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Shooting in North Carolina Draws Comparisons to Trayvon Martin’s Death Shooting in North Carolina Draws Comparisons to Trayvon Martin’s Death
(about 20 hours later)
A man saying he was acting on behalf of a neighborhood watch program fatally shot a young, black man.A man saying he was acting on behalf of a neighborhood watch program fatally shot a young, black man.
If that sounds to you like the 2012 case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, which ignited a broad discussion on race relations in the United States, you wouldn’t be wrong. But this similar scenario played out in a case this week in Raleigh, N.C.If that sounds to you like the 2012 case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, which ignited a broad discussion on race relations in the United States, you wouldn’t be wrong. But this similar scenario played out in a case this week in Raleigh, N.C.
Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, 20, was shot and killed just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, the police in Raleigh said. Chad Cameron Copley, 39, was charged with first-degree murder after the police said he fired a shotgun from inside his garage at Mr. Thomas, who was outside Mr. Copley’s home.Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, 20, was shot and killed just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, the police in Raleigh said. Chad Cameron Copley, 39, was charged with first-degree murder after the police said he fired a shotgun from inside his garage at Mr. Thomas, who was outside Mr. Copley’s home.
Raymond Tarlton, a lawyer for Mr. Copley, urged against a rush to judgment. “We have seen too many wrongful convictions for anyone or any organization to jump to conclusions on the basis of someone being charged,” he said.Raymond Tarlton, a lawyer for Mr. Copley, urged against a rush to judgment. “We have seen too many wrongful convictions for anyone or any organization to jump to conclusions on the basis of someone being charged,” he said.
Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for the Thomas family who has also represented the families of Alton Sterling and Walter Scott, two other black men whose shooting deaths received widespread attention, called Mr. Copley “George Zimmerman 2.0” at a news conference on Thursday, according to The Charlotte Observer. Justin Bamberg, a lawyer for the Thomas family who has also represented the families of Alton Sterling and Walter Scott, two other black men whose shooting deaths received widespread attention, called Mr. Copley “George Zimmerman 2.0” at a news conference on Thursday, according to The News & Observer in Raleigh.
Yet Mr. Thomas’s death has not prompted anything near the uproar that Mr. Zimmerman’s deadly confrontation with Mr. Martin did. Mr. Zimmerman was eventually acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in 2013.Yet Mr. Thomas’s death has not prompted anything near the uproar that Mr. Zimmerman’s deadly confrontation with Mr. Martin did. Mr. Zimmerman was eventually acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in 2013.
There have been important differences in how the two cases unfolded.There have been important differences in how the two cases unfolded.
At 12:50 a.m. on Sunday, Mr. Copley told a 9-1-1 dispatcher that there were “a bunch of hoodlums” outside his home on the 3500 block of Singleleaf Lane, according to a recording released by the police.At 12:50 a.m. on Sunday, Mr. Copley told a 9-1-1 dispatcher that there were “a bunch of hoodlums” outside his home on the 3500 block of Singleleaf Lane, according to a recording released by the police.
“I am locked and loaded. I am going outside to secure my neighborhood. You need to send P.D. as quickly as possible,” he said, referring to the police department.“I am locked and loaded. I am going outside to secure my neighborhood. You need to send P.D. as quickly as possible,” he said, referring to the police department.
“I’m sorry, you’re going out to do what to the neighborhood, sir?” the dispatcher responded.“I’m sorry, you’re going out to do what to the neighborhood, sir?” the dispatcher responded.
“I’m going to secure my neighborhood,” he said. “I’m on the neighborhood watch. I’m going to have the neighbors with me. There’s hoodlums out here racing up and down the street. It’s 1:00 in the morning. There’s several dozen of them. They have firearms, and we’re going to secure our neighborhood. If I were you, I’d send P.D. as quickly as possible.”“I’m going to secure my neighborhood,” he said. “I’m on the neighborhood watch. I’m going to have the neighbors with me. There’s hoodlums out here racing up and down the street. It’s 1:00 in the morning. There’s several dozen of them. They have firearms, and we’re going to secure our neighborhood. If I were you, I’d send P.D. as quickly as possible.”
Seven minutes later, a woman called 911, saying she was upstairs with her children before handing the phone to Mr. Copley.Seven minutes later, a woman called 911, saying she was upstairs with her children before handing the phone to Mr. Copley.
“We have a lot of people outside our house, yelling and shouting profanities. I yelled at them: ‘Please leave the premises,’ ” he said. “They were showing firearms, so I fired a warning shot. And we got somebody that got hit.”“We have a lot of people outside our house, yelling and shouting profanities. I yelled at them: ‘Please leave the premises,’ ” he said. “They were showing firearms, so I fired a warning shot. And we got somebody that got hit.”
“Somebody was shot?” the dispatcher responded.“Somebody was shot?” the dispatcher responded.
“Uh, well, I don’t know if they were shot or not, ma’am,” he said. “I fired my warning shot like I’m supposed to by law. They do have firearms and I’m trying to protect myself and my family.”“Uh, well, I don’t know if they were shot or not, ma’am,” he said. “I fired my warning shot like I’m supposed to by law. They do have firearms and I’m trying to protect myself and my family.”
He told the dispatcher that he did not know who they were but that there were “freaking black males outside my freaking house with firearms.”He told the dispatcher that he did not know who they were but that there were “freaking black males outside my freaking house with firearms.”
Mr. Thomas, who sustained one gunshot wound, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police said.Mr. Thomas, who sustained one gunshot wound, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police said.
The police have not said whether the group of people, including Mr. Thomas, had guns, as Mr. Copley told the dispatcher.The police have not said whether the group of people, including Mr. Thomas, had guns, as Mr. Copley told the dispatcher.
A stark difference between Mr. Zimmerman’s case and that of Mr. Copley is the timing of the police response.A stark difference between Mr. Zimmerman’s case and that of Mr. Copley is the timing of the police response.
Mr. Copley was quickly charged with murder on Sunday after the initial investigation, the police said. In court Monday, Mr. Copley winked at his family and supporters.Mr. Copley was quickly charged with murder on Sunday after the initial investigation, the police said. In court Monday, Mr. Copley winked at his family and supporters.
But Mr. Zimmerman had remained free for almost a month and a half after Mr. Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. He was not arrested until April 11, after protests had spread across the country and a special prosecutor had taken action.But Mr. Zimmerman had remained free for almost a month and a half after Mr. Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. He was not arrested until April 11, after protests had spread across the country and a special prosecutor had taken action.
After his arrest, Mr. Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bail while he awaited trial. Mr. Copley was denied bail at a short hearing on Monday.After his arrest, Mr. Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bail while he awaited trial. Mr. Copley was denied bail at a short hearing on Monday.
Mr. Zimmerman said he was acting as part of a neighborhood watch group, which he had set up a year earlier in conjunction with local police.Mr. Zimmerman said he was acting as part of a neighborhood watch group, which he had set up a year earlier in conjunction with local police.
Though Mr. Copley told a police dispatcher he was part of a watch, neighbors said there was no such effort. Laura Hourigan, a Raleigh police spokeswoman, said watch groups were organized by individual communities.Though Mr. Copley told a police dispatcher he was part of a watch, neighbors said there was no such effort. Laura Hourigan, a Raleigh police spokeswoman, said watch groups were organized by individual communities.
Mike Ellis, a co-owner and spokesman for an organization that manages the neighborhood’s homeowners association, told The News & Observer of Raleigh that the group does “not give residents police powers at all.” Mike Ellis, a co-owner and spokesman for an organization that manages the neighborhood’s homeowners association, told The News & Observer that the group does “not give residents police powers at all.”
Florida has a “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law that allows people who feel threatened to use deadly force without first retreating. That law was not invoked in court, but Mr. Zimmerman told the police that he had acted in self-defense.Florida has a “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law that allows people who feel threatened to use deadly force without first retreating. That law was not invoked in court, but Mr. Zimmerman told the police that he had acted in self-defense.
North Carolina has a similar law. It allows someone to use deadly force to prevent “imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another,” or if an intruder “was attempting to forcibly and unlawfully enter” a home. Legal experts told The News & Observer the law was unlikely to apply to Mr. Copley.North Carolina has a similar law. It allows someone to use deadly force to prevent “imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another,” or if an intruder “was attempting to forcibly and unlawfully enter” a home. Legal experts told The News & Observer the law was unlikely to apply to Mr. Copley.
The police and the 911 recordings have not indicated there was a physical confrontation between Mr. Copley and Mr. Thomas.The police and the 911 recordings have not indicated there was a physical confrontation between Mr. Copley and Mr. Thomas.
On a crowdfunding page for Mr. Thomas’s funeral, his mother, Simone Thomas, said he had been at a celebration for his move to a new apartment.On a crowdfunding page for Mr. Thomas’s funeral, his mother, Simone Thomas, said he had been at a celebration for his move to a new apartment.
“Koury was my baby and I love him,” she wrote. “He loves pink and all I want to do is send him off well. He was fun, lovable, caring, just a good guy, and very overprotective of me, his mother, and other loved ones in general.”“Koury was my baby and I love him,” she wrote. “He loves pink and all I want to do is send him off well. He was fun, lovable, caring, just a good guy, and very overprotective of me, his mother, and other loved ones in general.”
On Thursday, Ms. Thomas said at a news conference that “there was nothing ‘hood’ about him,” according to WNCN, a local TV station.On Thursday, Ms. Thomas said at a news conference that “there was nothing ‘hood’ about him,” according to WNCN, a local TV station.
“Would this happen if there were Caucasian boys skateboarding up and down the street at 1 in the morning?” she said. “Would they be called ‘hoodlums’? These boys were invited to a party, didn’t feel comfortable and were on their way home.”“Would this happen if there were Caucasian boys skateboarding up and down the street at 1 in the morning?” she said. “Would they be called ‘hoodlums’? These boys were invited to a party, didn’t feel comfortable and were on their way home.”