Man who shot Renisha McBride to go on trial for second-degree murder
A Detroit man who fatally shot an unarmed woman believed to be seeking help after a car accident on his front porch will be tried for second-degree murder.
Ted Wafer fatally shot Renisha McBride, 19, on Nov. 2. His attorneys said Wafer, 54, feared for his life. A Dearborn Heights judge said there were other ways Wafer could have protected himself, including a phone call for help.
“This court recognizes you can’t automatically penalize someone for making a bad decision when pressed to react quickly,” the judge said. “But at the same time we can’t allow one to use a bad decision as a shield to criminal prosecution.
“The defendant made a bad choice when there were other reasonable opportunities,” Judge David Turfe said.
Wafer made a one-hour recorded statement to police, but it was not introduced as evidence during the hearing. A second-degree murder conviction can deliver a sentence of life in prison.
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