While my very first reaction way back when this all occurred, was no way could Ersland be guilty of a crime. NOBODY would be dead if they had not tried to rob the store.
Ersland through his actions of the day and later statements was/is pretty well his own worst enemy.
I would offer up the suggestion that, who among us can say how they would react given the same set of circumstances as Ersland.
We all have VERY strong opinions about this whole deal. Whether you agree or not of the outcome, it would be very hard to know what testimony and other details were presented to the jury that resulted in their verdict.
Finally, in my opinion I don't see how a jury could convict Ersland of FIRST degree murder. Not in any way being an attorney, I was under the impression that first degree murder entailed a premeditation(or planning) of the crime. How could a person PLAN out a murder in a little over a minute that the whole episode at the pharmacy happened?
I would welcome some of the attorneys on the site explaining if I am even close to correct in my understanding of the statute of FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
As for signing a petition to free Ersland, I am not sure I could do that just yet until I heard a clear understanding of WHAT IS first degree murder by Oklahoma statute.
Ersland through his actions of the day and later statements was/is pretty well his own worst enemy.
I would offer up the suggestion that, who among us can say how they would react given the same set of circumstances as Ersland.
We all have VERY strong opinions about this whole deal. Whether you agree or not of the outcome, it would be very hard to know what testimony and other details were presented to the jury that resulted in their verdict.
Finally, in my opinion I don't see how a jury could convict Ersland of FIRST degree murder. Not in any way being an attorney, I was under the impression that first degree murder entailed a premeditation(or planning) of the crime. How could a person PLAN out a murder in a little over a minute that the whole episode at the pharmacy happened?
I would welcome some of the attorneys on the site explaining if I am even close to correct in my understanding of the statute of FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
As for signing a petition to free Ersland, I am not sure I could do that just yet until I heard a clear understanding of WHAT IS first degree murder by Oklahoma statute.