Charges dropped against rural Alberta homeowner

[Scott N]

Interesting...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...pped-1.4716423



All charges have been dropped against a rural Alberta homeowner accused of shooting a trespasser on his property near Okotoks.

Eddie Maurice, 33, was charged after a suspected thief was wounded when shots were fired on Maurice's property on Feb. 24.

On Friday morning at the Okotoks courthouse, prosecutor Jim Sawa withdrew charges of aggravated assault, pointing a firearm and careless use of a firearm.

Supporters have rallied at each of Maurice's previous court appearances, framing the case around the issue of rural landowners' rights to defend their property.

The situation fuelled debate about how far rural landowners can go when faced with those situations.

The shooting on Maurice's property occurred weeks after a Saskatchewan farmer was found not guilty after killing a young Indigenous man who had driven onto his property with a group of friends. Gerald Stanley had been charged with second-degree murder after shooting Colten Boushie in the head in August 2016. That case had inflamed tensions Canada-wide between Indigenous populations and rural landowners.

Defence lawyer Tonii Roulston had previously said she wanted to see the charges withdrawn or stayed.
Suspected thief charged

In February, police were called to Maurice's property at about 5 a.m. for reports of shots being fired. Maurice told officers he saw someone rummaging through his vehicles

Two people fled the scene but one suspect was located soon after, suffering from an injury.

Ryan Watson, who had been shot in the arm, was charged with trespassing, mischief and theft.

Rural property crime is a growing issue across the Prairies.

The province recently announced increased funding of $10 million to address rural crime.

Police urging people not to engage with trespassers, rather to immediately report incidents but rural residents feel police response times are often too slow.

[HoytCRX32]

Score one for the good guys!!!

[JDK71]

this is great to here

[Kurt505]

Wow!!!

This is absolutely great news! Another one for the good guys! First Stanley and now Maurice.

Hopefully a few more criminals with some vent holes will help them realize having a job as a means of getting money is a much healthier life choice.

[crazy_davey]

That’s great news!

[1899b]

[tirebob]

Fantastic!! I hope property owner rights continue to prevail over the dirtbags out there who think others hard work entitles them to a free shopping spree rather than working for it themselves!

[Sooner]

Nice!

[elkhunter11]

[boah]

Excellent

[Parker Hale]

That's good to hear. Found this article in today's Calgary Sun.

http://calgarysun.com/news/local-new..._autoplay=true

[crosman177]

Major win 👍🏻

[Bigwoodsman]

Congratulations to the Maurice Family!!

Big win for the good guys!!

BW

[Hamsnacks]

I mean Yes and No.

Yes it's a good thing that a homeowner protected his family and property and didn't get charged or sent to Jail. Cause like everyone on here, if your family was in danger, you're not thinking of the consequences, you're doing whatever it takes.

But at the same time, we don't want to turn into some crazy nation, where we are shooting at anything that moves on our property. He claims they were around his vehicles, the increased number of stolen vehicles in AB is crazy, still don't mean they deserve to get shot. What if they were going through his garbage, then what? Or did he at least give them some sort of warning before firing?
Obviously my family's safety is above a criminals' but it's a tough one, you can't always recover from a bullet, especially if there was a misunderstanding. But at the same time you don't know their motives.
In the house, shoot every bullet you got lol
Outside, I think there are better alternatives, let's keep the bullets for the sick criminals like rapists, not car jacks.

[Howard Hutchinson]

Great news for sure!

[crazy_davey]

I knew it wouldn’t be long...

[airbornedeerhunter]

CBC readers don't share our happiness over these charges being dropped. Almost all the comments below the story reflect an anti-gun, anti-rural living and anti-Alberta sentiment. Most express that he should be in prison. I am guessing they are mostly liberal city folk who drive a Prius.

Glad this is over for this man. I hope the thief gets convicted and he is suffering.

[CritterCommander]

Great outcome.....makes my day!

[Black Feather]

I hate to be the negative nancy, but I'm not convinced that this set a precedence for rural homeowners at all. Here is the key statement of the article on why the charges were dropped:

"He said Crown has conceded there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction because of new information that had just come to light.

The courtroom erupted in applause at that news.

Maurice had said all along that when he saw thieves on his property, he fired a warning shot, and that it was a ricochet bullet that struck the intruder."

It appears that the only reason the charges were dropped is because he only fired warning shots, not an actual shot at the suspect. If he didn't fire the warning shot and actually fired towards the thieves, he'd be in a totally different situation. It may set a precedent for firing warning shots into the air or ground, but it definitely does nothing to help progress the rights of homeowners to protect their families and farms.

Something needs to change with our judicial system and with homeowners rights to protect themselves, their families and their property. It's appalling that hardworking folks are the criminalized, the penalized, and are seen as in the wrong by the media and justice system... not these violent thieves, criminals, and gangsters.

[Dick284]

Mischief charges.

Hmmm

Could there be something else at play for the charges to be dropped?

Perhaps, the theives fabricated the gunshot wound story, and got caught knee deep in it.

There’s no precedence set, as the case never did go in front of the judge.

I’m happy for the property owner, but there’s no change in direction as to defending of ones property.

[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Mischief charges.

Hmmm

Could there be something else at play for the charges to be dropped?

Perhaps, the theives fabricated the gunshot wound story, and got caught knee deep in it.

There’s no precedence set, as the case never did go in front of the judge.

I’m happy for the property owner, but there’s no change in direction as to defending of ones property.

In Canada we don't have a vandalism charge, its is classified as mischief. Im betting Ryan Watson broke a window or damaged the door lock/ handle to gain entry into the vehicle. If they fabricated the story then there could have been more charges like interfering this a peace officers investigation, possibly perjury as well. We all know how the RCMP like to add every possible charge with the hope one sticks.

[Mr Conservation]

Fantastic news !!

For the second time the legal system got it right

Now perhaps the legal system can put the two dirt bags who were going through Mr. Maurice's vehicle in prison for a long period of time. No doubt they have a lengthy list of prior convictions.

Mr Conservation

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Mr Conservation

Fantastic news !!

For the second time the legal system got it right

Now perhaps the legal system can put the two dirt bags who were going through Mr. Maurice's vehicle in prison for a long period of time. No doubt they have a lengthy list of prior convictions.

Mr Conservation

Nothing has changed.

Having the charges dropped, equates to nothing in the legal world.

[tirebob]

Originally Posted by Hamsnacks

In the house, shoot every bullet you got lol
Outside, I think there are better alternatives, let's keep the bullets for the sick criminals like rapists, not car jacks.

So someone stealing pieces of my life away from me is not a sick criminal? I think of all the many hours, days, weeks, months and even years of my life I had to commit to doing hard work to get those things instead of spending that times with the people I love doing things that I enjoy, only to have some dirt bag show up and in 3 minutes he can steal away those parts of my life from me because he is to freaking lazy to do the hard work himself. You're telling me I just have to stand by and let him because the poor little darling doesn't deserve having to put his life on the line stealing parts of mine? I disagree absolutely...

[R3illy]

theres a police officer on another forum who said the bullet evidence confirmed a riccochet and thats why the charges were dropped as it verified maurices story.

He said he was surprised all the charges were dropped and he wouldnt take this as precedent setting.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by tirebob

So someone stealing pieces of my life away from me is not a sick criminal? I think of all the many hours, days, weeks, months and even years of my life I had to commit to doing hard work to get those things instead of spending that times with the people I love doing things that I enjoy, only to have some dirt bag show up and in 3 minutes he can steal away those parts of my life from me because he is to freaking lazy to do the hard work himself. You're telling me I just have to stand by and let him because the poor little darling doesn't deserve having to put his life on the line stealing parts of mine? I disagree absolutely...

Completely agree with you.
Most of the whiny libs (don't take this personally Hamsnacks) talk a good talk, but when it comes time to walk the walk...
Years ago I had some friends from a certain religious sect that promotes pacifism at all costs...that even when a loved one was being threatened it wasn't up to you to use force.
Til one day a drunk tried to force himself on my friends 16 year old daughter.
Said drunk landed in the hospital with quite a nasty beating.
It's real easy to say 'it's only stuff'...when it's someone else's stuff.

[bobalong]

Great News........rural citizens taking care of business while the RCMP are.......johnny come lately again.

[parfleche]

[elkhunter11]

Since this never went to court, there is no legal precedent set.

[Hamsnacks]

Originally Posted by tirebob

So someone stealing pieces of my life away from me is not a sick criminal? I think of all the many hours, days, weeks, months and even years of my life I had to commit to doing hard work to get those things instead of spending that times with the people I love doing things that I enjoy, only to have some dirt bag show up and in 3 minutes he can steal away those parts of my life from me because he is to freaking lazy to do the hard work himself. You're telling me I just have to stand by and let him because the poor little darling doesn't deserve having to put his life on the line stealing parts of mine? I disagree absolutely...

You're willing to end someone's life over a piece of property?
Hey I hate thieves as much as the next guy, if I saved up for something, and it was for me and my family and some punk tried to steal it, I have no problem physically hurting that person with my hands but we're talking a gun here. There's no coming back from that sometimes.

So I'll stick with my initial comment. If your life or your family's life is in danger then of course but if it's people stealing, I think you should just check your other options before grabbing your gun is all I'm saying lol.
I have no sympathy for criminals, but it could be a bunch of highschool kids being dumb 1 night or someone who needs a wake-up call, not the death penalty.
Don't want shooting on your property to become a common thing lol

Oh and I'm not completely disagreeing with you or even arguing with you by the way, just having a discussion, nothing personal, just as a heads up.