BAIT AND KILL VIGILANTISM - THE MURDER OF DIREN DEDE

[HairOfTheDog]

Soon we'll know the fate of Byron Smith -- the Minnesota man charged with luring and then killing with premeditation two teen burglars in his home. Smith has claimed fear for his life and self-defense. The jury will begin deliberations in his trial this week.

Last weekend, a set of homeowners in Montana allegedly lured another teen to his death.


17-year-old Diren Dede -- German exchange student killed by vigilante homeowners

Snip:
Markus Hendrik Kaarma, 29, made his initial appearance in Missoula County Justice Court on Monday afternoon, and has been charged with Felony Deliberate Homicide after the shooting in the Grant Creek neighborhood.

The charging affidavit states that Kaarma's home on Deer Canyon Court had recently been broken into twice, so he had security equipment installed. The documents say when he was alerted to an intruder in his garage early Sunday morning, he went outside with a shotgun.

Kaarma yelled into the garage, and his common-law-wife Janelle Pflager said someone responded either "hey" or "wait." Soon after, Kaarma fired four shots into the dark garage in a sweeping motion.

Diren Dede, who was a junior at Big Sky High School was hit in the head and arm and died a short time later at the hospital.


Kaarma (right) and Pflager with their child

Kaarma told investigators he feared for his life. But in the charging document, Pflager says she placed a purse with personal belongings she had cataloged in the garage so the burglars would take it. She also left the garage door open.

Court papers also state that Kaarma told a hair stylist earlier that he had been waiting up to three nights to "shoot some bleeping kid."

Missoula attorney Paul Ryan, who is representing Kaarma, says his client will absolutely plead not guilty and will fight the charge all the way.

Ryan says Kaarma was defending himself, his wife and child, as well as his property. Ryan made reference to Montana's "Castle Doctrine," which allows a person to defend his home.

Dede was an All-State soccer player at Big Sky High School, and also competed in track. Monday was a scheduled day off in the Missoula County Public School District, but counselors were made available.

http://www.kpax.com/news/man-accused-in-...-in-court/

[Duchess]

Straight up, no one should be on another person's property with bad intent, however, don't say you fear for your life when you make a deliberate effort to get the person there. Jesus.

[Maggot]

He should have just put a bear trap in there.

[HairOfTheDog]

He should have just put a bear trap in there.

That's actually probably a better plan than the one the homeowners chose in this case.

People shouldn't have to worry about other people jacking their shit - period. But, that's not reality.

I understand Kaarma's frustration with being burgled. My truck's been broken into three times now in the last 6 months; the latch on the back window was broken off last time, so the window doesn't close anymore. Pisses me off big time. I can't fit it in the garage (which I never leave open or unlocked), so I've taken everything out of the truck -- there's nothing in there to steal.

Based on the latest update, seems like the homeowners in this case didn't take such measures when they were burgled previously and before they chose to bait and shoot.

Snip:
An amended affidavit filed by Deputy Missoula County Attorney Andrew Paul this week said the 16- and 18-year-olds told investigators they took two wallets with credit cards, an iPhone, marijuana and paraphernalia from Markus Kaarma's garage and unlocked vehicles in the driveway. Their names have not been released.

Kaarma's attorney, Paul Ryan, has said his client was the victim of multiple break-ins before the fatal encounter last month.

Prosecutors say Kaarma and his girlfriend, Janelle Pflager, set up motion sensors and a video feed to catch whoever was stealing from them and that Kaarma shot 17-year-old Diren Dede when the boy was spotted in the garage.

The teens, whose confession was included in the document filed Monday, denied any connection between themselves and Dede or another exchange student who was with Dede the night he was shot.

I don't think Mr. Kaarma is gonna be able to get off on a self-defense claim on this one.

[HairOfTheDog]

NOT GUILTY PLEA -- "CASTLE DOCTRINE" DEFENSE PLANNED

Kaarma pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide this week. Court docs show he's planning to use a castle doctrine defense. Kaarma is out on $30,000 bail. Prosecutors are not charging his live-in girlfriend.

Court documents cite that Diren Dede, who lived with his host family two doors down from Kaarma, was "garage hopping" when he was shot to death. Schoolmates of Diren's told police that Diren and another exchange student who was with Diren that night learned of the "prank" (which is also a crime) from other students at their school. Stealing booze and pot from the refrigerators and shelves of open garages is the goal of garage-hopping. (HOTD: never heard of it before, but since this story broke, I've checked it out and seems it's not an uncommon teen activity. Stupid.)

Kaarma smoked pot in his garage and allegedly had marijuana and pipes stolen from both his car and garage before reportedly laying a trap for burglars on the day he shot Diren.

Kaarma was tested to see if he was under the influence when he killed the teen -- results pending.

Sources:
http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/kaarma-pl...e/26096620
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/suspect-in-g...ana-court/

[SIXFOOTERsez]

This one ain't right. Kid needed as ass beating but not killing.
This jerk off intentionally set a deadly trap and from what was reported there should be no reason for him to fear for his safety.
Haven't read Minisota law, but doesn't seem like a legal shoot. More or less the same as the asshole killed that black kid in the gas station down here.

[HairOfTheDog]

This one ain't right. Kid needed as ass beating but not killing.
This jerk off intentionally set a deadly trap and from what was reported there should be no reason for him to fear for his safety.

I agree. I'm glad the jury did too.

GUILTY OF DELIBERATE HOMICIDE

A man who shot and killed a German exchange student caught trespassing in his garage was convicted of deliberate homicide Wednesday in a case that attracted attention as a test of self-defense laws that govern the use of deadly force to defend life and property.

Cheers erupted in the packed courtroom when the verdict was read in the case against Markus Kaarma, 30.

Kaarma shot 17-year-old high school student Diren Dede in the early hours of April 27 after being alerted to an intruder by motion sensors. Witnesses testified Kaarma fired four shotgun blasts at Dede, who was unarmed.

Kaarma faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 11. His lawyers plan to appeal.

Dede's parents were in the courtroom and hugged and cried when they heard the jury's decision.

Kaarma's lawyers argued at trial that he feared for his life, didn't know if the intruder was armed, and was on edge because his garage was burglarized at least once in the weeks before the shooting. They said under Montana's "stand your ground" law, Kaarma's actions were justifiable because he feared for his family's safety.

Prosecutors maintained that after the previous burglary, Kaarma was intent on luring an intruder into his garage and then harming that person. That night, Kaarma left his garage door partially open with a purse inside.

At trial, neighbors testified that Kaarma's girlfriend, Janelle Pflager, told them of the couple's plans to bait an intruder and catch a burglar themselves because they believed police weren't responding to area break-ins.

Story: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/markus-kaarm...nts-death/

[HairOfTheDog]

Sentencing

Markus Kaarma got a harsher sentence than I'd expected.

He was sentenced today to 70 years in prison for baiting and shooting to death 17-year-old German exchange student Diren Dede.

30-year-old Kaarma's earliest parole opportunity will be in 20 years.