Missouri man mistakes neighbor’s house for his own, kills homeowner thinking he was an intruder

[Suppressed]

Missouri man mistakes neighbor’s house for his own, kills homeowner thinking he was an intruder
POSTED 11:45 AM, JANUARY 23, 2018
http://kplr11.com/2018/01/23/man-mistakes-neighbors-house-for-his-own-kills-homeowner-thinking-he-was-an-intruder/

RAYTOWN, Mo. - A Missouri man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after he allegedly went to his neighbor’s home, thinking it was his own, then choked the homeowner to death.

Police believe Michael G. Augustine was drunk at the time he allegedly killed 60-year-old Clifton King, according to WDAF.



[...]

[Frank Cannon]

All this thug jackass gets is "involuntary manslaughter"? Can't these slack jawed prosecutor jam him up with at least elder abuse, public drunkenness and about 58 other things to get him to a life sentence?

[Suppressed]

All this thug jackass gets is "involuntary manslaughter"? Can't these slack jawed prosecutor jam him up with at least elder abuse, public drunkenness and about 58 other things to get him to a life sentence?

Bingo!

[240B]

How did he get in the house? Don't tell me the old guy left his door open.
And I can't imagine that the homeowner would have let him in.

[Frank Cannon]

How did he get in the house? Don't tell me the old guy left his door open.
And I can't imagine that the homeowner would have let him in.

This fat piece of human garbage was trying to come in the front door of this neighbors house. I think the old guy came to the door because of the disturbance and that is why this thing ended up in the front lawn.

[240B]

This fat piece of human garbage was trying to come in the front door of this neighbors house. I think the old guy came to the door because of the disturbance and that is why this thing ended up in the front lawn.

That's why you should never open the door unless you know what is on the other side. I've had people randomly knock on my door at all hours, even as late as 10pm. I just ignore it. There is no way I am going to open that door.


I think a call out of, "Who's there?" may have been a better solution.

[Frank Cannon]

That's why you should never open the door unless you know what is on the other side. I've had people randomly knock on my door at all hours, even as late as 10pm. I just ignore it. There is no way I am going to open that door.


I think a call out of, "Who's there?" may have been a better solution.

Well if you look out and see your neighbor coming in most people would let their guard down. The neighborhood claim this guy wasn't a problem.

[240B]

Well if you look out and see your neighbor coming in most people would let their guard down. The neighborhood claim this guy wasn't a problem.

That's a good point.


But the article said the neighbor lived farther up the road. It seems obvious that the two did not know each other. That 'neighbor' moniker is something the newspaper made up for some reason I do not understand. The killer was not next-door as the headline would have you believe. These two never met.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

All this thug jackass gets is "involuntary manslaughter"? Can't these slack jawed prosecutor jam him up with at least elder abuse, public drunkenness and about 58 other things to get him to a life sentence?

No, "first degree involuntary manslaughter" according to the article.  He intentionally accidentally killed the guy.

[Smokin Joe]

Did they cut the killer slack because he was drunk? That commonly happens, even though I disagree with it.
In cases like this, the killer is directly responsible for his own mental state, and should be fully responsible for whatever he does in that state.

Someone I knew received a higher sentence because he was NOT drunk when he whipped a guy's ass (the guy wholeheartedly deserved it), but had he been drunk would have been sentenced more leniently.

Ultimately, in this case, the responsibility for what is being used as an excuse remains with the criminal, and should not be regarded as a mitigating factor. Had he been organically insane, that would be different (as in something he could not control nor make a decision not to be.