Chai Vang: Guilty or Innocent

[Tank_Guy#3]

What do my fellow CFC'ers think? Here's the link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/12/29/national/main663815.shtml?CMP=ILC-SearchStories

Sorry if you have problems with the poll, its the first one I've done believe it or not.

 

[Speedo]

There's no question that he did the shooting IMO. Even if it can be proven that they fired "a shot" at him, I don't think that justfies him killing 3 (wasn't it?) of them and wounding a couple of others.

The best possible scenario I see for him would be for the charge to be downgraded (if the shot fired at him could be proven) to manslaughter or something along those lines. My prediction is that he'll get the full slam for murder.

 

[blindside]

Don't taunt a man with a gun.

 

[Sparta]

I think it was more like 5-6 hunters he killed (IIRC it was 5 dead on the scene, one more passed away later). Actually, my girlfriend's brother-in-law was one of the first responders to the scene, and arrived to find his cousin gutshot and dying. Pretty messed up. From what I've heard, (at least) one guy was shot in the back, so I don't know how a self-defense defense is going to play out (I wouldn't be surprised if there may have been some taunting/threatening given that he was trespassing, but regardless I'd think self-defense is tough to claim when he shot people trying to flee). I don't know all the details, but from what I do know, it sounds like he's pretty guilty.

By the way, for those of you outside Wisconsin, re: this portion of the article:

Spoiler :

Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, who is personally handling the case against Vang, appeared in court as a prosecutor Wednesday for the first time since she was elected in 2002.

The last case she prosecuted was the kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl in the late 1990s, when she was a U.S. attorney.

She has said she wants to prosecute Vang because of her "personal interest" in cases that involve crimes against people.

State Attorney General Peg "The Keg" Lautenschlager is taking this case solely to (futilely) attempt to salvage a tanking career due to having recently gotten a DUI (driving under the influence) with a state-owned vehicle, which later brought to light the fact that she's damaged a total of three public cars thus far. Her image in the state is largely one of a useless degenerate alcoholic (IMO). The line about her prosecuting becase of a '"personal interest" in cases that involve crimes against people' is basically laughably ridiculous.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Don't taunt a man with a gun.

They didn't taunt him according to the two survivors, and the local news station have been saying that Chai says he is defending the Hmong race or something. Also, when the story first came out the news stations said the men approaching him were unarmed. I do believe it was 4 killed 3 wounded, one dying of his wounds later. Uhh I might have to check.

I agree with you Sparta, being a fellow Wisonsinite(if that makes any sense whatsoever).

 

[ComradeDavo]

From the details I know I can not say whether he is guilty or not. He probably is, after all he is alive and the otehrs dead, but then again it could have been self defense, he claims they fired at him first. Need more info!

Probably guilty.

 

[Evil Tyrant]

I think he is guilty but I don't know for sure.

 

[IglooDame]

I'd followed that incident fairly closely when it first happened. As I recall Vang was on their land, only one of the hunters was armed, and there was a pretty good case that he followed a couple of the hunters fleeing and shot them in the back.

Even if he was shot at by a hunter, he is still guilty of murder for shooting one in the back assuming that he had the opportunity to get the heck out of that area of woods instead.

 

[Bugfatty300]

I'd say guilty from what I've heard.

And the bodies were spread far apart meaning he probably chased them down one by one. And plus he was armed with an SKS so he had them outgunned. Not to mention one of the people he killed was just a kid.

Self-defense will in no way work in this case.