Woman charged with murder after being asked for 25¢

[Kahlil Gibran]

August 8, 2007

Panhandler shot to death - Woman charged with murder after being asked for 25¢

BY JANE PRENDERGAST

QUEENSGATE - He took a bullet over 25 cents.

Donald Francis, who police believe was homeless, stood outside the Marathon station at Eighth and Linn streets late Monday night, asking people for money.

That annoyed Geraldine Beasley so much, Chief Tom Streicher said, that she shot and killed Francis when he approached her,

"He asked her for a quarter," the chief said Tuesday.

Beasley, 62, of Walnut Hills, complained to someone else at the scene about the panhandling, Streicher said. Then, he said, when Francis asked her for money, she pulled out a gun and fired.

"That's apparently all there was to it," the chief said.

Beasley was charged with murder after police collected evidence at the scene and spoke to witnesses and Beasley, court documents said.

Beasley was in court today and ordered held on a $500,000 bond. Her attorney, Mass Ionna, told Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Fanon Rucker that his client has mental issues.

Beasley's history with the court system dates back 15 years, mostly traffic charges, eviction cases and civil judgments both for and against her.

Court records show no felony charges until now. She was fined in 2003 for improperly transporting a loaded gun after officers found one in her van.

Francis, 44, was the second homicide victim Monday night in Cincinnati.

A few minutes earlier, about 10:45 p.m., Jeral Grafinreed, 18, was shot to death on the sidewalk outside Richie's Fast Food Restaurant on Reading Road in Bond Hill.

Police found another man, 21, with a gunshot wound in his foot. That man, who was expected to recover, was taken to University Hospital.

Detectives have not made an arrest in the Grafinreed killing, but Streicher said they have a theory about what happened and believe the shooting occurred because of a previous dispute between Grafinreed and another man.

The homicides bring Cincinnati's total for the year to 43. That's 10 less than this time last year.

[REV127]

Oftentimes the wrong person in the wrong place asking for money is a prelude to an attack. Sometimes it's because they're trying to get themselves worked up to it, other times it's like a sort of recon... they want to see what you might have on you. It can also be a diversion, you get distracted they jump on you. Could have been a good shoot, we'll never know.

[RickyJ]

Hell will be full of such people, and I don't mean the homeless person, but the people who don't give a damn about the plight of the hungry and homeless. BTW, that is not my personal opinion of the matter, that is what Jesus Christ says about it in the Gospels.

[Big_Rob]

although I wouldn't ever shoot a pan-handler, I can feel that womans pain.

I almost had to kick this guys ass last month because he wouldn't take no for an answer. The only reason I didn't was because I didn't want to have to deal with the cops after I gave him the beating of his life.

I get so annoyed when some alcoholic comes up to me and tells me some sob story about how he needs money to catch the bus or put gas in his car or how he hasnt eaten in eons, just so they can go and buy yet another beer.

I hate being boldfaced lied to so they can get a buzz and thats the reason I NEVER give panhandlers money.

[Big_Rob]

Hell will be full of such people, and I don't mean the homeless person, but the people who don't give a damn about the plight of the hungry and homeless. BTW, that is not my personal opinion of the mater, that is what Jesus Christ says about it in the Gospels.

Thats why I give money to organizations that feed the homeless and never give money to panhandling alcoholics.

And thats what 9/10ths of panhandlers do with the money you give them, go out and buy beer with it.

[Tn...Andy]

Yep...know what you mean Rob. I was a approach by one with the "hunger" story some time back.....and he truly looked the part.

Fine....let me buy you some lunch.....we stepped into the burger place, and I bought him a meal. I turned around, and he was at the counter trying to return the food to get "his money back"......ahahahaaaaaaaaa.......


"Hell will be full of such people, and I don't mean the homeless person, but the people who don't give a damn about the plight of the hungry and homeless. BTW, that is not my personal opinion of the matter, that is what Jesus Christ says about it in the Gospels."


When I see a statement like that, my "hypocrite meter" generally pegs out.

IF they TRULY meant what they say, you wouldn't even see the post.....because they would have disconnected their internet service, and sold their computer and all their other wordly goods and go give it to the "poor"......but instead, what I find it generally means is "You folks of ability should be taxed to help out those folks of need"....the poster, of course, fitting neither of those categories, but more than willing to vote for some weenie politician that will fullfill his or her commie ideals.

As to the woman shooting the panhandler, the shooter sounds like she had more than her share of mental problems as well.

[Akula]

As to the woman shooting the panhandler, the shooter sounds like she had more than her share of mental problems as well.

More than her share???

She killed a person in cold blood because he was annoying her. That is a serious anti-social behavioral problem if you ask me.

We are here talking about beating down "bums" and marginalizing their existence because they are drunks or "pests". We are somewhat rationalizing murder and violence because we have limited the victims humanity.

Ya they are going to use the money you give them for booze, that dulls all their hunger pains, they are alcoholics. Kindness goes a long way in your life, and I am not talking about the kindness of giving someone your money as charity. Having some empathy for the person that is annoying you goes a long way in making yourself happy. Giving a smile or a nod or a nice word makes both of you feel better, feeling hate, rage, spite for the person only hurts both.

Like I said you don't have to give the person money to show compassion an empathy. But go ahead and keep fuming about it because it only hurts you. The guy that you rage about all day already has pain that you could never understand, so you are only hurting yourself with your anger.

[R MacDonald]

Thats why I give money to organizations that feed the homeless and never give money to panhandling alcoholics.

And thats what 9/10ths of panhandlers do with the money you give them, go out and buy beer with it.
http://www.rnrsams.com/files/beer_sign.jpg

[Mined Games]

I have very little sympathy for any abled-bodied panhandlers, but if I see one with obvious physical disabilities, I'm a little more inclined to help out.

That being said, a favorite cartoon character of mine had a great way of dealing with panhandlers in one memorable episode. When approached by a panhandler who asked him if he had a quarter, Stephen responded by holding out his palm and responding, "No, do you?" Nothing like giving them a taste of their own medicine!

[Big_Rob]

More than her share???

She killed a person in cold blood because he was annoying her. That is a serious anti-social behavioral problem if you ask me.

We are here talking about beating down "bums" and marginalizing their existence because they are drunks or "pests". We are somewhat rationalizing murder and violence because we have limited the victims humanity.

Ya they are going to use the money you give them for booze, that dulls all their hunger pains, they are alcoholics. Kindness goes a long way in your life, and I am not talking about the kindness of giving someone your money as charity. Having some empathy for the person that is annoying you goes a long way in making yourself happy. Giving a smile or a nod or a nice word makes both of you feel better, feeling hate, rage, spite for the person only hurts both.

Like I said you don't have to give the person money to show compassion an empathy. But go ahead and keep fuming about it because it only hurts you. The guy that you rage about all day already has pain that you could never understand, so you are only hurting yourself with your anger.

You're kidding right? If I give them money to eat and they choose to spend it on buying a beer, whose fault is it they they are hungry?

Dont even try to feed me a line about how the booze dulls their hunger pains because they could have very easily spent the money buying food at where ever to "dull their hunger pains" instead of buying yet another tall boy Bud to keep them in a drunken stupor.

The ONLY person that is responsible for their hunger pains is themselves. There are more than enough churches as well as other non-religious homeless shelters that specialize in giving homeless people food.

The guy that wouldn't stop begging was getting VERY belligerent towards me because I wouldn't give him money. My 7 year old daughter was with me and this guy starts cursing at me and her. Hes very lucky I didn't knock him into next month. Its thinking like yours that empowers people like him into believing that everyone_has_to give him money to support his alcoholism.

I personally find drunks to be abhorrent and am not going fund their drunken stupor just because I feel sorry for them.

Thats why I give money to churches and not to the panhandlers, so it can go to those that truly need it and not to those that only want it to feed their addiction.

[woodman]

I sometimes feel irritated when approached for money but as I've gotten older I'll usually give a guy a couple bucks for a 40 oz. Sometimes it is apparent that they are simply lazy and would rather beg but often it is not that simple. I think, "but for a little luck, the grace of God if you will, that could be me." The woman who shot the guy sounds like a nasty witch. Premenstrual?

Ever see that bumper sticker that reads, "I've got PMS and a handgun. Any questions?"

[REV127]

More than her share???

She killed a person in cold blood because he was annoying her. That is a serious anti-social behavioral problem if you ask me.

We are here talking about beating down "bums" and marginalizing their existence because they are drunks or "pests". We are somewhat rationalizing murder and violence because we have limited the victims humanity.

Ya they are going to use the money you give them for booze, that dulls all their hunger pains, they are alcoholics. Kindness goes a long way in your life, and I am not talking about the kindness of giving someone your money as charity. Having some empathy for the person that is annoying you goes a long way in making yourself happy. Giving a smile or a nod or a nice word makes both of you feel better, feeling hate, rage, spite for the person only hurts both.

Like I said you don't have to give the person money to show compassion an empathy. But go ahead and keep fuming about it because it only hurts you. The guy that you rage about all day already has pain that you could never understand, so you are only hurting yourself with your anger.

Interesting thesis. Have you ever been homeless and starving on the streets? I have. Lost a lot of weight, felt sick and weak all the time. Had to find ways to climb onto rooftops or other hard to access areas so common bums couldn't come stab or club me in the night for my clothes. I worked my way out of it and now I'm wealthy, because I'm not a bum. Not everybody who has less than you is a poor maligned charity case, many people get exactly what they deserve.

Conversely we had in my local area a tent city the homeless had been allowed to put together and things were looking up for them. They were largely able to police themselves and give assistance to eachother, didn't have to worry about being attacked, etc. Then somebody complained it was lowering their property values and upsetting the view on their drive to work so they have the police come raid the tent city and slash all the tents under the guise of fire prevention.

As far as this shooting goes, as I said we will never know the truth. News reporting varies from sensationalist to wildly inaccurate. This lady was busted in Ohio. If you want to start searching for the truth about what happened you can begin by looking here,

http://www.ohioccw.org/

This is probably political. The lady may be a nut, but since many facts are missing it is also likely that this instance would have been a justifiable case of self defense elsewhere like in my state.

The situation in Cincinnati is far from clear cut. Here is another interesting case.

Gary Smith got at least a 16-year break, and may have escaped a life sentence, when he was convicted Friday while acting as his own lawyer in his murder trial.

Calling them "crack-head punks," Smith shot four men in Over-the-Rhine in 2001 in his personal brand of vigilante justice, killing one in a case where he initially faced the death penalty, officials said.
Smith was convicted in 2002 but escaped death when he was sentenced to 47 years to life in prison.
That conviction and sentence, though, were overturned earlier this year by an appeals court that declared Smith, 54, didn't get a fair trial because he was prevented from acting as his own attorney.
Despite deliberating for more than two days, a jury was unable to determine if Smith should be convicted of murder and attempted murder in the 2001 shootings.
The judge declared a mistrial on those counts -- which carry a maximum prison sentence of 35 years to life -- and will hold an Oct. 22 hearing to determine if prosecutors want to retry Smith a third time on those charges.
The jury, though, did convict Smith of six counts of felonious assault for shooting the men and a count of being a felon in possession of a gun, charges carrying a maximum sentence of 31 years in prison.
To convict on murder and attempted murder, jurors have to believe the shooter intended to kill. A felonious assault conviction is handed down when jurors believe the shooter knew his actions would hurt victims.
As in his first trial, Smith was a courtroom problem in this trial, so much so that Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Patrick Dinkelacker apologized to the jury and admitted he lost control over Smith as Smith testified in his defense.
The judge even threatened to gag Smith.
Because jurors weren't supposed to know that Smith previously was convicted of the charges, Dinkelacker instructed both sides not to mention it in this trial.
But when Smith took the stand this week, he verbally attacked assistant prosecutor David Prem, who Smith accused of "trying to put me in the electric chair in the last trial."
Smith was accused of shooting Jimmie Gordon to death and convicted of wounding three other men in a shooting rampage Smith started when he tried to get crack dealers away from his home. They responded by robbing him, killing his cat, urinating on his home and slicing his tires.
But police say Smith shot the wrong men while prosecutors suspect Smith shot Gordon and then shot the others trying to eliminate witnesses against him.
In his first trial, which lasted a month, Smith repeatedly interrupted the judge and court proceedings, so much so that a prosecutor jumped to his feet to chastise the judge for allowing Smith to run the judge's courtroom.
After Smith's conviction in the first trial, he actually used the jail telephone to call his jurors at home, something prosecutors said was an attempt at intimidation but something Smith insisted was his right as a defendant. In this trial, jurors were referred to as a number rather than by name.

http://www.cincypost.com/2004/10/16/verdict101604.html

No justice, no peace. What's so suprising about that?

This is another interesting tidbit.

This matter is before the Court on Motion of Defendants, Beretta U.S.A. Corp., Bryco Arms, Inc., Colt's Manufacturing Co., Inc., H & R 1872, Inc., Hi-Point Firearms (incorrectly named as MDS Supply, Inc., d/b/a/ Hi-Point Firearms), Lorcin Engineering Co., Inc., North American Arms, Inc., Phoenix Arms, Smith & Wesson Corp., Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc., and Fabrica D'Armi, Pietro Beretta S.P.A. (manufacturing defendant) and B.L. Jennings, Inc. (distributor defendant), to dismiss plaintiff's complaint with prejudice pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) [note 1] of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure (http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/Rules/civil/). Upon consideration of the briefs of the parties and oral argument held before this Court on September 27, 1999, the motion is granted and this matter is dismissed with prejudice.
. . . . . In its complaint, the City seeks to recover from defendant firearms manufacturers, a distributor and three trade associations for costs incurred in providing police, emergency, court, prison and other related services in connection with shootings which are homicidal, suicidal or accidental. The City further seeks damages for alleged diminution in property value and loss of tax payer revenue, punitive damages and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief which would require defendants to change the methods by which they design, distribute and advertise their products nationally. In the view of this Court, the City's complaint is an improper attempt to have this Court substitute its judgment for that of the legislature, something which this Court is neither inclined no empowered to do. Only the legislature has the power to engage in the type of regulation which is being sought by the City here. Moreover, the City's request that this Court abate or enjoin the defendants' lawful sale and distribution of their products outside the City of Cincinnati exceeds the scope of its municipal powers and, to the extent it asks this Court to regulate commercial conduct lawful in other states, violates the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3.


http://members.aol.com/alicebeard/law/cincinn.html

http://www.vpc.org/graphics/cincin.pdf

The lady could be a nut, she is probably very convenient, but there is much, much more in play here than you are being told by the nooz.

[Kahlil Gibran]

Hell will be full of such people, and I don't mean the homeless person, but the people who don't give a damn about the plight of the hungry and homeless.

This is a tough topic to feel morally certain about one way or the other. Many poor Americans do deserve a bigger slice of the American Pie. Problem is...95% of the "homeless" that I have known at the local Rescue Mission are basically substance, family, and friend abusers. They screwed everybody they knew and now don't "know" anybody anymore.

:bawling: spare change mister?

[randymatt]

She should of just "got the bum arrested"...:D

[Akula]

Interesting thesis. Have you ever been homeless and starving on the streets? I have. Lost a lot of weight, felt sick and weak all the time. Had to find ways to climb onto rooftops or other hard to access areas so common bums couldn't come stab or club me in the night for my clothes. I worked my way out of it and now I'm wealthy, because I'm not a bum. Not everybody who has less than you is a poor maligned charity case, many people get exactly what they deserve.

Conversely we had in my local area a tent city the homeless had been allowed to put together and things were looking up for them. They were largely able to police themselves and give assistance to eachother, didn't have to worry about being attacked, etc. Then somebody complained it was lowering their property values and upsetting the view on their drive to work so they have the police come raid the tent city and slash all the tents under the guise of fire prevention.

As far as this shooting goes, as I said we will never know the truth. News reporting varies from sensationalist to wildly inaccurate. This lady was busted in Ohio. If you want to start searching for the truth about what happened you can begin by looking here,

http://www.ohioccw.org/

This is probably political. The lady may be a nut, but since many facts are missing it is also likely that this instance would have been a justifiable case of self defense elsewhere like in my state.

The situation in Cincinnati is far from clear cut. Here is another interesting case.



http://www.cincypost.com/2004/10/16/verdict101604.html

No justice, no peace. What's so suprising about that?

This is another interesting tidbit.



http://members.aol.com/alicebeard/law/cincinn.html

http://www.vpc.org/graphics/cincin.pdf

The lady could be a nut, she is probably very convenient, but there is much, much more in play here than you are being told by the nooz.

You're kidding right? If I give them money to eat and they choose to spend it on buying a beer, whose fault is it they they are hungry?

Dont even try to feed me a line about how the booze dulls their hunger pains because they could have very easily spent the money buying food at where ever to "dull their hunger pains" instead of buying yet another tall boy Bud to keep them in a drunken stupor.

The ONLY person that is responsible for their hunger pains is themselves. There are more than enough churches as well as other non-religious homeless shelters that specialize in giving homeless people food.

The guy that wouldn't stop begging was getting VERY belligerent towards me because I wouldn't give him money. My 7 year old daughter was with me and this guy starts cursing at me and her. Hes very lucky I didn't knock him into next month. Its thinking like yours that empowers people like him into believing that everyone_has_to give him money to support his alcoholism.

I personally find drunks to be abhorrent and am not going fund their drunken stupor just because I feel sorry for them.

Thats why I give money to churches and not to the panhandlers, so it can go to those that truly need it and not to those that only want it to feed their addiction.

Basically I got two reactions to my post that range from anger to why would I enable a bum. Funny thing is that neither of these are true of my post. Like I said, you don't have to give anyone money, charity can come in the form of something very easy and free to give. The charity of being humane to someone cast off as inhuman is a powerful thing, powerful for you, the person freely giving. You don’t have to take the person into your home and give them hugs to make them feel like a person. I simple hello and a nice “sorry I cannot give to you today”, go a lot further than “**** off loser, get a job you bum!” Further for you and your own well being as a person if anything. Let me ask both of you, how is treating someone humanely somehow undeserved charity?

The alcoholic has a hunger much worse than food Big Rob. Your reaction that I was only referring to dulling hunger pains is very narrow sighted. And I never even insinuated that it was not a cause and effect from the weakness in character from the person, and never did I infer it was simply unfortunate run of bad luck (which either could be possible in cause and effect). Why is it OK for you to treat someone weaker than you with contempt and hate and less than humane? Just because they are weak? Justification is a bitch. It is the same old story, the powerful enforcing their will on the powerless, only through a passive aggressive manner.
<o:p> </o:p>
Desperate (and drunk) people can pose a threat to society at times. Just like a dog, however, if you keep kicking the scroungey, weak ones enough they eventually bite. These are not exactly the “pit bull” type attack trained dogs. Hate and vengeance never help anyone. I understand that at times people feel threatened, and that protection is in order. However your example, BR, is not of protection, but of vengeance. You can sugar coat it all you want, but you only wanted to teach the guy a lesson.

[Akula]

This is a tough topic to feel morally certain about one way or the other. Many poor Americans do deserve a bigger slice of the American Pie. Problem is...95% of the "homeless" that I have known at the local Rescue Mission are basically substance, family, and friend abusers. They screwed everybody they knew and now don't "know" anybody anymore.

:bawling: spare change mister?

I would agree that possibly quite a few may be "bad people". I don't think it is 95%. A drunk that their family is tired of constantly pulling out of the gutter so they "let go" does not make the drunk a bad person necessarily, just a drain on the family. So if not knowing a persons true history gives you the right to treat them like shit, then does that go for all people? Should I treat everyone I do not know as a pedophile? Tell them to go F-themselves when they start talking to me?

Again I am not trying to advocate giving a bunch of charity to the homeless and drunks. But I am not in favor of treating them like maggots and using them for a punching bag, or target, or a release of aggression, because they bother us.....

[Kahlil Gibran]

So if not knowing a persons true history gives you the right to treat them like shit, then does that go for all people?

I spent two years volunteering at this local Rescue Mission and got to "know" these guy well. I stand by my post.

[Akula]

I spent two years volunteering at this local Rescue Mission and got to "know" these guy well. I stand by my post.

Jeeze most homeless don't go to many rescue missions because of being full with dangerous people. So maybe you might have a point there.

[buff01]

I would NEVER give money to a panhandler-- A sandwich yes. $$$, no.

[RealJack]

This has nothing to do with the threads wacko story, but speaks of spontaneous generosity.

Once, I was standing at a subway turnstile in New York City, looking at my hand full of change, wondering silently what I was supposed to put in the turnstile change box. It was the first time I'd ever been on a subway system.
Suddenly, from behind, a huge black hand the size of my boot, reached over my shoulder...

And dropped a token in my hand.

By the time I turned around, this gigantic black man was 10 feet away and walking fast in the opposite direction. I wasn't even able to shout thank you before he was gone in the crowd.

This is an example of spontaneous grace and I firmly believe it's what makes the whole world turn in the right direction.

That giant black man was filled with grace and I will always remember him and hopefully carry on his small, significant example.

For me, life is a series of moments; spontaneous, serendipitous and huge, which when added up, make my life a beautiful experience.

Pain is best forgotten, but generosity is always remembered.

[Kahlil Gibran]

Jeeze most homeless don't go to many rescue missions because of being full with dangerous people. So maybe you might have a point there.

Yes. There are many decent poor people in America. Millions. They don't loiter in Rescue Missions waiting for a handout. Rescue Mission residents steal from each other all the time. There is a reason why they don't have family or friends. The 5% quickly get on their feet and move out back into society.

[RickyJ]

This is a tough topic to feel morally certain about one way or the other.

No it isn't. She killed him in cold blood because he asked for a quarter. There is no moral uncertainty about the fact she is going to hell, none whatsoever.

[Kahlil Gibran]

No it isn't. She killed him in cold blood because he asked for a quarter. There is no moral uncertainty about the fact she is going to hell, none whatsoever.

You miss the part about her having mental illness? What Would Jesus Do to a mental patient?

:dontknow:

[extremist]

You miss the part about her having mental illness? What Would Jesus Do to a mental patient?

:dontknow:

Only her lawyer mentions mental illness -- as would be expected, whether or not it's true. But the lawyer will have some explaining to do if she bought the gun legally.

[Kahlil Gibran]

...whether or not it's true.

:smokin: gee...let's accept some excuse for the aggressive panhandler but none for the shooter? Which is it?

[Goldhedge]

You do all realize that if the Federal Reserve was banned that there would be no poverty in this country? Government would not need to pay a private bank to create money out of nothing. No so-called Income tax would exist either.

Of course we all know that both of those things: Federal Reserve and the Income Tax are frauds from the gitgo.

With those two frauds out of our system, we'd prosper like no nation on earth. Then that poor guy wouldn't have had to beg for 25c for his soul....

[RossL]

The situation in Cincinnati is far from clear cut. Here is another interesting case.



The shooting was in a rough section of Cincinnati. West of downtown in a warehouse district not far from the Ohio river. This is not a part of town I would want to be alone in after dark.

I certainly wouldn't want any female relative or acquaintance there alone any time.

I'm sure she was intimidated. That doesn't excuse the woman's actions, of course.

I wouldn't want to walk through there after dark unarmed. :no_ma:

When I was a teenager, I did visit in parts of Cincinnati that I now would not go near. Back then, I hung out with some black friends. I did not pose a threat to the po' folks and I didn't look rich. That was back before the days of crack and gangs. Now, I would need guns to go back to the places I went when I was 17.

None of this excuses the woman's actions, of course. She could have just shocked his deadbeat ass with a taser.

[RickyJ]

You miss the part about her having mental illness? What Would Jesus Do to a mental patient?

:dontknow:

The mental illness defense won't work with God, only with human suckers on Earth, he knows the truth.

[Kahlil Gibran]

The mental illness defense won't work with God, only with human suckers on Earth, he knows the truth.

:Sorry: I didn't realize you hear God talking to you about this Cincinnati case. My bad. Whatever God is saying to you is correct.

[Prometheus]

I've been acosted by bums MANY times and many times late at night.

I would frequently close down night clubs and be walking back to the car witha date/friends and have some vagrant / would be theif walk up.

95% of the time when I would hold out a hand say "STOP!" and then as they start to talk beofre they are done with the first word "NO." that would be the end of it.

4% of the time it's take one more "STOP" and my hand moving inside my shirt.

These 99-percenters would always put there hands up at chest level palsm open and twoards me and start backpeddling "ok man ok, it's cool".

I have had a couple continue and one I had to draw on.. only then did he actually stop and he started to move forward STILL. Only when I clicked off the safety on my USP 45 did the guy put the hands up and start backing up. I don't know if he saw or not by my finger had moved to the trigger and and I was literally a split second from dropping him, at that piont he was way to close at just under 10 feet away. That guy WAS up to no good and if it wasn't for the fact I'd had a beer recently I woudl have held him at gunpoint and called the cops.. I was worried I might get hassled about the alcohol on my breath (I was stone cold sober) and figured let some liberal become a conservative instead.

Most panhandlers know when to back off. Those who don't DESERVE to get shot. A man simply cannot expect to get within arms reach of female while demanding money in the middle of the night without the risk of getting shot. It may sound harsh, but thats the reality of it.

Shooting a bum for asking for a quarter? overreaction. Shooting a man for being an idiot? Give the woman a medal. Chances are we'll never know the whole story so we'll never know who was in the wrong.