Originally Posted by
Wesley Mouch
You're pretty much right here about Mr. Wafer's crime. The fact that he had to open the door suggests that he was no longer a scared individual, but perhaps a mad one. Or a drunk one.
So I see the scenario as this. Mr. Wafer, mad, drunk, prejudiced[[?), angry, and bitter gets awakened by something [[pounding, whispering, or just her aura -- doesn't matter). He opens door, and she's aggressive and confused. He doesn't know this till the door opens, and in her drunken state, refuses to calm down.
Having dealt deeply with disturbed people, I can understand how Wafer might feel threatened even inside his door. Someone high can act irrationally, and might be a threat. He's startled, and pulls the trigger without realizing exactly what's going on. So who's to blame.
To me, the aggressor is the outsider who is at someone else's house and has a responsibility to behave well. The homeowner to me is allowed to be irritating, house racist thoughts, drunk, high, mean, and stupid. Ms. McBride had the best chance to diffuse this. Just walk away. Mr. Wafer gets my 'reasonable doubt', because as the homeowner I think he's held to a much lower standard.
[[And that all said, I do think he acted criminally. I just don't like people being railroaded by the system -- which is what I think happened here in the end -- even if in this case he's guilty.)