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STORY
Man claims self defense
05/06/2000
ROBERT K. GORDON
and ADAM GOLDMAN
News staff writers
A frail Bessemer man said he was protecting himself and his mother when he shot and killed a convicted robber Thursday night.
Police said Friday that no charges were filed against Curtis Williams, 47.
The slender, slightly slouched Williams, who walks with the assistance of a cane, because of a spinal cord injury, said Friday he was defending himself and his mother, though police said there was no physical alter cation before he shot Stephon Green.
"People thought they could run over somebody and do it again," Williams said as he struggled to take his seat. "I wasn't going to let them kill me and my mother."
Bessemer Police Capt. Ron Brown said a Bessemer Cutoff grand jury will hear the case to determine whether charges are warranted.
Brown said police were called about 9:30 p.m. Thursday to 114 22nd St. South. They found Green, 34, of Bessemer lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his chest. Green was taken to Bessemer Carraway Medical Center and later to University Hospital where he died about 3 a.m. Friday, Brown said.
"This seems to stem from a dispute over a stolen television," Brown said.
Police said Williams filed a burglary and menacing report on Easter Sunday after several men, including Green, entered his home and accused him of stealing a television.
"I don't know nothing about a TV," Williams said.
The men confronted Williams in his back yard. One pistol whipped him with a .38-caliber handgun and kicked him in the groin, the police report said. When another of the men saw Williams' 82-year-old mother - who uses a walker - attempting to call the police, the man pointed a pistol at her and said, "Put the phone down or I'll blow your brains out," the report stated.
He tore the phone out of the wall and carried it outside.
Aurelia Williams pleaded for her life that night, she recalled Friday afternoon.
"Please don't shoot me," she said she told the men. "Please don't shoot me."
When his mother ran outside and started to scream, the men fled, Williams and his mother said.
But there apparently was no scuffle between Williams and Green on Thursday night before the shooting, Brown said.
"There is a question as to his ability to defend himself," Brown said. "He did what he thought was best to defend himself."
Williams said Green came to his back yard holding a shopping bag and the two exchanged words.
As he pointed a .22-caliber rifle at Green, said Williams, "I warned him not to come forward." Williams said Green wouldn't stop and reached for something in the bag.
"That's when I fired," he said. "I thought he was coming toward me to do bodily harm. I didn't have no choice."
Williams' mother called police as he waited on his back porch.
"I didn't have no reason to run and hide," Williams said.
Asked how it felt to kill, Williams said: "I can't answer that. I don't know how I'm feeling right now."
Court records show Green pleaded guilty last month to third degree assault, third degree robbery and escape in separate incidents.
Authorities charged Green last year with sodomy - which was reduced to assault - in connection with an incident involving an inmate while Green was in the County Jail awaiting his court date on the other charges.
Green got 12 months probation, court records show, for the assault, robbery and escape convictions.
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Slowpoke Rodrigo...he pack a gon...
I voted for the Neal Knox 13
I'll see you at the TFL End Of Summer Meet!
Man claims self defense
05/06/2000
ROBERT K. GORDON
and ADAM GOLDMAN
News staff writers
A frail Bessemer man said he was protecting himself and his mother when he shot and killed a convicted robber Thursday night.
Police said Friday that no charges were filed against Curtis Williams, 47.
The slender, slightly slouched Williams, who walks with the assistance of a cane, because of a spinal cord injury, said Friday he was defending himself and his mother, though police said there was no physical alter cation before he shot Stephon Green.
"People thought they could run over somebody and do it again," Williams said as he struggled to take his seat. "I wasn't going to let them kill me and my mother."
Bessemer Police Capt. Ron Brown said a Bessemer Cutoff grand jury will hear the case to determine whether charges are warranted.
Brown said police were called about 9:30 p.m. Thursday to 114 22nd St. South. They found Green, 34, of Bessemer lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his chest. Green was taken to Bessemer Carraway Medical Center and later to University Hospital where he died about 3 a.m. Friday, Brown said.
"This seems to stem from a dispute over a stolen television," Brown said.
Police said Williams filed a burglary and menacing report on Easter Sunday after several men, including Green, entered his home and accused him of stealing a television.
"I don't know nothing about a TV," Williams said.
The men confronted Williams in his back yard. One pistol whipped him with a .38-caliber handgun and kicked him in the groin, the police report said. When another of the men saw Williams' 82-year-old mother - who uses a walker - attempting to call the police, the man pointed a pistol at her and said, "Put the phone down or I'll blow your brains out," the report stated.
He tore the phone out of the wall and carried it outside.
Aurelia Williams pleaded for her life that night, she recalled Friday afternoon.
"Please don't shoot me," she said she told the men. "Please don't shoot me."
When his mother ran outside and started to scream, the men fled, Williams and his mother said.
But there apparently was no scuffle between Williams and Green on Thursday night before the shooting, Brown said.
"There is a question as to his ability to defend himself," Brown said. "He did what he thought was best to defend himself."
Williams said Green came to his back yard holding a shopping bag and the two exchanged words.
As he pointed a .22-caliber rifle at Green, said Williams, "I warned him not to come forward." Williams said Green wouldn't stop and reached for something in the bag.
"That's when I fired," he said. "I thought he was coming toward me to do bodily harm. I didn't have no choice."
Williams' mother called police as he waited on his back porch.
"I didn't have no reason to run and hide," Williams said.
Asked how it felt to kill, Williams said: "I can't answer that. I don't know how I'm feeling right now."
Court records show Green pleaded guilty last month to third degree assault, third degree robbery and escape in separate incidents.
Authorities charged Green last year with sodomy - which was reduced to assault - in connection with an incident involving an inmate while Green was in the County Jail awaiting his court date on the other charges.
Green got 12 months probation, court records show, for the assault, robbery and escape convictions.
------------------
Slowpoke Rodrigo...he pack a gon...
I voted for the Neal Knox 13
I'll see you at the TFL End Of Summer Meet!
