Bob Ward murder conviction; OrlandoSentinel.com...

[Webleymkv]

Edit: Found an article with picture. It's a hammerless, but a Scandium or Titanium - so not a 642 or 442. One of the 3 series hammerless, so yes, DAO. 12lb trigger pull was mentioned.

Thanks for finding that for us. The gun in the picture appears to be a Model 340.

EDIT: after looking at S&W's website, the gun in the photo appears to be a Model 340PD. This is the only DAO scandium-frame revolver offered by S&W with a fiberoptic front sight.

 

[ClydeFrog]

Remarks from the "OP"...

I think my intended remarks & points were a bit off track here;
I DID NOT mean or claim that Bob Ward was firing the S&W revolver in self defense or that he was claiming it was a justified use of force as the state of Florida law is written: www.myfloridalegal.com www.mylicensesite.com .

My main point was that some jurys or jury members MAY look at firearms, ammunition, holsters-gear, etc when involved in a deliberation or when they render a verdict in a civil/court trial.
The 18" distance seemed a valid point too. That factor & the gunshot wound being almost directly between the victim's eyes showed how it looked more like a homicide than a suicide.

I'd disagree with a few TFL members too that say you(as a CC license holder or armed citizen) wouldn't need to worry about criminal intent or having a homicide charge after a lethal force incident.
Your statements & actions may allow you to avoid a criminal charge or be able to avoid civil/wrongful death claims BUT you must be able to explain/justify those actions to a LE investigator, prosecutor or even a jury of your "peers".
Some or all of whom may know next to 0 about guns & ammunition too.

ClydeFrog

 

[ClydeFrog]

In the words of LAPD LT Columbo....

Just one more thing... ...

Thanks for the edits & details about the Smith & Wesson Sc revolver.
S&W changes the product line so often(mostly in the early 2000s) I honestly wasn't sure which model Ward used in the event.

CF

 

[brickeyee]

BUT you must be able to explain/justify those actions to a LE investigator, prosecutor or even a jury of your "peers".

The only time you must "explain/justify those actions" is in a court of law, and even them only in a civil case decided by a preponderance of the evidence.

In a criminal case the state MUST make its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The only reason the trigger pull became an issue was when the 'it was an accident' BS appeared in court.

I guess the jury was smart enough to realize it would be one hell of an accident to pull a 12 pound trigger.

There was no question of justification in the case.

It was either an accident or murder.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I guess the jury was smart enough to realize it would be one hell of an accident to pull a 12 pound trigger.

There was no question of justification in the case.

I think that sums it up. Thankfully I have never had to wrestle someone to prevent him or her from shooting him/herself, but I sort of think that, if I were in such a situation my primary goal would be to keep the muzzle pointing away from both me and the other person. I'll even hypothesize that this is probably instinctive. So, if you're wrestling with a woman, who is probably smaller and weaker than you, if the gun just happens to be pointing right between her eyes when it "accidentally" discharges, I would find that rather incredible (in the literal sense of the word).

 

[ClydeFrog]

GSR on the victim's eyes...

One other point I'd bring up is how the ME's office found GSR(gun shot residue) on the victim's eyeballs & eye sockets.
This showed that her eyes were wide open when Ward shot her.
Most suicide incidents with firearms have the person shut the eyes or due to the quick reaction of the human eye it shuts fully by reflex.

As for the "struggle" for the gun, I too would think it could be very dicey for any sane, rational person to deal with.
Doing security details & in law enforcement(military police) I've seen a few incidents where a subject was unstable or close to suicide.
You need to be level headed & calm and avoid any rash or sudden movements.
I worked at a low end hotel a few years ago as a armed security guard and had a guest who shot himself with a .357magnum revolver.
He was docile & relaxed when I saw him but later took a lot of illegal drugs, pulled a bedspread over himself then fired one .357magum JHP into his face.

ClydeFrog