If he was smaller and in a choke hold, how and where did the piece of rebar come from. I guess being jacked up on coke gave him extra strength.
A man who was charged with murder in the beating death of his cousin last year was found not guilty Wednesday in Richmond County Superior Court.
A jury found Brian Lorenzo Smoot innocent of beating Donte Safford, 24, to death with a metal rod in September 2007.
Mr. Safford was hit several times in the neck and head, according to law enforcement officials.
Mr. Smoot's defense attorney, Bryan Grantham, said jurors heard evidence that Mr. Safford had had an argument with his wife that evening and went to Mr. Smoot's house intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. Once there, he started an argument and a fight with him.
Mr. Grantham said Mr. Smoot was much smaller than Mr. Safford and that there was evidence Mr. Safford had Mr. Smoot in a choke hold and that Mr. Smoot got a rebar and struck him with it.
"We're pleased with the jury's verdict and believe they did a good job with what they found to be a lack of evidence in this case," Mr. Grantham said.
Reach Sylvia Cooper at (706) 823-3228 or sylvia.cooper@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
If he was smaller and in a choke hold, how and where did the piece of rebar come from. I guess being jacked up on coke gave him extra strength.
Who cares where it came from, ... it landed in the right spot!
REALITY....You need to reread the article so that you can clarify your statement.
If you could read instead of jumping to conclusion, no where did it say the defendant was high on cocaine.
My point exactly!!!
Still begs the question on how would you "get" a piece of re-bar if you are in a choke hold,
Those of you that are wondering where the rebar came from ... have you never been in a real-live "fist-to-cuff?" When you are in the grasp of a choke-hold and your "fight-or-fight" adrenaline takes over. "This is the body’s response to perceived threat or danger. During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, shunting blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength." Hence, (I don't get to use that word very often), the overpowered Mr. Smoot used his (perhaps) last resource of strength to grasp the rebar, (which was apparently within arm's reach), and "gonk" Mr. Safford's brainsout. We call it self-defense. The jury did also. Source: stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementglossary/g/FightorFlight.htm
What else you wanna know, while I'm on a roll?
I'm not buying it....you hit someone one time to get them off of you but SEVERAL times is not self defense. Once again it seems the victim was on trial.
Well pof, the article should have stated, " with his last ounce of strength, bolstered by a quick shot adrenalin, Mr Smoot broke the strangle hold of Mr Safford. While holding mr Safford at bay with several kun fu type moves, Mr smoot located a handy piece of re-bar and proceeded to smash po mr safford's brain cells out"! end of story, how's that?
Simply unbelievable! Jesse J, Al, my heros of another color; please look into this travesty of justice. Off scott-free. I'm gonna puke.
Excellent ending, paul
So_tell_me - I don't understand your 5:36am post. You said Donte wouldn't want Brian in jail, he just wanted him to get himself together. Seems to me Donte should be the one that needed to get himself together if he was intoxicated and high on cocaine. Wyldsfam4, it's possible Mr. Safford (drunk and high) didn't release the choke-hold after the first hit which would explain being hit several times.
You are correct,I apologise, I got the murderer and coke head mixed up...
This just doesn't sound like self defense. It sounds more like killed in a fit of rage. I would ask anyone to let me put them in a choke hold or they can put me in one. I don't think you could get enough leverage on a swing to do any real damage snd you certainly wouldn't be able to hit someone in the neck. Sounds like he had a good lawyer.
If any of you were attacked by a drunken coke head.....what would you do? Rebar or a .45? What ever happened to the new GA law that allows people to defend themselves with deadly force if they feel threatened? Does it only apply to guns and not rebar?
Zam I understand what you are saying. Defense and offense are 2 different things. If you are being assaulted and you pull out a pistol and shoot the assaulter that's defense. Once he falls to the ground if you go and stand over him and pump a few more into him that's not defense anymore.
Good point...but the article didn't state how many times he hit him. Someone in a drug induced rage can take several licks and keep on ticking. It's tragic, but there may not have been any other alternative. We will never know unless it happens to one of us.
I dod know from my fire arms training that when you shoot someone in a defensive situation...you shoot to cease the situation (KILL)...I would have to apply that same methodology on my first swing of the rebar.
No your right some more info would be helpful but I cringe anytime I hear a lawyer disparaging a dead person who can't speak for himself. I would also agree that you pull your firearm to kill. If you have no intention of killing your attacker then you don't need to brandish at all.
Maybe blame does not rest with the lawyer for as you put it "disparaging a dead person who can't speak for himself." Maybe being high on cocaine does that all by itself. Maybe if you want credibilty in life then you should live in such a way that does not involve situations such as these.
Another great quote from from yet another "Perfect Augustan!!! Give me a break. We all go through things in life. I agree with Wylds....you can't just put the dead man into the crap bin becuase of what was allegedly in his sytem. We need much more background before we or anyone can put this situation into any sensible context. Man, I hate perfect people!
I am happy to see that our legal system worked in this case!
My prayers to both families.
i didnt know we had perfect augustans!!!! wow...
sarcasticly*****
do coke
Obviously the jury was privy to a lot of details that we were not! These comments demonstrate justification for having a trial by jury . If not, we should just solve every crime by reading the news story and having a popular vote!!
I hope firegirl1 is holding up okay. I miss her. I hope the families will be able to start healing now. There are a lot of broken hearts still grieving.
Here I am baroness. I miss you too! The legal system did it's part. However, the jury did not. He was GUILTY of murder according to the definitions as stated by the state. Whatever, KARMA is a B$%&#!
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