Byron Smith gets life sentence for murdering Little Falls teens

a reply to: VforVendettea

it hasn't and won't.

what this case 'set as precedent' was simply that you can't shoot an intruder .... and then later 'finish them off with a good, clean kill shot'.


it just doesn't work that way.

you have the right to protect yourself, person, home and family.

you just don't have the right to 'murder' someone who broke into your house, after you've already 'incapacitated them'.

???

by his own words, 'he wanted them dead', and by gosh that's what he was going to do.... which he did.

== life imprisonment .... death penalty, in some states.

Byron Smith may go to jail but his family will have to live with his actions for the rest of their lives as well.

They will never know a moments peace because of his unthinking murderous rage.

originally posted by: olaru12
Byron Smith may go to jail but his family will have to live with his actions for the rest of their lives as well.

They will never know a moments peace because of his unthinking rage.

Yes, unfortunately, the ripple effect will be felt for many years to come.

Whether one believes him to have been in the right or not, it doesn't take much to believe that the town will never be the same again.

J

Wow, I just listened to the audio. I'm shaking. This is a voice from my past killing two people. I don't want to ever know what it feels like to be put in this situation. Im at a loss.

a reply to: LadyJae

I don't dispute his guilt. The way he handled it beyond the point where the threat was neutralized was way out of reasonable bounds. Just saying that it's becoming a different world for criminals now. They need to be aware that not only are people taking security more seriously, some will be more than happy to blow their head off when they break in.

I'll add that I hope people with kids who do "harmless" b&e type things for kicks will take it more seriously so fewer "good kids" will end up on a slab.

I hardly believe this is "Justice"

The man was put into a situation multiple times and on the one occasion he made a poor decision that he will now live with for the rest of his life. You're now paying to keep this man locked up, why? He didnt go out intentionally to kill someone. They broke into his home. Multiple times.

The aftermath certainly didn't do him any favors but who can honestly raise their hand here and tell me they feel safer because he's locked up?

a reply to: SearchLightsInc
I am sure all the burglars in the area let out a sigh of relief.

originally posted by: SearchLightsInc
He didnt go out intentionally to kill someone.

Yes he did. He moved the car and turned off the lights to make it appear he wasn't home, then sat in a chair hidden from full view of the stairs with guns and supplies and waited for whoever came in to appear on the stairs.

If he wasn't out to intentionally kill someone then why did he? After he had already incapacitated the teens he should have realised they were unarmed and not "finished them off" if he had no intention of killing anyone.

He started the day with the intention of depriving someone of their life as an act of revenge and vigilantism. He got a life sentence for this, which is exactly what he deserves.

originally posted by: SearchLightsInc
I hardly believe this is "Justice"

The man was put into a situation multiple times and on the one occasion he made a poor decision that he will now live with for the rest of his life. You're now paying to keep this man locked up, why? He didnt go out intentionally to kill someone. They broke into his home. Multiple times.

The aftermath certainly didn't do him any favors but who can honestly raise their hand here and tell me they feel safer because he's locked up?

If you haven't already listened to the tape, it may change your mind on the outcome. At first, I was of the opinion that Mr. Smith went to extremes because he "snapped", but that recording changed my mind.

I didn't hear the quavering voice of a scared old man; I heard a man calmly rehearsing what he would say (before the first shot is ever fired). That same voice was calm and cold as he spoke to the burglars. After the shootings, he calmly began his rehearsal again.

I fully support Mr. Smith's right to defend himself. I find no fault with setting up security cameras around one's home. I'll even go so far as to say that audio/video recordings can be a help when one must use lethal force. But Mr. Smith executed those two, he didn't just defend himself. There was a point where the danger to his person was neutralized, but he either did not or could not recognize that.

There was no media circus surrounding this, the jury was of his peers, all evidence was forthcoming, and the trial appears to have been fair.

Perhaps Justice would have been better served had Mr. Smith been remanded to an institution for the criminally insane for the remainder of his life.

Jas

originally posted by: TKDRL
a reply to: SearchLightsInc
I am sure all the burglars in the area let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps. Or perhaps they decided that they didn't want the same thing to happen to them and decided to try another career path.

Thanks for dropping by, TKDRL.

J

a reply to: Kryties
No not salivating at all but, damn well sure that I will not end up in prison for defending myself, my property, and those within it.

You can say he's an awful man all you want..... Get robbed!!! feel defenseless, feel scared in the only place you should have peace of mind, don't sleep at night, wake at every movement, honestly try it be a prisoner in your own home!!

You see yes he killed those "P.O.S" did he go too far, maybe in somes eyes, did he do and give to them what they came for, and that's trouble, damn rights he did. These little angels of the community came into his home, made a choice to take away his sense of protection, not once but many times this happened to this man.

What he did next as I said in my previous post lays out the playbook on what not to do, like any criminal case from it comes the way around it. And I stand bye what I say, if your home is broken into do not act as this man did and leave doubt on weather you were scared and not thinking. Finish them quick an efficient leaving your wits intact if possible one or two less P.O.S career criminals to deal with moving forward, do not tape, talk to besides your first and only verbal warning, and as I said learning from this case leave a few shells to spare, but make sure you did your job.

I have been robbed, it is the worst feeling, not knowing what was touched, will they be back, what else did they take, the nerves you used to have are frazzled and no longer exist.

So as I said. you can say what you will of this man, say what you will of me, or any other who values our safety and security, I for one will not be a victim in my home, I will not be a prisoner, I will not live in fear, when in the long run the only ones who should be afraid are those who would cross the threshold of my property and wish to do me or mine harm be it physically or mentally. And with that I can assure you they would pay dearly most likely as well with their lives, and I for one would not bat an eye as these were decisions another made to put themselves willingly in harms way.

At that point whats next is a reaction based on mine and my families future longevity on this blue marble, and my reaction would be to ask questions later and protect my family.

In closing get chills all you want, you can call the police and wait for safety to hopefully efficiently arrive so the do gooders robbing your house, can leave your property intact, or protect yourself and send a lesson to all those with future ambition.

And luckily enough we live in a world that affords us both choices, so in turn think I'm evil, think the man is evil, cast an angels light on the choices that in the end caused this result, poor little teens, so unknowing of right and wrong. When in reality at the end of the day this was all avoidable, if the deceased hadn't chosen to be there....


SaneThinking

a reply to: Kryties

Sorry still laughing hard inside actually really hard belly laughs at "Lure" them just can't get over "lure" them like "come please rob my home again, I welcome you because I wanna kill you" See I think your stumbling block and its ok your from WAY down south, is you somehow after reading all your posts feel that these "poor innocent teens" didn't have a choice they were lured by the fact a house was empty. So in that likening did the neighbors just as much "lure" the innocent teens as well by going out for dinner that night, or the Johnsons nightly walk was that also luring as they had left there house dark and unoccupied. Just wondering how although Bryons now in the wrong it seems you have left no responsibility on the actual initial criminals, or was there no pre-curser to the ending??? Lured!!! Funny guy not leaving my house today all lights on so as not to welcome criminals my way LoL

"LURED" wow!!

originally posted by: SaneThinking
a reply to: Kryties

Sorry still laughing hard inside actually really hard belly laughs at "Lure" them just can't get over "lure" them like "come please rob my home again, I welcome you because I wanna kill you" See I think your stumbling block and its ok your from WAY down south, is you somehow after reading all your posts feel that these "poor innocent teens" didn't have a choice they were lured by the fact a house was empty.

Sane, throughout this whole case, I've tried to be fair and unbiased. I still stand firmly in support of one's right to use lethal force in self-defense. I do not, however, support killing incapacitated people...burglars or not.

Had I listened to that tape and heard the unmistakable sound of fear in Mr. Smith's voice, I would be taking a different stance. But I didn't...and I don't.

It is one thing to shoot and kill intruders when you're in fear for your life. Its quite another to summarily execute those same intruders when they no longer pose a credible threat.

Would I shoot someone who broke into my home? Most definitely. Would it make a difference how old the burglar was? Not if they pose a credible threat to my family. I'm intelligent enough to know the difference between a child, and an adult (and late teens are young men and women). Would I, after incapacitating them, take a kill shot (or several)? I like to think I wouldn't. That unknown factor is why I keep saying that not one of us can state unequivocally what we will or will not do in any given situation until we are are actually faced with that situation.

I don't think I'm the only one here who supports Mr. Smith's right to defend himself. The exception I, personally, take is with the way he handled the situation AFTER the shots were fired.

The link to the recording inside Mr. Smith's house has been posted. If you care to listen to it yourself.

J

originally posted by: SaneThinking

You see yes he killed those "P.O.S" did he go too far, maybe in somes eyes,

"Some eyes" would be the eyes of the law, which found Smith guilty and sentenced him to life without parole.

If you wish to follow Byron Smiths footsteps, go right ahead. Just expect that you'll be staring at a prison cell wall for the rest of your life.

originally posted by: SaneThinking
Just wondering how although Bryons now in the wrong

Yes, after he went far beyond home defense and executed the teens AFTER they were incapacitated.

it seems you have left no responsibility on the actual initial criminals, or was there no pre-curser to the ending??? Lured!!! Funny guy not leaving my house today all lights on so as not to welcome criminals my way LoL

At no point in time did I, or anyone else for that matter, say the teens weren't doing the wrong thing. Poor form putting words into others mouths to suit your own ridiculous argument. We simply agreed with the court that Byron Smith should not have put 'finishing shots' into their brains after they were already down and of no more threat.

It doesn't matter anyway, you can spout off all you want - the court and the jury agreed that Byron Smith went to far and committed premeditated murder. If you so wish to follow in his footsteps (you seem to be practically salivating at the thought of killing someone) then by all means don't let us stop you - just don't expect any sympathy from us when you're bent over a bed being taught your place by a big man in a concrete cell.

Good luck to you.

Now that it seems the discussion is ended, I'd like to thank each of you that took time to read and comment.

I hope to see you in another thread: with a much lighter topic.


Be blessed,

Jas

originally posted by: TKDRL
a reply to: SearchLightsInc
I am sure all the burglars in the area let out a sigh of relief.

Good, now they can get on with invading peoples homes and thieving their way through life. Upstanding citizens!

originally posted by: Kryties
Yes he did. He moved the car and turned off the lights to make it appear he wasn't home, then sat in a chair hidden from full view of the stairs with guns and supplies and waited for whoever came in to appear on the stairs.

If he wasn't out to intentionally kill someone then why did he? After he had already incapacitated the teens he should have realised they were unarmed and not "finished them off" if he had no intention of killing anyone.

There's no law about moving your car and sitting complete darkness in your own home - Its a free country right? However there is a law in regards to breaking into other peoples properties uninvited and with malicious intentions. This man did not step foot out of his house, he did not enter the general public with the intention of murdering/harming another human being. Yes, he practically executed those two teenager's. He is as much of a criminal as he is a victim in this case. They lost their lives and now he's being imprisoned for taking care of himself. How many stories have you heard where people's homes have been broken into and one of the occupants has been killed in the process? Perhaps after multiple break in's he was fearing for his own safety?

I scoff at the assumption that this man is such a danger to society that he should be locked up for the rest of his natural life.

He started the day with the intention of depriving someone of their life as an act of revenge and vigilantism. He got a life sentence for this, which is exactly what he deserves.

So you consider him a threat to your own safety then yeah? Were you planning on breaking in to? Nice to know that burglars have nothing to fear, the law has their back.

originally posted by: LadyJae

originally posted by: SearchLightsInc
I hardly believe this is "Justice"

The man was put into a situation multiple times and on the one occasion he made a poor decision that he will now live with for the rest of his life. You're now paying to keep this man locked up, why? He didnt go out intentionally to kill someone. They broke into his home. Multiple times.

The aftermath certainly didn't do him any favors but who can honestly raise their hand here and tell me they feel safer because he's locked up?

If you haven't already listened to the tape, it may change your mind on the outcome. At first, I was of the opinion that Mr. Smith went to extremes because he "snapped", but that recording changed my mind.

I didn't hear the quavering voice of a scared old man; I heard a man calmly rehearsing what he would say (before the first shot is ever fired). That same voice was calm and cold as he spoke to the burglars. After the shootings, he calmly began his rehearsal again.

I fully support Mr. Smith's right to defend himself. I find no fault with setting up security cameras around one's home. I'll even go so far as to say that audio/video recordings can be a help when one must use lethal force. But Mr. Smith executed those two, he didn't just defend himself. There was a point where the danger to his person was neutralized, but he either did not or could not recognize that.

There was no media circus surrounding this, the jury was of his peers, all evidence was forthcoming, and the trial appears to have been fair.

Perhaps Justice would have been better served had Mr. Smith been remanded to an institution for the criminally insane for the remainder of his life.

Jas

I have not heard the tapes and i could not comment.

The question still in my mind is why has he been broken into multiple times and it seems no sort of justice has ever come of it? I dont want to live in a society where people have a licence to kill but the lession is very clear here - If you are going to break into someone else's home then you accept the consequences that may come of it.

We cannot have trigger happy people wandering the streets and we cannot have thieves and burgles free to pillage as they see fit, im sure we can at least agree on those points, no?

originally posted by: SearchLightsInc

I have not heard the tapes and i could not comment.

You should really listen to them before commenting further. They change everything and are one of the primary reasons the jury decided Byron Smith was guilty.

I dont want to live in a society where people have a licence to kill

And yet that is exactly what you will get if your wishes to be able to execute intruders at your own whim becomes true.

I, for one, am glad the courts ruled and set precedence for this - for fear of more people taking the law and tossing it aside in order to perform acts of revenge and vigilantism.