Critical Thinking
Ask students to read the first report. (This is from a blog)
Discuss the story. Get the participants reaction to the piece, but
at this stage steer them away from thinking about the source, focus
instead on the issue of self defence and the right to carry arms
and when is murder manslaughter etc. From the way the piece is
written, the choice of vocabulary and the information included /
excluded is designed to engender sympathy for Davis Carlson.
Read the second piece (from the liberal New York Times
newspaper). How have their views of the case changed? What
significant information did they come across that altered the story
? ( rape / underage consensual sex. Sanches lunged/ attacked or
moved forward etc. )
Can they trust either source?
The blog was written by Bob Owens, the President of the Rifle
Association which is a very strong supporter of the rights for
Americans to carry guns.The New York Times is a vociferous member
of the anti-gun lobby.
Hero kills fugitive rape suspect but since its New York, hes
been charged with murderPosted byBob Owenson October 19 at 9:31
am
David Carlson shot and killed a wanted rape suspect after
heavily-armed teams of police chased the violent criminal out of
the woods near his homeBut it isnt just a shooting; its an act many
here consider to be heroic a defence of the community. It has now
set the stage for a trial that could help define the limits of
deadly force when an armed citizen is facing a fleeing criminal
suspect .New York State, of course, doesnt let you defend yourself
so hes beingcharged with second degree murder. Under New Yorks
pro-criminal laws, Carlson was supposed to turn his back and flee
into his home with a rapist in pursuit. Acosta-Sanchez had been
staying in a small cabin on Old Plank Road near Carlson's home;
Carlson had befriended him, offering meals and paying him to do odd
jobs, until Acosta-Sanchez revealed that he was wanted by police
for the rape of a child. Carlson contacted police and agreed to
help them apprehend the fugitive as he worried for the safety of
his family. On Tuesday, arrangements were made with Deerpark
police: Carlson would get Acosta-Sanchez in his car and speed, and
the police would pull him over and arrest Acosta-Sanchez. Carlson
said he tried, driving 65 on Route 42 as he was told, but the
police didn't show up because of a shift change.The next day, he
tried again, getting Acosta-Sanchez in the car under a pretence.
This time police stopped the car and took Acosta-Sanchez with them,
but didn't handcuff him. Carlson said he went home, thinking it was
done. But when Acosta-Sanchez convinced police to let him return to
the cabin to get his identification, he fled out the back and got
away by swimming across a reservoir."They had like 50 cops out
there Wednesday. I don't know how they didn't catch him," Carlson
told the investigators.Carlson said he kept in touch with police,
as Acosta-Sanchez made two more appearances at the cabin. Carlson
was increasingly afraid that the police would be unable to
apprehend him. The morning of the shooting, Carlson said, the
wanted man banged on his door saying the police were chasing him.
He was angry that Carlson had tried to turn him in. This time,
Carlson got his shotgun and told Acosta-Sanchez to give himself up.
Carlson said he was afraid when Acosta-Sanchez suddenly realised
that Carlson intended calling the police on a neighbours phone.
Carlson thought he was going to attack him so he fired two shots in
self- defence. Neighbours have expressed support for Carlson, 43,
including one who used her home to help Carlson post the $100,000
bond. The David Carlson Fund was set up to help with legal expenses
and support his family.
Lake schoolenquiries@englishinoxford
Police have charged 47 year old Daniel Carlson with the murder
of Nathaniel Acosta-Sanches. Late last summer, Acosta-Sanchez was
doing odd jobs on Carlson's property. But when Carlson learned
Acosta-Sanchez was being sought on charges of having consensual sex
with a 15-year-old girl in Ramapo, Carlson contacted police and
demanded they apprehend the fugitive. Police pulled over Carlson's
car on a supposed traffic stop and took Acosta-Sanchez into
custody. But when Acosta-Sanchez convinced police to let him return
to the cabin to get his identification, he fled out the back and
got away by swimming across a reservoir. The police felt
Acosta-Sanches posed no immediate threat and would be apprehended
in due course.Acosta-Sanchez continued living in the cabin on the
day of the killing Carson had twice telephoned the police informing
them of his whereabouts. He witnessed Acosta-Sanchez coming out of
the woods, so Carlson pulled out a shotgun and walked him down the
road to get a neighbour to call police. He had Acosta-Sanchez get
down on the ground and claimed he shot him, first in the arm, then
in the head, when he got up and moved toward him. The police
testified about their conversation
with Carlson on the day of the killing. One officer, state
Police Investigator William Young, testified that he asked Carlson
several times whether Acosta-Sanchez had been coming at him and
that Carlson repeatedly responded that he hadnt.He had been heard
ordering Acosta-Sanchez to sit, and yelled for the neighbour, but
no one was home. Acosta-Sanchez rolled on his side and refused to
get up, so Carlson fired a shot into the ground to prompt him. He
went to the neighbour two houses down and ordered Acosta-Sanchez to
lay down. As he turned his head to yell for help, he said,
Acosta-Sanchez got to his knees,Young: "He's kneeling down in front
of you, youre facing him, you take your attention away to call (the
neighbour), the next thing that brings your attention to him is
he's now lunging toward you."Carlson: "Pretty much lunging, I
couldn't say like a leopard but he was getting up." Neighbours
testified that Carlson had warned them that there was a rapist in
the cabin and he had told them to stay indoors until he and the
police had hunted the dog downThe trial continues.
