FL: Jury acquits shooter in 'stand your ground' trial: "Max Wesley Horn spent the past two years behind bars, awaiting trial for shooting a man at a crowded street festival. He killed Joe Martell, but he believed he was right in doing it. After deliberating nearly three hours Thursday, a jury agreed. "I knew all along that the law was with me," Horn said after being found not guilty of second-degree murder under Florida's "stand your ground" law that allows people to meet force with force anywhere they feel threatened. The shooting happened March 29, 2008, amid a huge crowd at the downtown after-party of the Chasco parade. Horn, a video producer with three kids, was there with his wife and friends. Martell was with another group. The two men didn't know each other. Horn, 48, testified that he was waiting to go inside Hot Shotz bar and grill with his wife and friends when Martell, 34, burst out the door, knocking down a woman and pushing several others. A fight began to erupt and Martell got into a dispute with two of Horn's family members. "Then he starts on me. … I told him, 'I can't fight you,' " Horn said. Horn had a concealed weapons permit and a serious heart condition. He lifted his shirt to reveal he was armed. "I'll shoot you," he told Martell. Horn said Martell advanced on him, and without warning punched him in the head. As he righted himself, he drew his gun and fired at Martell's abdomen. "I knew I couldn't sustain another punch like that," Horn said."


Ohio: Elderly Man Shoots Intruder: "Emergency rooms around the Tri-State are on alert, waiting for a suspect police believe was shot by a 77 year old Avondale man in self-defense. “I shot because he was going to shoot me. I could have shot him two or three times.” Clyde Tucker says two men broke down his door at the Hale Apartments on Tuesday. Tucker says lately, residents of his building have been victims of the same kind of crime-thugs who break down doors and rob them. So Tucker says, he was ready. “The guy was knocking on my door and I didn’t respond so I got my pistol out.” Tucker fired, and the men ran out of the building. A witness, Eric Hamilton, saw the men run out and says it was clear one of the suspects had been hit by a bullet. He was holding his torso. Police found a trail of blood coming out of the apartment building. “I could have shot him if I wanted to kill the guy or something but I don’t want to do nothing like that. They’ll get their lesson though.” Police say the suspect will likely show up for treatment of his wound and when he does, they’ll be ready to arrest him."


AZ: Man shoots attacker as 4 people beat him: "Police are looking for four people who allegedly assaulted a man in Buckeye Tuesday, forcing him to pull out a gun and shoot one of the suspects. According to Buckeye Lt. Jared Griffith, the assault took place in the south parking lot of business near 195th Avenue and Indian School Road. During the assault, Griffith said the victim was beaten with a bat several times and sustained injuries to his head and arms. In the middle of the attack, the victim apparently pulled out a gun and shot one of the attackers in self-defense. According to a news release from Griffith, witnesses reported three of the attackers fled the scene on foot while the other injured suspect left in a car. The suspects are described as White or Hispanic, in their late-teens to early-twenties. None of the suspects have been located and the circumstances surrounding the injured suspect are currently unknown. The victim was treated at the scene by the Buckeye Fire Department, but is expected to be okay."


VA: No Jail Time for Student Shooter: "A Richmond man who shot and killed another man during a robbery attempt on Union Hill last Spring will not serve jail time for his crime... Driver shot and killed Jamall Holman last Spring. Police say Holman was breaking into Driver's girlfriend's car while wearing a mask when the two met face to face that April afternoon. Driver says he thought Holman was armed and reaching for a gun when he fired his own weapon killing Holman. It turns out Holman did not have a gun. In court Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Herring questioned whether or not Eric Driver really feared for his life because he never called 911 when he had the chance. But Driver's attorney John Luxton said this killing was in self defense. Outside of court Eric Driver told CBS 6 he felt blessed over the outcome of his trial. He also expressed sorrow for the family of the man he killed."