Ersland upset over defense fees

[rcjunkie]

I've been involved in dozens of armed confrontations... and I've been shot, too. Speak for yourself.

Don't know where or when you have served the public as an officer, and thanks for you service, but I still think Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong, and should be found not guilty.

[Thunder]

Don't know where or when you have served the public as an officer, and thanks for you service, but I still think Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong, and should be found not guilty.

I am curious, exactly what was it that you think he did nothing wrong of?

[MattB]

Don't know where or when you have served the public as an officer, and thanks for you service, but I still think Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong, and should be found not guilty.

Thank you for the support.
Lets just say (Not that I think one of your family members would do so) that your son falls in with a wrong crowd, gets hooked on drugs, whatever. I wind up in a confrontation with him where he points a gun at me, and I shoot him, knocking him to the ground, lying motionless, gun thrown clear of his hand. Are you saying you'd be okay with me walking over and shooting him five more times?

[rcjunkie]

Thank you for the support.
Lets just say (Not that I think one of your family members would do so) that your son falls in with a wrong crowd, gets hooked on drugs, whatever. I wind up in a confrontation with him where he points a gun at me, and I shoot him, knocking him to the ground, lying motionless, gun thrown clear of his hand. Are you saying you'd be okay with me walking over and shooting him five more times?

Talk about comparing apples to oranges !!, he was inside a business with another robber (armed) and his co-workers. Again, while you may have watched more footage than we have, you can't claim to have all of the facts and evidence that will be presented.

[Thunder]

Talk about comparing apples to oranges !!, he was inside a business with another robber (armed) and his co-workers. Again, while you may have watched more footage than we have, you can't claim to have all of the facts and evidence that will be presented.

People on this forum was saying in official report, the dead guy was not armed.

[Achilleslastand]

I cant help but think back in the day this whole thing woulda been swept under the rug. One less criminal off the street gone and forgotten. But in todays world of political correctness and multiculturism the hero here is actually made out to bad guy while Antwun is looked upon as the poor misguided youth while the mother is looking for a payday by filing a wrongful death suit.
This whole thing makes me sick.

[MattB]

I cant help but think back in the day this whole thing woulda been swept under the rug. One less criminal off the street gone and forgotten. But in todays world of political correctness and multiculturism the hero here is actually made out to bad guy while Antwun is looked upon as the poor misguided youth while the mother is looking for a payday by filing a wrongful death suit.
This whole thing makes me sick.

You're losing your perspective. Antwun was a POS, but Erland went too far by executing him. Defending yourself is acceptable. This isn't.

[Achilleslastand]

So it looks like Erslands best defense is to claim that the first shot offed him therefore any remaining shots would not matter. I cant help but feel sorry for the poor guy. He seems like he may be a tad off kilter and i recall hearing he had been robbed before and was tired of if...not that that would matter in the case. He was put in horrible situation.

[bandnerd]

Don't twist it. This was happening after all the robbery attempt and shootout. He doesn't know if that kid had a gun or not.

Then don't you twist it, either. You're speculating.

[BBatesokc]

So it looks like Erslands best defense is to claim that the first shot offed him therefore any remaining shots would not matter. I cant help but feel sorry for the poor guy. He seems like he may be a tad off kilter and i recall hearing he had been robbed before and was tired of if...not that that would matter in the case. He was put in horrible situation.

He can't do that now since he's already justified his actions by stating on the record that he shot Parker because he was still moving and trying to get up. Also, the ME's report contradicts that and is clear Parker was alive when Ersland shot him 5 more times.

Speaking of, I noticed Trant is not on the list to be called to testify even though he was the Chief ME at the time and did the autopsy and concluded the first shot to Parker's head was not life threatening.

[Bostonfan]

Like Brian, you both claim to know/have all the facts whcich is pure BS. I wasn't there, and neither were you, Brian or MattB, and if anyone say's without a doubt exactly how they would react, they are being dishonest at the least.

Just like you, I'm entitled to and have and voice my opinion, and it's my opinion that Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong and should be found not guilty.

Why does it matter if no one knows how we would react? Many of us don't know how we would react to much of anything. So he's not guilty because no one knows how we would react? Brilliant

[BBatesokc]

This is a pretty good article that sums up how screwed Ersland is......

http://newsok.com/article/3568497

[Bill Robertson]

Do you simply ignore the facts of this case to stir things up, or are you that ignorant? The guy left the building, then came back, then turned his back to the kid to get a gun, walked over and unloaded on him. Why is this so difficult to understand?

Like Brian, you both claim to know/have all the facts which is pure BS. I wasn't there, and neither were you, Brian or MattB, and if anyone say's without a doubt exactly how they would react, they are being dishonest at the least.

Just like you, I'm entitled to and have and voice my opinion, and it's my opinion that Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong and should be found not guilty.

They don't have to know "everything" to see that the video clearly shows Ersland leaving the store, returning, walking right past the kid on the floor (which should mean he wasn't too worried about the kid attacking him), getting the second gun and unloading it. I wish he weren't guilty. I'd really like to see him get a medal. But the law is the law and in my opinion he broke it.

[Roadhawg]

Don't twist it. This was happening after all the robbery attempt and shootout. He doesn't know if that kid had a gun or not.

What shootout? The robbers never fired a shot.

[Roadhawg]

Don't know where or when you have served the public as an officer, and thanks for you service, but I still think Mr. Ersland did nothing wrong, and should be found not guilty.

I don't know if you've watched the store video but when do you think the imminent threat was over?

[PennyQuilts]

This guy sounds like he was cracked long before the robbers showed up. Part of me wants to take the position that when you rob someone, you take the chance that they won't be rational/merciful. That would be an excellent deterrent. But the bigger part of me is that this was a stupid kid who was sent in there by a middle aged coward brought into the kid's life by negligent family members. The deck was stacked against him and you might just as well have sent in an 8 year old for all the judgment he was capable of. Had this been an adult, I don't think I would be nearly as sympathetic. Killing kids when you don't have to - I can't get past that.

[bretthexum]

Makes you wonder why he didn't set up shop in a nicer part of town ^^

[BBatesokc]

Makes you wonder why he didn't set up shop in a nicer part of town ^^

Ersland? He was probably pretty lucky to have had the job at Reliable Discount Pharmacy. He has zero social skills and only works part time. Plus RDP pays pharmacists a lot less than other pharmacies.

[Achilleslastand]

Its really amazing to see the amount of people that seem to be against Mr Ersland. There is something called cause and effect and action and reaction. If the thugs didnt decide to commit a felony none of this would even matter. What if Ersland wasnt carrying that day? Would we be talking about a pharmacist and female employess lined up and shot in the back room? And shouldnt the mother take some responsiblilty in this instead of proclaiming my son was a hero and looking for a payday? Regardless whether or not Ersland has any social skills or works full or part time hes surely making a better contribution to society then commiting felonys or having numerous cases against you for unpaid rent I have also heard that Antwun already had a lenghty rap sheet but i cant find anything online to confirm/deny this.
Everything in this case is so twisted so upside down its enough to make your head swim. Dosnt anyone have the guts to speak up and tell the mother that her son was comitting a violent felony and sometimes when you put yourself in these types of situations the outcome can be tragic?

[PennyQuilts]

Achilles, everything you said, IMO, has truth in it. But I can't go for killing an unarmed teen who was down - just can't.

The fact is, the whole situation is twisted, as you say. The kid did wrong, and not like in cheating on a math test. He was engaged in a violent, outrageous act and if I were a betting woman, I'd wager that prison or death was in his future no matter what - just a question of time. His family is a perfect example of how our society props up and enables families that have no business having children. We pay them to continue a lifestyle that damns a child to a world where he/she is surrounded by criminals and/or predators. Education is not stressed. The kids are bounced around. Yank out the public financial support for a family like that and the child would end up in foster care or they'd straighten up and get a job. If the kid had been taken from his mother and put into foster care, it would have been hard but he'd have had a far better chance at getting an education and staying alive. All the do gooders want to help by giving the mother public funding but all they do, most of the time, is trap a kid in an awful situation. If it was their own child living like that, they'd wake up every night screaming from nightmares that probably were pretty close to what was actually happening to their child.

[Bill Robertson]

Its really amazing to see the amount of people that seem to be against Mr Ersland. There is something called cause and effect and action and reaction. If the thugs didnt decide to commit a felony none of this would even matter. What if Ersland wasn't carrying that day? Would we be talking about a pharmacist and female employess lined up and shot in the back room? And shouldn't the mother take some responsibility in this instead of proclaiming my son was a hero and looking for a payday? Regardless whether or not Ersland has any social skills or works full or part time hes surely making a better contribution to society then committing felonys or having numerous cases against you for unpaid rent I have also heard that Antwun already had a lenghty rap sheet but i cant find anything online to confirm/deny this.
Everything in this case is so twisted so upside down its enough to make your head swim.Doesn'tt anyone have the guts to speak up and tell the mother that her son wascommittingg a violent felony and sometimes when you put yourself in these types of situations the outcome can be tragic?

I actually agree with you completely. The kid was scum and, as I've said before, I'd like to see Ersland get a medal. But, the courts are supposed to uphold current law, not do what might be morally right. And Ersland broke the law that the court is supposed to uphold. I also agree, if he hadn't had a gun at all it might have been the end for three innocent people. But, he went too far in re-entering the building, walking almost over the kid, getting a second gun and unlaoding it. As it is, if Ersland is found not guilty it could set up a precedent that could be used for anti-personal defense activists to use to try to overturn "Make My Day" and concealed carry. I don't want to see that happen.

[BBatesokc]

Its really amazing to see the amount of people that seem to be against Mr Ersland. There is something called cause and effect and action and reaction. If the thugs didnt decide to commit a felony none of this would even matter. What if Ersland wasnt carrying that day? Would we be talking about a pharmacist and female employess lined up and shot in the back room? And shouldnt the mother take some responsiblilty in this instead of proclaiming my son was a hero and looking for a payday? Regardless whether or not Ersland has any social skills or works full or part time hes surely making a better contribution to society then commiting felonys or having numerous cases against you for unpaid rent I have also heard that Antwun already had a lenghty rap sheet but i cant find anything online to confirm/deny this.
Everything in this case is so twisted so upside down its enough to make your head swim. Dosnt anyone have the guts to speak up and tell the mother that her son was comitting a violent felony and sometimes when you put yourself in these types of situations the outcome can be tragic?

I'm not against Ersland, I'm against his actions. Actions that were not justified by Ingram and Parker's criminal behavior.

Ersland had every opportunity to do the right and legal thing and he made a conscious choice not to. Then, after the fact he tried to coverup his illegal actions with a multitude of lies.

I may market myself as a 'Vigilante' but in reality my actions are limited to what is allowed by law. Ersland was a Vigilante that day in the same vain of vigilantes who would work outside and in contrast to the law by shooting, burning or stringing up those they deemed guilty of a crime without the benefit of a judge or jury and they imposed the death penalty.

'Cause and effect' is not a legal defense by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is "what if?" Also the mother's role is of no concern to the court.

Actually the gutsy thing is being brave enough to know how despicable Ingram and Parker were but still be able to hold Ersland to a higher standard ~ and that standard being the law. I'm not saying all laws should go unquestioned, but this one obviously exists for a very good reason.

[bandnerd]

I'm not against Ersland, I'm against his actions. Actions that were not justified by Ingram and Parker's criminal behavior.

'Cause and effect' is not a legal defense by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is "what if?" Also the mother's role is of no concern to the court.

Actually the gutsy thing is being brave enough to know how despicable Ingram and Parker were but still be able to hold Ersland to a higher standard ~ and that standard being the law. I'm not saying all laws should go unquestioned, but this one obviously exists for a very good reason.

People are emotionally involved with the case, and you really can't be. You have to look at the facts here, and the law. Just because someone is "bad" or "made a bad decision" doesn't mean that anyone else can execute them at will. There are laws for a reason, and those laws weren't put into place lightly.

[rcjunkie]

Why does it matter if no one knows how we would react? Many of us don't know how we would react to much of anything. So he's not guilty because no one knows how we would react? Brilliant

Thank you, I thought so myself.

[rcjunkie]

I'm not against Ersland, I'm against his actions. Actions that were not justified by Ingram and Parker's criminal behavior.

Ersland had every opportunity to do the right and legal thing and he made a conscious choice not to. Then, after the fact he tried to coverup his illegal actions with a multitude of lies.

I may market myself as a 'Vigilante' but in reality my actions are limited to what is allowed by law. Ersland was a Vigilante that day in the same vain of vigilantes who would work outside and in contrast to the law by shooting, burning or stringing up those they deemed guilty of a crime without the benefit of a judge or jury and they imposed the death penalty.

'Cause and effect' is not a legal defense by any stretch of the imagination. Neither is "what if?" Also the mother's role is of no concern to the court.

Actually the gutsy thing is being brave enough to know how despicable Ingram and Parker were but still be able to hold Ersland to a higher standard ~ and that standard being the law. I'm not saying all laws should go unquestioned, but this one obviously exists for a very good reason.

Now that's funny, I (and probably most), remember a different situation not that long ago.