[Doc Hardball]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Margaret Johnson might have looked like an easy target.

But when a mugger tried to grab a chain off her neck Friday, the 56-year-old Johnson, while riding in her wheelchair, pulled out her licensed .357 pistol and shot him, police said.

Johnson said she was in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood on her way to a shooting range when the man, identified by police as 45-year-old Deron Johnson, came up from behind and went for the chain.

"There's not much to it," she said in a brief interview. "Somebody tried to mug me, and I shot him."

Deron Johnson was taken to Harlem Hospital with a single bullet wound in the elbow, police said. He faces a robbery charge, said Lt. John Grimpel, a police spokesman.

Margaret Johnson, who lives in Harlem, has a permit for the weapon and does not face charges, Grimpel said. She also was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later released.


Can't say I agree 100% that the shooting was justifiable but I'll give her credit for defending herself.

[SiG Lady]

I heard about this on CNN today... I think I might've done something similar had I been in her situation.

[RichardR]

Quote

Can't say I agree 100% that the shooting was justifiable but I'll give her credit for defending herself.

Not quite sure what you mean by this, but my question to you is: should she have waited to get beaten up first? Would she have been 100% justified then?

I don't believe a necklace is worth a life, but there's quite a difference in having something stolen from you, and having something physically taken from you...

I'm glad she was able to protect herself; I applaud her.

RichardR

[SiG Lady]

You have to be both female and disabled to understand her reaction. I'm both. I would've drawn the gun at the very least and threatened the crap outa him. If he persisted, he'd have deserved a round or two.

And she was on her way to the range, of all things. That alone was interesting.

[Doc Hardball]

I'm not saying she should have let herself be beaten, I'm just saying that with the info the article gave, I'm not 100% sure, just my opinion. If someone wants my necklace, they can have the thing. If they want my life, then it's on.

[SiG Lady]

I also kinda got the impression she was just a spunky kind of lady who would brook no s**t from muggers--or anyone else.

It also may be that the crime might be considered more serious (from the judge's point of view) precisely because the victim was disabled. If she was also over a certain age (that is, technically a "senior" or "elderly"), then the a**hat that assaulted her might be in even DEEPER trouble, legally... depending on local state laws.

[maladjusted]

Doc Hardball, on Sep 9 2006, 08:41 PM, said:

If someone wants my necklace, they can have the thing. If they want my life, then it's on.

What sort of guarantees do you have that someone taking your property by force would not also take your life?

[Jessica Steven]

Are there any sources for an add-on wheelchair door and lift for a standard passenger coach? I'm working on the idea of converting a 45 ft passenger coach into a mobile classroom and need to provide wheelchair access per ADA.

Thanks for your input.

[Thunder]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Margaret Johnson might have looked like an easy target.

But when a mugger tried to grab a chain off her neck Friday, the 56-year-old Johnson, while riding in her wheelchair, pulled out her licensed .357 pistol and shot him, police said.

Johnson said she was in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood on her way to a shooting range when the man, identified by police as 45-year-old Deron Johnson, came up from behind and went for the chain.

"There's not much to it," she said in a brief interview. "Somebody tried to mug me, and I shot him."

Deron Johnson was taken to Harlem Hospital with a single bullet wound in the elbow, police said. He faces a robbery charge, said Lt. John Grimpel, a police spokesman.

Margaret Johnson, who lives in Harlem, has a permit for the weapon and does not face charges, Grimpel said. She also was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later released.


Can't say I agree 100% that the shooting was justifiable but I'll give her credit for defending herself.

remember each state has different regs. laws etc. but here justification would be obvious disparity of force and a reasonable belief that at the time, she felt in an immediate threat of serious physical injury or death, as she should have felt, not knowing his intentions during and after the attack.

[SiG Lady]

[color=navy[Jessica, you might wish to contact your local bus transit company and find out where THEY acquire THEIR lifts.[/color]