The Michigan Supreme Court has said “no” to a new trial for a man convicted of manslaughter for shooting a woman through a screen door early in the morning.
Theodore Wafer wanted a new trial where the jury would be instructed on his rights under Michigan’s “stand-your-ground” law. It allows people to shoot intruders with no duty to retreat if that’s possible.
The jury found that Wafer fired without determining whether 19-year-old Renisha McBride posed a threat. She had been involved in a car accident earlier and may have been seeking assistance. Wafer said pounding on his front and side doors at 4:30 AM of his home in Dearborn Heights made him believe someone was trying to break in to his house.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Markman dissented, saying he would order a new trial.