. Dad doesn't do a day.

This happened shortly after that so it was covered BIG. My story is to the best of my recollection. By the way, I don't think they even had laser sights back then.

You're missing a whole lot of the story. The Japanese kid wasn't walking away, he was trying a side door after he scared an old lady who then told her husband someone was breaking in. It's tragic but understandable if you read the whole transcript.

Was that a freudian slip Mule? :D

Actually I can blame Wayne's spellchecker for that one. Your statement tellsm me that you've never been to BR. It ain't very white!

I was in BR a few months ago and a lady at the store thanked us houstonians for taking all their... well I can't type it but you get the drift. Katrina actually did some really good things for southern La, but some really bad things for Houston :rolleyes:

Come on guys it still bothers me, I'm just getting tired of this kind of crap (or hearing about it). In my opinion the pot story is so far slanted, I'd need to hear the cops side, but I side with the kid inside on that one.

And the exchange student dressed in a tuxedo gunned down, good thing the neighbours didn't kill his buddy when he ran to their house to get help... ;)

I can't imagine a situation where I wouldn't announce before pulling the trigger. The cop would have revealed such and that would have been that. Who shoots without saying a word?

Someone who is has been jolted awake and is terrified?

no, maybe if he was high or drunk but sane people don't just shoot. I should add that I don't think the guy should be charged and I hate those warrants but seriously WTF?

Have you been in that situation personally? I haven't. I'd like to think I'd stay calm and do everything right, but maybe I'd panic. Maybe this guy was a easily frightened guy.

If you attack someone, you take the consequences. From the report, this guy was under attack.

Now, I realize the report may not tell the whole story. I'm saying this just based on what we read.

Once about four or five years ago I was awoken to a commotion that had my wife and I convinced that someone had just kicked our front door in. I Told my wife to get behind the bed and grabbed my shotgun from under it. Before I left the bedroom I racked one home and began shouting "Come out or I will shoot you on sight" and similar other phrases over and over. I swept the entire house in complete terror while repeating that and over and over. Turned out a tree had fallen and crashed into my garage door. But I was not going to just shoot without giving them the opportunity. Hell it could be a drunken buddy looking for a place to crash.

Don't judge unless you've been there. I was at the CHP Academy in Sacramento years ago, and I got to go through one of their incident simulators where you respond to a domestic argument, pull over a motorist, etc. Depending on your response as the officer they can change the response of the suspect. I was dead 3 out of 3 times. Not justifying one way or the other on the part of the cops or the homeowner. Just saying you ain't been there. OTOH, why a no knock on a few plants? That I definitely don't get. Maybe there is more to the story. I don't keep a piece handy (uh, to you bad guys, yes I do!). But if I saw someone kicking my front door in, I'd be going for the fireplace poker and assume they're not there to give me the Publisher's Clearing House prize. I don't think I'd give a warning, or ask who they are, I'd just do my very best to nail the crap out of them. I wouldn't assume my son or a buddy would be kicking down my door for a place to crash.

If BR owes Houston thanks, NO owes ya' dinner at Ruth's Chris!

Sad event. At least the cop wont be doing any more baseless searches anymore. Gotta go with the homeowner on this one.

I think it boils down to how you interpret the 8th amendment. The current drug laws seem to significantly violate the amendment to me.

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."