SC: Homeowner acted in self-defense in fatal shooting: "The 48-year-old man, who asked that his name not be printed, told sheriff's deputies that once he turned into his driveway on Cottage Mill Run about 10:45 p.m., he saw the car drive slowly past his home, turn around and drive past his home again before stopping. The man then heard someone running up his driveway. He got a pistol from his glove box and started to get out of his vehicle just as he was met by two suspects, who he told deputies were also armed and demanding money. "It was all probably a second," the man said Monday. "It was just so fast." Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office Lt. Tony Ivey said the homeowner was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot John Christopher Fowler, 28, of 572 Nature Walk Way, according to a written statement from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. Fowler died at the scene. According to the sheriff's office, the homeowner is not expected to face criminal charges because he was acting in self-defense."


NH: Shotgun deterrent: "If you were suddenly confronted by a man wearing flip flops and holding a shotgun, you’d probably stop in your tracks. Not surprisingly, that’s what an alleged would-be burglar did last Wednesday morning. Peter C. Vaillancourt saw someone trying to break into the Professional Firefighters Association hall across the street from his house. So he grabbed his shotgun, walked outside, and told the man, “Why don’t you sit down right there until the police get here.” Vaillancourt never pointed his gun at the bad guy. He just displayed it, which, he said, was “intimidating enough.” It was a typical use of a firearm for self-defense or, more specifically, for the defense of others. The firefighters were thankful."


NC: DNA supports woman: "Tamera Bean is on trial in a murder case in Asheboro. She is claiming that she shot her boyfriend in self-defense. When the sheriff arrived, they found the boyfriend shot dead in the home, with a shotgun and several shotgun shells by his side. The state is claiming that Bean staged the scene to look like self-defense by placing the shotgun and shells beside the dead man. Naturally, the sheriff sent the gun and shells to the SBI crime laboratory for fingerprint and DNA analysis to determine whether Bean had touched the gun or shells. This was a good move. Unfortunately, the lab found no prints of value for comparison. They did find some "touch DNA" on one of the shell casings. This means they found skin cells left on one shell from when someone touched it. The good news for Bean was that her DNA was not on the shell, and the boyfriend's DNA cannot be excluded as the source of skin cells on the shell.


NM governor gets perfect score on renewal of her concealed-carry permit: "New Mexico's pistol-packin' governor is a sure shot. Gov. Susana Martinez received perfect scores on recertification for her concealed-carry permit over the weekend in Las Cruces. She scored 100 percent with both .38- and .45-caliber handguns, her staff said. Martinez's permit to carry a concealed handgun, originally obtained in 2009, was extended for another two years. She was a district attorney and a Republican candidate for governor when she first went through training and qualified to carry a concealed weapon. Her spokesman, Greg Blair, said Martinez's personal and professional experiences motivated her to arm herself. "Since she and Chuck both made careers out of taking on dangerous and violent criminals, she decided to get her concealed-carry permit for personal protection, especially when traveling alone or at night on the campaign trail," Blair said"