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[HomerSimpson-Man]

Holy crap.

Guy kills the first person with multiple shots, he already incapacitated and proceeded to do a killshot, doesn't call the police mind you, and moves the body to the tarp. Afterwards having yet to call the police, he instead waited like another 11 minutes for the girl, when she comes looking for the first guy, to shoot her too.

And he still waited another day to call the authorities.

WTF?!

 

[Hari Seldon]

Are you sure you know what double tapping is, bro? It's just the act of firing 2 shots in rapid succession. No more, no less. That's not what makes this murder at all.

Also, good decision.

I was defining double tapping as shooting the person once, then going over and finishing them off. Call it a kill shot or whatever.

 

[speculawyer]

Holy crap.

Guy kills the first person with multiple shots, he already incapacitated and proceeded to do a killshot, doesn't call the police mind you, and moves the body to the tarp. Afterwards having yet to call the police, he instead waited like another 11 minutes for the girl, when she comes looking for the first guy, to shoot her too.

And he still waited another day to call the authorities.

WTF?!

If you really want to be amazed, go read the original thread where people defended those actions.

 

[Flo_Evans]

This Vietnam angle needs to die and I say that as a veteran myself. The guy enlisted in the Air Force during Vietnam, got out and used the GI Bill to go to school for free, and later landed a job at the State Department and retired.

Just because you're in a service branch during a time of war doesn't mean you are automatically sent to the front lines.

The guy was in the Air Force and I can assume with high confidence, he never sat foot in Vietnam. He was most likely a paper pusher sitting behind a desk.

Veteran ≠ seeing combat

Well true. I searched but couldn't really find anything on his service records. It really doesn't excuse his actions in anyway but I just think we should be checking up on veterans more than we are.

There also seems to be some gross misunderstanding of self defense law and castle doctrine among the general pubic. Hopefully this case as sad as it is will make some people think twice about planing to kill some burglers.

 

[Dai101]

 

[jackb2424]

He did, yeah. There's no doubt he was gonna kill anyone who broke into his house that night.

But it's not like he called over to them and invited them in. They were the initial aggressors.

U should just stop brother. No one derserves to be butchured like that. Dont sit there all high and mighty like u never have taken anyrhing that doesnt belong to u, whether it big or small. Do u think u deserve to die for something worth 20 bucks? Next time your kid steals something make sure u double tap. I get that he wanted to defend himself but why not set up a net or something. Why turn them into swiss cheese? The guy is a psycho and anyone who defends his actions are heartless, Imagine if those were your kids.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

The double tapping is what makes this murder.

I think it was all the other murdering he did as well. fuck him so much. stupid kids have to die for being stupid kids now? What kind of cold asshole tells a young girl 'you're dying bitch' before ending her? GOD what a fucking asshole.

 

[hgarrett54]

Good.

 

[see5harp]

The double tapping is what makes this murder.

.....among other crazy ass shit.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Well true. I searched but couldn't really find anything on his service records. It really doesn't excuse his actions in anyway but I just think we should be checking up on veterans more than we are.

There also seems to be some gross misunderstanding of self defense law and castle doctrine among the general pubic. Hopefully this case as sad as it is will make some people think twice about planing to kill some burglers.

I agree we should definitely check up on veterans more often. In saying that, I'm really disappointed in the way the VA treats us veterans. Every time I went to a VA clinic, I always felt like my very presence was a nuisance to the staff there. Because of that, I disenrolled from the VA health care system and got private insurance.

Regarding the case, it should've been clear cut to most people that what this guy did was premeditated murder, but you'll always have diehards spouting 'breaking into a person's home = loss of human rights.'

 

[figadapaura]

It's a good day when people like that are put behind bars. Guy's a maniac.

 

[FyreWulff]

Agree with this verdict. This wasn't self defense at all.

 

[ohlawd]

Good. This whole thing was terrible.

 

[Brian Griffin]

It's cases like this where I would fully support an immediate death penalty as there is 0% doubt of his guilt as proven by his own recording. No appeals, no waiting, just take him to the execution room after sentencing and dispose of him.

 

[AkuMifune]

It's cases like this where I would fully support an immediate death penalty as there is 0% doubt of his guilt as proven by his own recording. No appeals, no waiting, just take him to the execution room after sentencing and dispose of him.

Word. Probably taking your opinion too far, but people are just animals with a glorified opinion of themselves. Some animals just need to be put down without any fanfare or hesitation. Guy is a maniac and there's no question of his guilt.

The people who try to pretend we need to treat people like that with compassion or humanity are deluded into seeing humans as something more than what we really are.

 

[johnny956]

He had a cell phone jammer. Yea that's for defending your house. He knew if one of them survived and would call the police

 

[artist]

I think this guy got what he deserved, but on some level I kind of feel sorry for him. He was trained to kill in Vietnam, comes home is probably senile. People keep stealing his shit and the cops can't do anything. The way he recorded it, practiced calling a lawyer, it seems like he really felt he was totally in the right.

We really need to take better are of our veterans. Really makes me worry how many vets are out there and really in a bad place ready to snap.

smh

That's a perfect excuse for feeling "sorry" for this animal.

 

[Linsies]

I listened to the audio the other night (of the murder). Scared the hell out of me.

https://soundcloud.com/pioneerpress/audio-from-byron-smiths-house

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

You're dying in jail bitch.

 

[Thequietone]

Why are cell phone jammers legal for civilians to have anyways? What purpose would someone need these for anyways?

Edit: Of course the moment I post this a thread is posted about a man being fined for using one.

 

[Vyroxis]

As someone who is all for defending themselves in their own home, good riddance. This guy went well beyond what Castle Law was designed for, and earned his trip to prison.

 

[mre]

Why are cell phone jammers legal for civilians to have anyways? What purpose would someone need these for anyways?

Edit: Of course the moment I post this a thread is posted about a man being fined for using one.

Apparently, they're not from the article in the same thread you just noticed:

Talking on cellphones while driving is not illegal in Florida, however using or importing cellphone signal jammers is a violation of federal law.

Read more: http://www.leftlanenews.com/fcc-lev...phone-jammer-in-highlander.html#ixzz30UFslSp7

 

[Brian Griffin]

Word. Probably taking your opinion too far, but people are just animals with a glorified opinion of themselves. Some animals just need to be put down without any fanfare or hesitation. Guy is a maniac and there's no question of his guilt.

The people who try to pretend we need to treat people like that with compassion or humanity are deluded into seeing humans as something more than what we really are.

I don't think that's taking it too far as that's exactly how I feel. The death penalty should be reserved for clear cut cases like this so we can cull our population of cancerous people like this guy. His existence no longer serves any purpose in society and he is of no good use to anyone. Put him down cheaply and humanely and lets all move on without him.

 

[JudgeN]

It's cases like this where I would fully support an immediate death penalty as there is 0% doubt of his guilt as proven by his own recording. No appeals, no waiting, just take him to the execution room after sentencing and dispose of him.

I agree, sitting in jail is too good for him. Its not like they going to throw him solitary confinement for the rest of his life. No he's going to get a nice warm cell with a bed/food/medical support and we have to pay for that. Its silly IMO.

 

[speculawyer]

The double tapping is what makes this murder.

You still don't get it. I doubt you ever will.

 

[chickdigger802]

tragic case, but it really is something worth bringing up when one of your brilliant friends gets a brilliant idea to rob someone, so maybe this could be used in good... somehow.

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Just that?

Probably, yeah.

Had he shot the kid one time, shot the girl one time, and then called the cops he could have probably gotten off on self defense.

The whole taunting and then executing them though...

I wasn't aware he gave a damning interview to the police.

 

[Hari Seldon]

You still don't get it. I doubt you ever will.

What don't I get? If he didn't perform the kill shots and had instead called the cops after incapacitating the first kid, the kid would likely still be alive and the second one would have been caught by the police and would definitely still be alive. Therefore the kill shots are by definition the point where he committed the crime.

 

[syllogism]

What don't I get? If he didn't perform the kill shots and had instead called the cops after incapacitating the first kid, the kid would likely still be alive and the second one would have been caught by the police and would definitely still be alive. Therefore the kill shots are by definition the point where he committed the crime.

So you were just pointing out the obvious that you can't be convicted of murder unless someone dies? It seemed like you were saying that if the victims had died after the first few shots and thus he wouldn't have made shots at already incapacitated targets, he would have been able to successfully invoke self-defense.

 

[hughesta]

Total fucking psychopath. Glad he was convicted.

 

[LostCaress]

It's cases like this where I would fully support an immediate death penalty as there is 0% doubt of his guilt as proven by his own recording. No appeals, no waiting, just take him to the execution room after sentencing and dispose of him.

That can't work, can it? First of all, it rewards competent killers (those for which there isn't as many evidence). Second, if you got a guilty verdict but not an "instant death penalty" couldn't you ask "well why didn't I get the instant death? seems like there's a doubt somewhere - so I wasn't proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt!"

 

[abstract alien]

Talk about a man who reached his breaking point...

 

[riotous]

A good decision.

Sad story all around. I do feel some sorrow for the old guy, as crazy and dangerous as he may be.

 

[Hari Seldon]

So you were just pointing out the obvious that you can't be convicted of murder unless someone dies? It seemed like you were saying that if the victims had died after the first few shots and thus he wouldn't have made shots at already incapacitated targets, he would have been able to successfully invoke self-defense.

I'd say yes, but meh this is all getting too hypothetical now. Lets just say that I agree that in this case as it exists in reality this guy is definitely a murderer lol.

 

[Blargonaut]

Good. Life is worth more than property, and he went too far. May the dead rest in peace.

 

[syllogism]

I'd say yes, but meh this is all getting too hypothetical now. Lets just say that I agree that in this case as it exists in reality this guy is definitely a murderer lol.

The audio recording makes it clear that his intent was to murder; whether he shot 1, 2 or 10 bullets is irrelevant given that evidence. It also makes it relatively clear that these intruders posed no immediate threat to him. The only reason home owners get away with indiscriminately shooting at intruders who reasonably do not pose an immediate threat to them is the lack of evidence. I'm not suggesting that most self-defense situations aren't justified. Rather my point is that, unlike many users here seem to believe, even the castle doctrine does not legitimize killing someone just because they invaded your home.

 

[bengraven]

Shit, I thought it was bad enough he basically tortured them and got a kick out of killing them, but I didn't think that even HE would be so fucked up to have BAITED them in.

Prosecutors say Smith had moved his truck to make it look like no one was home, then sat in a chair at the bottom of his stairs with a book, energy bars, a bottle of water and two guns. He also set up a hand-held recorder on a bookshelf.

What a piece of shit.

 

[onadesertedisland]

This Vietnam angle needs to die and I say that as a veteran myself. The guy enlisted in the Air Force during Vietnam, got out and used the GI Bill to go to school for free, and later landed a job at the State Department and retired.

Just because you're in a service branch during a time of war doesn't mean you are automatically sent to the front lines.

The guy was in the Air Force and I can assume with high confidence, he never sat foot in Vietnam. He was most likely a paper pusher sitting behind a desk.

Veteran ≠ seeing combat

Articles seem to point towards service in B-52s during Vietnam. So he saw some sort of combat.

 

[reckless]

Good he's a psychopath that needs to be locked away.

 

[onadesertedisland]

I listened to the audio the other night (of the murder). Scared the hell out of me.

https://soundcloud.com/pioneerpress/audio-from-byron-smiths-house

Holy shit didn't know this was public.

 

[Dark Octave]

Shit, I thought it was bad enough he basically tortured them and got a kick out of killing them, but I didn't think that even HE would be so fucked up to have BAITED them in.



What a piece of shit.

They walked in of their own free will with bad intentions. They were pieces of shit as well. Being dead doesn't change that fact.

 

[plagiarize]

The audio recording makes it clear that his intent was to murder; whether he shot 1, 2 or 10 bullets is irrelevant given that evidence. It also makes it relatively clear that these intruders posed no immediate threat to him. The only reason home owners get away with indiscriminately shooting at intruders who reasonably do not pose an immediate threat to them is the lack of evidence. I'm not suggesting that most self-defense situations aren't justified. Rather my point is that, unlike many users here seem to believe, even the castle doctrine does not legitimize killing someone just because they invaded your home.

And, to me, a key thing is, these people were not home invaders in the classic sense. It's one thing to enter a residence armed knowing that the people were home. What happened here is a couple of teenage criminals cased a home to ensure it was empty before breaking in, not suspecting that it had been made to look empty and that someone was inside lying in wait.

He hadn't suffered home invasions. People had nicked his stuff when he was out, hence the whole setup to make the house look empty. These weren't home invaders. They were unsuspecting thieves committing a breaking and entry.

 

[Dai101]

^^ Didn't know the psycopath defense was already here.

 

[nckillthegrimace]

It's cases like this where I would fully support an immediate death penalty as there is 0% doubt of his guilt as proven by his own recording. No appeals, no waiting, just take him to the execution room after sentencing and dispose of him.

Minnesota doesn't have the death penalty. Also, your instant execution revenge fantasy is supremely ironic given that Smith was just convicted of premeditated murder for playing out a revenge fantasy.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Articles seem to point towards service in B-52s during Vietnam. So he saw some sort of combat.

Ok but when most people think of combat, it is infantry. There is a world of difference between flying a plane dropping bombs and actually being boots on ground.

HIs claim about his harassment with intruders being worse than anything he faced in Vietnam is a bunch of hyperbole.

 

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

This Vietnam angle needs to die and I say that as a veteran myself. The guy enlisted in the Air Force during Vietnam, got out and used the GI Bill to go to school for free, and later landed a job at the State Department and retired.

Just because you're in a service branch during a time of war doesn't mean you are automatically sent to the front lines.

The guy was in the Air Force and I can assume with high confidence, he never sat foot in Vietnam. He was most likely a paper pusher sitting behind a desk.

Veteran ≠ seeing combat

If he was a chopper pilot he definitely would have seen combat and would have definitely seen some crazy shit.

Being a bombing pilot can cause PTSD as well, especially in Vietnam considering the US killed something close to a million Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese civilians in our bombing runs.



ed

The castle document goes out of the window when you assault/fatally wound someone after it has been well established that they've been incapacitated, which is the case for this situation.

 

[Brian Griffin]

That can't work, can it? First of all, it rewards competent killers (those for which there isn't as many evidence). Second, if you got a guilty verdict but not an "instant death penalty" couldn't you ask "well why didn't I get the instant death? seems like there's a doubt somewhere - so I wasn't proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt!"

All criminals who leave less evidence have an advantage. Verdicts and sentencing are different things. Someone could be found guilty by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented but reasonable doubt is not ZERO doubt. At sentencing they would only be given death if there was zero doubt.

Minnesota doesn't have the death penalty. Also, your instant execution revenge fantasy is supremely ironic given that Smith was just convicted of premeditated murder for playing out a revenge fantasy.

It's not about revenge. It's about removing dangerous people from the population who have already caused extreme harm to others. There is absolutely no good reason to keep this man alive and pay to keep him fed and healthy.

 

[plagiarize]

They walked in of their own free will with bad intentions. They were pieces of shit as well. Being dead doesn't change that fact.

Breaking into what you believe to be an empty residence with the intent of stealing contents from within is illegal and carries with it certain penalties. Those penalties fall very far short of the death penalty.

No one is saying Byron Smith didn't have motive to murder them... but clearly motive doesn't stop it being cut and dry murder. He punished them far beyond their crimes, and far beyond he had any right to.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Word. Probably taking your opinion too far, but people are just animals with a glorified opinion of themselves. Some animals just need to be put down without any fanfare or hesitation. Guy is a maniac and there's no question of his guilt.

The people who try to pretend we need to treat people like that with compassion or humanity are deluded into seeing humans as something more than what we really are.

Damn.

I can't say I disagree.

But damn.

 

[Dark Octave]

^^ Didn't know the psycopath defense was already here.

Just stating the facts. He was wrong and they were not innocent victims.