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| Detroit porch killer Theodore Wafer guilty of murder | Detroit porch killer Theodore Wafer guilty of murder |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Detroit-area man has been found guilty of second-degree murder for killing an unarmed black woman who banged on his door at night last year. | A Detroit-area man has been found guilty of second-degree murder for killing an unarmed black woman who banged on his door at night last year. |
| Jurors rejected Theodore Wafer's claim that he acted in self-defence when he fired a shotgun through his screen door at Renisha McBride, 19, in November. | Jurors rejected Theodore Wafer's claim that he acted in self-defence when he fired a shotgun through his screen door at Renisha McBride, 19, in November. |
| Mr Wafer, 55, faces up to life in prison, but it is likely his actual sentence will be much shorter. | Mr Wafer, 55, faces up to life in prison, but it is likely his actual sentence will be much shorter. |
| Ms McBride, who was drunk, had crashed her car nearby some hours before. | Ms McBride, who was drunk, had crashed her car nearby some hours before. |
| The case has raised the issue of the use of guns in self-defence in America, analysts say. | The case has raised the issue of the use of guns in self-defence in America, analysts say. |
| 'Horrific' crime | 'Horrific' crime |
| Mr Wafer told jurors he fired after being woken in the early hours of 2 November by loud banging on his door, because he was afraid and did not want to be a victim in his own home, in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. | |
| "I wasn't going to cower in my house," he testified on Monday. | "I wasn't going to cower in my house," he testified on Monday. |
| But prosecutors said he should have stayed within the safety of his home and called the police. | But prosecutors said he should have stayed within the safety of his home and called the police. |
| In his closing remarks on Wednesday, prosecutor Patrick Muscat said it was likely that Ms McBride was looking for help after crashing her car nearby. | In his closing remarks on Wednesday, prosecutor Patrick Muscat said it was likely that Ms McBride was looking for help after crashing her car nearby. |
| "What he did had to be immediately necessary and it wasn't. It was reckless. It was negligent. I don't know how to describe it. It was horrific," he said. | "What he did had to be immediately necessary and it wasn't. It was reckless. It was negligent. I don't know how to describe it. It was horrific," he said. |
| Ms McBride's father described Mr Wafer as a "cold-blooded killer". | Ms McBride's father described Mr Wafer as a "cold-blooded killer". |
| "People have a right to bear arms, but you need to do it with reason and responsibility," Walter Simmons, told reporters. | "People have a right to bear arms, but you need to do it with reason and responsibility," Walter Simmons, told reporters. |
| As well as being convicted of second-degree murder, Mr Wafer has also been found guilty of manslaughter and a gun-related charge. He is in jail awaiting his sentence. | As well as being convicted of second-degree murder, Mr Wafer has also been found guilty of manslaughter and a gun-related charge. He is in jail awaiting his sentence. |
| There have been a number of recent cases in the US that have raised how much force can be used by homeowners in self-defence. | There have been a number of recent cases in the US that have raised how much force can be used by homeowners in self-defence. |