Judge Dale Cathell had no problem telling the court exactly what he thought of the case against retired Worcester County Fire Marshal Rodney Sharpley as he rejected a nonbinding plea deal the parties had agreed to and imposed a much weaker sentence.
“Every man in the country has the right to have a gun in the house. Every man in the country has the right to answer the front door with the gun in his hand,” Cathell said during the trial on Wednesday. “We’re talking about five or 10 seconds when a man, after midnight, in darkness, had to get it within his mind whether or not there is danger outside of his house.”
Cathell said he had cause to answer his own front door many times while holding a firearm.
“The firearm charges should never have been placed,” Cathell said.
Sharpley faced 10 charges, including two felonies, for an incident that occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14-15, 2016. The plea deal was based around one of those charges, second-degree assault, for Sharpley against Cpl. Matthew Conner of the Pocomoke City Police Department.
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11 comments:
Good for you Judge Cathell
Why PBJ and not a dismissal? The PBJ still shows as a charge in the record, even though it can later be expunged.
I will answer my door after the sun goes down or I go to bed with a weapon. There are to many incidents of "fake' Police ID's during home invasions. Then go from there.
I don't have a problem with him possessing the gun in his own home. I do have a problem with him "directing it" toward the police officer and the step-daughter. Perhaps he shouldn't have over indulged with the adult beverage.
Judge overstepped on this one.
should have never plead guilty!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Why PBJ and not a dismissal? The PBJ still shows as a charge in the record, even though it can later be expunged.
March 11, 2017 at 12:12 PM
I thought it was later erased if satisfactory completion of pbj
I don't give a rats ### who you are knocking at my door around midnight, you better be ready to duck!
You cops just think you can go around and bully people. The framers put the second amendment in the constitution to keep you thugs in check
3:12 PM - I don't think that it's automatic, that one has to apply for it.
We need the "Stand your ground law" he then could just fire thru the door.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
3:12 PM - I don't think that it's automatic, that one has to apply for it.
March 11, 2017 at 4:57 PM
Well I'm not sure. I know one has to apply for an expungement and a pardon. But if I'm guessing correctly, since there would be no "judgement" what relief would he be applying for?
Where are all those internet lawyers when you need one? lol
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