While I would rather see this in the hopes the shooter takes responsibility for his unreasonable actions I can see an ex Police Captain believing himself justified. Ego takes over from reason.

I also don't think that the heavies on either side of the gun debate are going to be truly happy with a plea deal.

"Guilty" or Not Guilty" is the preferred target for both.

I think she's been pretty apolitical on this topic over here...

You'd know it if she wasn't;);).

I feel badly for the shooter, the old guy.

How scared do you have to be of the world that you have to carry a gun to go outside and pee? That must be a terrible place to be, not to be secure as to who you are and what you are. To expect the world to come crashing down on you at any moment where you would need to shoot someone.

That is a sad place to live. That is to be a prisoner of fear.

I hope it goes to trial. I want to see his name dragged through the mud and his family discredited and forced to move out of the USA. to hell with this loser. Give him the chair and put it on TV.

"I'm sorry sir - I was just checking with my baby sitter. I'll finish my conversation and hang up. Thank you for informing me of the inconvenience I have caused. May I buy you and your lady a bag of popcorn or box of candy at intermission?"

Or

"Go screw yourself old man - this is very important. Besides....the feature hasn't even started yet? Who cares about upcoming features....except idiots like you."

"What did you do....tell on me for texting?!?! You need to mind your own business! Who gave you the right to stick your nose into MY business...jerk off?!? Take that you old fool! (throws something at the old man - allegedly a box of something...allegedly popcorn).



Which is the personality you want sitting in front of you at a movie?

So if option B, pull out your .380 and shoot him in the chest? That's fair.

You'd think most decent folks would go with option A but unfortunately that's just not society in today's world.

I was out at lunch with a bunch of the fellas one day.

There was a table next to us with a guy and his family, wife plus kids around 10ish.

My group was having a good time and there was some off color language being used.

At some point the guy next to us got fed up, slammed his hand so hard on the table that stuff fell over, he spun in his chair and very loudly and angrily called us out on our language.

He was being a douche, he could have quietly leaned over and asked us to tone it down before he worked himself into a rage but that's not what he did.

But, he was right, our language was not age appropriate and we apologized to him for it.

End of situation.

And there was no sign upon entering the restaurant that "Adult Language" was not allowed.

Good point. There's also the A and B for how the conversation was started:
A. "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting away your phone? The movie is about to start and the brightness of the screen, or the noise it's making is disturbing me and we have really been looking forward to seeing this movie. Thank you.

or
B. "Hey jerk, turn off your damn phone before I go get the management and they kick your sorry ass out of here."

Why should he be the bigger man when none of you were classy enough to keep it clean when there were clearly kids within earshot? Nice double standard.

But what if someone in your party brought a kid. ;)

He made a scene that embarrassed his wife and his table slamming actually scared people at other tables. Very inconsiderate of him.

But you are right, we should have told him to **** Off, bad language and lack of class are not against the law and if he did not like it he could move to another table.

What do you think happens next?

We didn't invite that guy.;)

I want a pony for my birthday too. I don't always get my way when out and about in public. Pisses me off but, I'm selfish like that.

While I'd PREFER someone polite, I certainly wouldn't feel like my rights have been trampled when I go to a movie and some one is texting.

I would expect the establishment to enforce their own policies. I would not take matters in my own hands. That is borderline vigilantism.

Me??? If an establishment does not meet my satisfaction, I do not continue to honor them with my business.

Would you start a conflict with an employee at Taco Bell if you thought he might not have taken enough time to wash his hands after exiting the head?

What if you complained to the manager and didn't get satisfaction? Would you go back to take your pound of flesh from the employee?

Okay, the suspense is killing me. I saw this in a movie once - or twice: he bought you all a round!;)

I hope the old man gets life because it's not worth killing over but:

It seems that some people are just destined to get shot. I had some dealings with a guy at work. I was the customer and he was the vendor on a large HVAC chiller job ($750K). He just kept rubbing me the wrong way and arguing about stupid stuff. Then one I was at home with the news on in the back ground when I heard the guy's name related to a shooting. It seems the guy went to pick up his wife at work on Valentine's Day and got to arguing with a guy at his wife's office. The guy in the office went to his car for a gun, came back and put a bullet between his eyes. As much as hate to see someone killed over something stupid, you have to wonder if some people don't keep asking for it until they meet the person willing to do it. (and no, this had nothing to do with his wife cheating, she was an old lady and the shooter was a young angry guy)

I would have liked to have known Pops...and fewer words of wisdom, cautionary council, have been written.

What I do find interesting about this debate is that those who often find the police surly and without merit are rallying to this guys defense.

This is not about the policy of concealed carry. It is about an a-hole with a gun, no different that a drive-by shooting or a robbery gone south.

Given what any of us know right now, I can't find the slightest keen in rallying to this d-bags defense.

You are mistaken.

I think the mother survived her injuries. Oh, and the little girl is without a father because he assaulted the wrong old man.
You have not noticed this habit of hers until now?
It is.

Apparently the deceased routinely behaved in a confrontational manner and assaulted people with impunity up to that point.

This is like the deal where that guy shot that kid for bouncing the back of his head off the ground. It is funny how quick the anti-gun folks try to turn it into something it is not, it starts with the reporters. Pretty tiresome.

This exact scenario played out so many times in my childhood. My father would offer the offenders a single opportunity to apologize to his family for their rudeness. The smart ones took that opportunity.

BTW, I'm not anti-gun. I'm anti cold blooded murder.

me too. Guns are awesome guns are not the problem.