Ersland Trial Begins

[kevinpate]

I get that, yeah, but the guy called one witness and told a story about how scared you'd be in a robbery attempt if it was you? $5K per day for that?

Considering the reported actions taken pre-trial and during the trial during the state's case, I wouldn't call the above a fair characterization of the defense team's efforts on his behalf.

As far as a daily fee goes, 5G per day for a multi-attorney defense team is not something that would cause my eyebrows to raise. I realize others may hold different opinions.

[Dana]

Like I said before, perhaps on another thread - this mother might just as well have shoved that poor kid in there and slammed the door. Doesn't excuse the convicted but wretched parenting results in a lot of good kids losing their future, one way or another. She brought the scumbag b*stard into her son's life who prompted the kid to attempt this robbery. There was a risk involved, prison or otherwise, which is exactly why that coward sent those kids inside instead of going in, himself. When you raise savages and turn them loose on society, as this mother did, is it any wonder that they run into equally savage people or unbalanced people? Doesn't excuse an execution - I am not saying that. But this mother simply dumped her son out into the world of crime. By exposing him to criminals, she guaranteed that he would become a predator or a victim. Horrible.

If the adult coward had simply killed him in a drug deal, we all would have shrugged and said it is terrible - and thought no more about it. We'd have agreed that he deserved the death penalty but thought not much more about it. I think we have all but written off crime in the black community so long as it doesn't cross over the line to involve white people. What a tragic waste. This young man wasn't debris but he certainly was treated like it by his family. And the convicted. To be fair, he was acting like debris when he was killed but he still didn't deserve that. We have laws on the books to deal with that sort of thing once the need for self defense passes.

I agree with you on a lot of points they also said that the mother's boyfriend put them up to it. I also think that since everybody else got charged with murder that the boyfriend should have at least gotten charged as an accessory or charged with manslaughter. Now the mother is going to make money off of the death of her son and I have a problem with that too. Unfortunately this is going to get worse because there are too many parents out there who just simply don't care about their kids. All they care about is their social life and getting some man. Children are gifts from God to be loved and taken care of not something to make money off of. Unfortunately our society doesn't really care about children anymore they are just something to make money off of or to use as a bargaining chip. Children are the future if we don't care about them then they will grow up to not care about anybody else and that is how this stuff happens. As the old saying goes children learn by example if we don't show them a good example of what it is to be a good human being then how are they going to learn?

[Achilleslastand]

Well at least Prater is safe knowing that Sharpton and Jackson wont be knocking at his door anytime soon.

[OU Adonis]

What he is ultimately guilty of is being a bad shot and nothing more. If he killed him on the first few shots because he had better aim we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[Achilleslastand]

What he is ultimately guilty of is being a bad shot and nothing more. If he killed him on the first few shots because he had better aim we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Actually the first shot was a headshot which is a pretty good shot in my book.

[kevinpate]

I agree that if he had put that first shot true, or if he had double tapped, even triple and one was a fatal shot, that would not have been a murder. But it's not being a bad shot that caused him to be convicted. He is guilty because, and only because, he later deliberately fired five shots into a downed person, and the jury disbelieved him on still perceiving Parker as a threat. All the lies and faking an injury play into it as well.

[Midtowner]

I agree with you on a lot of points they also said that the mother's boyfriend put them up to it. I also think that since everybody else got charged with murder that the boyfriend should have at least gotten charged as an accessory or charged with manslaughter. Now the mother is going to make money off of the death of her son and I have a problem with that too. Unfortunately this is going to get worse because there are too many parents out there who just simply don't care about their kids. All they care about is their social life and getting some man. Children are gifts from God to be loved and taken care of not something to make money off of. Unfortunately our society doesn't really care about children anymore they are just something to make money off of or to use as a bargaining chip. Children are the future if we don't care about them then they will grow up to not care about anybody else and that is how this stuff happens. As the old saying goes children learn by example if we don't show them a good example of what it is to be a good human being then how are they going to learn?

Assume mother gets a judgment for $100 trillion. How does a prisoner with a life sentence who has spent every last dime on his legal defense pay her any money? This is a worthless case. As an attorney, I have a small business to run. Quite frankly, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money on filing such a lawsuit, because the possibility of recovery is just about nil.

[kevinpate]

Well at least Prater is safe knowing that Sharpton and Jackson wont be knocking at his door anytime soon.

What an odd statement considering the jurors were a cross section of the community, and like the community, a majority were not folks of color.

[PennyQuilts]

I agree that if he had put that first shot true, or if he had double tapped, even triple and one was a fatal shot, that would not have been a murder. But it's not being a bad shot that caused him to be convicted. He is guilty because, and only because, he later deliberately fired five shots into a downed person, and the jury disbelieved him on still perceiving Parker as a threat. All the lies and faking an injury play into it as well.

That is the way it looks to me.

[PennyQuilts]

What an odd statement considering the jurors were a cross section of the community, and like the community, a majority were not folks of color.

I may be wrong but I think that he meant that by prosecuting the guy, it might have helped them avoid looking like they didn't care about a black kid shot by a white man.

All the same, a jury found the man guilty and I think that pretty much vindicates the idea that this was done to be politically correct.

[PennyQuilts]

Assume mother gets a judgment for $100 trillion. How does a prisoner with a life sentence who has spent every last dime on his legal defense pay her any money? This is a worthless case. As an attorney, I have a small business to run. Quite frankly, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money on filing such a lawsuit, because the possibility of recovery is just about nil.

At this point, he is pretty much judgment proof but if I remember correctly, the suit was filed before the criminal case ended. She might have been thinking there might be money to be had if he was acquitted and then wrote a book or made the celebrity rounds. Dunno.

[PennyQuilts]

Actually the first shot was a headshot which is a pretty good shot in my book.

My husband said the same thing.

[BBatesokc]

Considering the reported actions taken pre-trial and during the trial during the state's case, I wouldn't call the above a fair characterization of the defense team's efforts on his behalf.

As far as a daily fee goes, 5G per day for a multi-attorney defense team is not something that would cause my eyebrows to raise. I realize others may hold different opinions.

I paid $7,500 a day each time my attorney spent a day in court. I didn't like it, but I didn't cry to anybody about it either.

[BBatesokc]

Well at least Prater is safe knowing that Sharpton and Jackson wont be knocking at his door anytime soon.

Not so fast, the TBL case will now be the spotlighted one.

[BBatesokc]

What he is ultimately guilty of is being a bad shot and nothing more. If he killed him on the first few shots because he had better aim we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Better aim? If I remember correctly he used .410 ammo with three pellets per round. All three hit Parker (two grazed the sides of his head and one hit dead center in the forehead).

Actually, his aim was fine, what he needed was some restraint after firing the initial shots.

[BBatesokc]

Assume mother gets a judgment for $100 trillion. How does a prisoner with a life sentence who has spent every last dime on his legal defense pay her any money? This is a worthless case. As an attorney, I have a small business to run. Quite frankly, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money on filing such a lawsuit, because the possibility of recovery is just about nil.

She'll sue the pharmacy's insurance carrier who will settle for $100K+

[BBatesokc]

What an odd statement considering the jurors were a cross section of the community, and like the community, a majority were not folks of color.

Only one minority in the jury and she appeared to be Asian.

[BBatesokc]

YOu can see the uncut version of the verdict here.... http://www.newsok.com/jerome-ersland...o/961948610001

[PennyQuilts]

Better aim? If I remember correctly he used .410 ammo with three pellets per round. All three hit Parker (two grazed the sides of his head and one hit dead center in the forehead).

Actually, his aim was fine, what he needed was some restraint after firing the initial shots.

And a sock in his mouth wouldn't have hurt.

[Midtowner]

She'll sue the pharmacy's insurance carrier who will settle for $100K+

Insurance doesn't generally cover these sorts of things.

[BBatesokc]

Insurance doesn't generally cover these sorts of things.

There may be an exclusion in the policy, but the pharmacy is going to be in a tough situation if the owner knew and approved of the guns on the property for such purposes. I have no idea how much of a defense it will be that Ersland was licensed to carry a weapon.

Personally, I think its pretty stupid of a business owner to place guns on the property.

[BBatesokc]

I wanna know what was up with Ersland having a handcuff key on him when he arrived at court today?

[kevinpate]

I wanna know what was up with Ersland having a handcuff key on him when he arrived at court today?

Let's see. Why might someone who has been on bond on a serious charge bring along a handcuff key to the courthouse on the first day his freedom status might be changed by a jury?

Nope, nothing comes to mind. It's a mystery.

[Dana]

Assume mother gets a judgment for $100 trillion. How does a prisoner with a life sentence who has spent every last dime on his legal defense pay her any money? This is a worthless case. As an attorney, I have a small business to run. Quite frankly, I wouldn't have wasted my time and money on filing such a lawsuit, because the possibility of recovery is just about nil.

It will come off of the business insurance because he was the acting manager of the pharmacy. Also there is no way of knowing if the owner knew he kept guns in the pharmacy. I was also thinking that maybe the owner might even file bankruptcy to get out from underneath a judgement if there is one. Then you have to wonder if she will put a lean on the property to keep him from selling it. I guess we will have to wait and see if this actually goes to court to answer the suit.

[Dana]

At this point, he is pretty much judgment proof but if I remember correctly, the suit was filed before the criminal case ended. She might have been thinking there might be money to be had if he was acquitted and then wrote a book or made the celebrity rounds. Dunno.

Actually if she were going to file suit by law she had to do it now. He died on May 19, 2009 which means she had to file no later then May 19, 2011 or not be able to file at all she filed on May 17 just under the wire.