A Covington County man stands accused of shooting at some teenage girls rolling his yard.
The two girls were friends with his daughter. As they rolled the yard, James Massey allegedly fired at them with a shotgun, striking their vehicle.
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| Credit: Central Ms. Crime & Accountablity FB page |
These text messages probably do not help Massey's defense.
The Hattiesburg Patriot reported last night that one victims reported the shooting last week but a judge never signed the warrant. However, the other victim has come forward as well. She was "reportedly hit in the back" and has given a statement to the Covington County Sheriff's office. The Sheriff told one of the parents of the girls in a text message the crime was a misdemeanor and didn't "fit" aggravated assault.
HP also reported the Sheriff is investigating and will submit the case to the District Attorney.
Magee Police Chief Denis Borges used this case as an opportunity to warn the public about the use of the Castle Doctrine:
I want to take a moment to clarify the Castle Doctrine and self defense laws for those who may have heard misinformation or opinion presented as fact.
You cannot legally use deadly force simply because someone is trespassing, yelling, or damaging your property. Deadly force is justified only when you reasonably believe that you or someone else faces imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, or when stopping certain violent felonies such as armed robbery, rape, or home invasion.
If someone is on your property and runs away, you are not justified in shooting them. Likewise, using deadly force to stop theft when no threat to life exists can lead to serious criminal charges.
Multiple intruders do not have to be present for you to defend yourself. However, if multiple people forcibly enter your home and move toward you or your family, the law recognizes this as a disparity of force. Even if they are not visibly armed, you may reasonably fear for your life and defend yourself under Mississippi’s Castle Doctrine.
It’s also important to understand that if their level of threat diminishes, your level of force must also decrease. Continuing to use force after the threat is gone can turn a lawful defense into a criminal act.
The law also protects you if you face a deadly threat while in your vehicle or place of business, and there is no duty to retreat in these situations.
Your response must always be proportional to the threat you face. Non deadly threats require non deadly responses. Deadly force should always be a last resort, used only to stop an immediate and serious threat to life.
Please avoid relying on hearsay or social media myths. Understanding the law is essential to protecting yourself within your rights.
Please sign up for an enhanced conceal carry class with a reputable certified trainer.
Stay lawful, stay free
There will be more. Stay tuned.
43 comments:
Rednecks will redneck.
The sheriff says it's a "misdemeanor?" They need a new sheriff, as the current one sounds like a drinking buddy of the perp.
Prayers for these two girls. Foolish prank did not deserve firearm being used.
While guys my age are raising kids
I'm raisin' hell just like I did
I've got a lot of crazy friends
And they forgive me of my sins
As a homeowner I find it difficult to find a lot of sympathy for these girls. Don’t vandalize other people property.
It sounds like James Massey is part of the local "good 'ole boy" club, and the sheriff and judges are going to just look the other way. They're not going to go ruining the reputation of a valuable financial supporter...just because he used deadly force against two girls playing a silly prank. How would that look if James Massey had to face criminal charges for being a @$#%ing criminal?! My oh My - What would people think?!
Sub-70 IQ there. Just an absolute dumbass. Now there are plenty of dumbasses. Problem is he doesn't know it. Lock him up.
Local news says it was birdshot. That doesn’t look like birdshot. I agree with the good ole boy cover up posts.
Right! Shoulda kilt em, huh! Rolling someone's yard is hardly vandalism. It's a joke. You'd kill someone for rolling your yard?
Nice little beemer.
I'm all for the Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws, but throwing toilet paper in trees does not constitute the use of potentially deadly force. Was his life or property in danger, or just his ego? Spare me the vandalism or trespassing argument. He could have got them on the hook for a misdemeanor vandalism charge at most, but now he will be the one getting charged.
And the daughter just responds to the message with "Ok." What an interesting home life they must have!
I am all for owning a firearm for protection but some folks just can’t wait to get their gun out and shoot somebody.
never get your legal advise from a cop. they are not your friend.
My thought as well. The daughter responding "ok" makes me so sad for what she has likely tolerated.
I get homeowner's being protective but this is extreme and very concerning.
Leave to Mississippi to protect him if he is in the right deer camp though.
The fact that this guy knew it was friends of his daughter just shows what kind of person he is. Instead of having fun with it he tries to kill them. Now I will say, the days of rolling should be over. We unfortunately live in an era where it is just not smart to do these pranks anymore. Over the years the kids just couldn't keep it simply tp and started doing actual property damage.
Good aim to be hitting a moving vehicle
Don’t get legal “advise” from @10:13, either . . .
I hate how some people are with firearms, they are itching for any moment to shoot someone. The slightest misunderstanding and they are ready to take a life.
That's how they roll in Covington County.
And we wonder why kids aren't "normal kids" these days. Mostly, it's because their f-ed up parents are crazy as hell.
The fact that he identified the model of the shotgun he used when he told his daughter he just shot at her friends tells me a lot about this guy.
That's aggravated assault every day of the week.
I am with 9:19, don't come on my property uninvited. I counted 12 trees with toilet paper in them. In Jr. College several students went and rolled a professor's house. He found out who did it and made them come back and clean it all up.
this is what paintball guns are for. I dont use lethal force. but i will bruise those pretty little teen legs and asses
Someone needs to shoot him in the ass with birdshot. Mississippi is the worse for turds like this guy. The judge needs a good ass whipping too! I'm ashamed I breath the same air as this fool. If I was the parents I'd sue the shooter out of the state of Mississippi. He is depraved texting about it too.
Get rid of the judge and the sheriff in the next election.
Lawyers please chime in ! I'm not sure pointing, aiming and discharging a deadly weapon is a misdemeanor. Please advise.
yikes...might have been a good idea to keep that last part to yourself
If they were driving away, they were no longer a threat. This guy should be arrested and charged. He could have killed someone. Over some toilet paper and he seemed to have known who they were. Pathetic.
Had those girls had extra melanin, this would be a hate crime.
Well he had a shotgun.
There are, on a reliable basis, plenty of commenters on this site who display an extreme dearth of knowledge as to how self defense works whenever there is a story about a simple trespass or shoplifting/theft (looking at you, 9:19 and 10:55). This story is a good illustration of where that attitude gets you.
Civil law suits to follow for damages to the car and civil battery. Precedent would support such claims. See Whitten v. Cox, 799 So.2d 1 (Miss. 2000). (Former judge held civilly liable for battery due to unreasonable use of force against persons he accused of trespassing.)
Sounds like attempted murder as well as the aggravated assault with the firearm enhancement. If the justice system was just, he’d be looking at 15-20 and a lawsuit that would leave him broke. I expect he won’t be charged.
Discharging a deadly weapon in the direction of a person is aggravated assault regardless of what the Sheriff believes.
Kingfish, Thank you for posting this. I would have never have known this type of behavior existed if it wasn't for your blog. Society & culture have dipped to new lows when crap like this occurs. I feel sorry for the daughter having a parent like this. I bet she can't wait to get away from such a dysfunctional home. She will now have to suffer through the school year as an ostracized individual because of her parent actions. Sad, so sad. Just think how she is feeling. My dad shot at my two friends who by the grace of God was not blinded, wounded, or killed. Over what? Attempting to toilet paper a yard. I hope post 9:19 AM reads my post. But, thanks again KF. I'm going to send a small contribution to keep this interesting blog turning over stones to bring such stories to light. Amazing, simply amazing.
Finding out who did it and making them come back to clean it up is a far more appropriate response in this situation.
James definitely wears Hey Dudes.
I also don't take legal advice from people that can't spell advice.
On another note, it sounds like the high sheriff and judge are probably buddies with James "Bubba" Massey. I have no idea if his nickname is Bubba, but he sure fits the bill.
Yeah they need to teach this white boy a lesson. They also need to take his house and any future earnings in a lawsuit.
Wow. It appears the middle class peasants with no savings who depend on a salary to survive will go to any lengths to protect their mortgaged properties they have contracts for to pay off. This type of barbaric, animalistic attitude is unimaginable and difficult for me to understand.
I feel sad and scared for that daughter living with this person as her father. I can't imagine being the parents of those other friends. Rolling is a fun teenage American tradition.
Hope something comes of this. Small town redneck justice is scary.
He knew who did it (text messages reveal that), he shot at them and I am assuming he did not even fire a warning shot. He was probably watching them while the were in the act of rolling him (maybe 15 minutes?). Just looking at him he looks like a perv and maybe has some weird relationship (in his head) with one of the girls and was trying to prove his manhood
This guy has to work somewhere. The daddies of the girls he shot at need to go have a talk with him. That is what I would do. But Im also 6’4, work out, and have MMA experience.
@10:57 yikes...might have been a good idea to keep that last part to yourself
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