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Corrupt Crimes | E91 | Self Defense or Murder

A Minnesota man kills two teenagers after they break into his home. He claims he was defending his property and feared for his life. Chilling audio captures the sounds of Smith shooting the intruders.

Comments

Rainy Day says:

I agree with the home owner. I would of done the same thing. I can't stand a fucking thief. Though I probably wouldn't have shot so many times.

Toni Remer says:

I'd love nothing more than to call out the idiotic individuals who made very distasteful and disrespectful comments, but I won't stoop down to their level of vileness.
There are so many red flags surrounding Mr. Smith, and what he had done to Nicholas, and Haile; however, I'll just comment on the most obvious red flags, so I apologize profusely ahead of time, because this will be a bit long, so please bear with me.
In several articles, and Wikipedia, stated that Mr. Smith's home had been broken into EARLIER Thanksgiving day, so — question here — why didn't he shoot at the ones that had actually broken into his home? Why did he give them a "pass", but decided to kill the next individuals who entered his home uninvited? That does NOT make any damn sense whatsoever. I don't buy his excuse for why he didn't call 911, because, after all, he made statements to the police that he was AFRAID to be in his own home.
Mr. Smith is a retired SECURITY ENGINEER OFFICER the U.S. State Department, so wouldn't he have greater knowledge about securing his home from intruders? Um, let's see; now, someone can correct me IF I'm wrong, but aren't security cameras usually bolted to a person's house, and they're up high enough where nobody can reach them and mess with them? Who, in their right frame of mind, would place their security camera on a wood pile? Another great question, people, IF his home had been burgled earlier that day, why in the hell didn't those "thugs", "thieves", or whatever TAKE THE CAMERA?? It was out in the open, and not hard to miss, so why didn't those thieves take the camera, huh? Now, THAT doesn't make any damn sense whatsoever.
Why DID Mr. Smith drive, then parked his truck 20 minutes away — on foot? When exactly did Mr. Smith do this, was it BEFORE or AFTER he had been robbed EARLIER that day? Was he PURPOSELY trying to lure potential thieves into breaking into his home? Why, from the EARLIER "break in" ( I'm having huge doubts believing that happened ), there was MINIMAL damage to ANY part of his house?
Again, going back to what Mr. Smith had done for a living, why didn't he install a loud alarm system in his home? He had worked for the U.S. State Department, so he could easily have gotten an alarm system that would make ADT look like a joke, so why didn't he? Unless..unless he exaggerated how many break ins actually occurred. IF his home had actually been broken into earlier Thanksgiving day, why didn't he just go to a neighbor's home — IF he was actually that frightened??
Let's discuss his medications SOMEHOW getting into either Nicholas's, or Haile's car, which was one of their parent's vehicles; so, how did his medications get into their car, and into the glovebox? He, Mr. Smith, stated to police, after he had been arrested, that his medications were stolen THE WEEK BEFORE him murdering Nicholas, and Haile. He had also stated that he looked at the bottom of their footwear, but he couldn't match the footprints that had been found after his home was broken into the week before, so how in the hell did his medications end up in the glovebox?
Now, here's a hypothetical theory here: IF ( I already stated that they hadn't ) Nicholas, and Haile had been the duo that broke into his home the week prior to their untimely deaths, WHY would they leave his medications INSIDE the glovebox where the could be found by either one's parent ( since I do not have that knowledge of whose parent's car it was, so I'm going to continue saying either one's parent from now on )? WHY would Nicholas, or Haile leave his medications in the glovebox, so they can get busted by either parent? I don't know of ANY teenager, after stealing their parent's, grandparent's, or stranger's medication, would leave it where they can get busted; how about any of you heard of such things?
I can remember PSA ( Public Service Announcements ) a few years back, when too many teenagers end up dying, having brain damage/trauma, being in a permanent vegetative state, or going into a coma, for those, whom are on any prescription medication, to put their meds in a secure place because children, and young adults ( aka teenagers ) are mixing those medications in a bowl, then they take whatever pill/capsule they pick from the bowl, which is super dangerous, and very stupid. So, why — IF Nicholas, and Haile did break into his home, and they stolen his medications, would they keep it where they could be easily found, and they get busted by their parents? See, I asked my husband, who used to smoke weed and do acid once in a while, if this seemed plausible to him, and he said that there's no way that they'd leave stolen drugs in a place where their parents could find it. So, again, that doesn't make any damn sense whatsoever.
Next thing that I want to say, which is about the "thieves". IF Nicholas, and Haile were there to actually commit a burglary, why didn't they wear gloves, and a mask, and why did Haile bring her bright pink purse, and her cellphone? I'm very sure that I'm not the only one that has never heard, seen, or read about burglars bringing excess "baggages" to a burglary; nor have I heard, seen, or read burglars not bringing their own "tools of the trade" in order for them to break into someone's house. It appears that Nicholas, and Haile found items around his home, which they used to break his bedroom window, and since his home had been "burglarized" earlier that day, it really wasn't that difficult for Nicholas, and Haile to walk into his home.
When Nicholas, and Haile ( first Nicholas — when he wasn't answering her phone calls/text messages, then Haile went in ) entered his home, why in the hell didn't he scream that he's calling the police, and they had 20 seconds to vacate his property, or since he was armed ( they had no weapons on their person ), why didn't he go upstairs to confront them? He COULD'VE easily told Nicholas, while pointing his Ruger Mini-14 at him, to get down on the ground, then phoned the police. He CHOSE to literally ambush Nicholas, then Haile as they walked down the stairs and into the basement. Since, he did NOT call the police right away, he had PLENTY of time to stage the "break in", PLENTY of time to place his meds in their car, and PLENTY of time to continually rehearse his "version" of what happened.
Thank Almighty God that the jury didn't buy his "version" of what happened on that fateful Thanksgiving day. He's EXACTLY where he needs to be, for the rest of his natural life. One ignorant commenter had the damn nerve to say he was the real victim, which is sad..really, to think that someone, who had knowledge about security, didn't have ANY alarm system, and had his security camera situated on pile of wood.
RIP Nicholas, and Haile ( who are the TRUE victims in this tragedy ). My heart, thoughts, and prayers goes out to the Brady, and Kifer families, who suffered an enormous loss on a day where people give/say their thanks to all of their loved ones.
I am absolutely sincere about this comment being so extremely long, but thank you for taking the time to read it, and hopefully, reply back to it. Again, please accept my sincerest apology for this being so extremely long, like a short novel.
God bless you all, and your loved ones. Please stay safe wherever you live.

Whisper McGaughy says:

I can't watch this story again,that audio is heartbreaking and CLEARLY showed a case for murder..While I agree we should be allowed to protect ourselves with deadly force,he wasn't in imminent danger,he laid in wait and shot them not out of fear for his safety but out of anger and revenge..Not the same thing..

Terri Rickert says:

Where I live we don't have a self defence law like this. The defendant, Smith definitely shot the two asshole burglars with "over kill". 

And for this the Judicial System crucified him. But to have to pay the scum parents $21,000 for 2 funerals is OFF the Planet. A basic funeral costs about $3,000 for each kid.If the parents wanted more they should have foot the extra cost Why should they have opulent funerals that aren't deserved. They were thieving asshole kids with NO respect for others and with parents that have FAILED to teach their children to respect others.

I would like to be able to read the FULL transcript of this case, because what is shown in this video leaves some people thinking the teens & their families are wonderful people instead of the thieving assholes they really are with parents that are failures .

laurie hamilton says:

So in real life you cant protect you self. Better to let the intruders rape & or kill you. If it was me I would of keep on firing at them because that is what fear & shock dose to you.

Suzan H says:

So in Minnesota, punks who break into YOUR OWN home multiple times, steal your prescriptions (dopers) and YOUR GUNS are just fine and dandy? The poor guy couldn’t sleep not knowing when the thieving, ARMED dopers would be back, and perhaps this time kill him with stolen weapons! This was not the first house these two “stellar” people BROKE, ENTERED AND TRASHED. Who is teaching these people that it’s fine to rob people and trash the VICTIMS’ homes? They won’t be stealing from any more innocent people. Good riddance. The guy shouldn’t even have been arrested. It was thoughtful of the VICTIM not to interrupt the peace officer’s Thanksgiving. He should get a medal, not a jail term.

George Richard says:

Good man. Took out the trash.

kevin 213 says:

That was murder plain and simple. That's why he is sitting in jail rotting he got what he deserves.

Renee Love says:

They won’t burglaries nobody else😏

Dashay Braden-Gamble says:

This is complete bullshit because anyone in their right minds would do anything to protect what they have worked hard for no matter how small or big and then you have the dumb ass family say oh they are just great kids and they do this and that in school to paint them out as these great kids which they not they broken into many others and it's just that on that day they broke into the wrong one I applaud this man for protecting himself

Dianne Naworensky says:

I think the jury got it wrong. That man had been robbed many times and he didn't know anything about them. Were they dope heads looking for a fix or looking for some more guns??? It was obvious to me that getting robbed was very traumatic for this man. Those kids had no business breaking into this man's house. I don't care if they had been good kids or not. That day they were being low life pieces of sh*t. Maybe they didn't deserve to die but that is the risk that you take when to break into someone's home.

Gennifer Kelly says:

Wow, I remember this one…sad and tragic story…

Trusting God Only says:

This man ran the HELL out. I can see him protecting himself from an "unknown" situation. But once he seen where they was no longer a threat, why continue to shot them. That was an over KILL. Pure murder!

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