Jury to decide fate of Michigan man who shot woman knocking on front door

A Detroit jury on began deliberations to decide whether the shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white suburban homeowner was murder or a fear-driven mistake, reported Reuters.
Defense attorney Cheryl Carpenter said Theodore Wafer acted in self-defense, and that while he may have been mistaken, he's not guilty.

"He's not a gun nut, he's not an angry person, he's not paranoid," said Carpenter. "He was in terror."

The killing has sparked protests in Dearborn Heights and comparisons to the 2012 Florida shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who was also unarmed. Race has rarely been mentioned in the trial.

Carpenter told the mostly white jury that self-defense is the "ultimate protection for all of us" and that people in the Detroit area know what it is to live in fear of crime.

"It's not a race issue," Carpenter said, adding that Wafer is not a racist.

Wafer could face up to life in prison if convicted of second degree murder. He also faces manslaughter and firearms charges.

To convict Wafer of second-degree murder, the jury must find that he meant to kill or cause great bodily harm, or knowingly created a situation that could result in death or bodily harm.

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