Iraq war veteran and U.S. Marine John Henry Knospler, Jr. is currently doing all that he can to secure his freedom in a Wyoming ‘Stand Your Ground’ case, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Reviewing What Happened
In December 2014, Knospler was convicted for second-degree murder and subsequently landed a sentence of 50 years behind bars. The sentencing came after he killed James Kade Baldwin outside of a strip club in Wyoming. However, the veteran maintains that the killing occurred in self defense after Baldwin smashed his car window and physically assaulted him.
Despite the guilt verdict, Knospler is standing by his claims of innocence and furthermore pushing for an overturn of his conviction due to newfound forensic evidence.
In the state of Wyoming, the Stand Your Ground laws are applicable. This means that civilians are warranted in employing lethal force against their attackers if they believe their lives are in danger. Under this law, Wyoming, and other states with the same law, are tasked with credibly proving that the defendent’s actions were not carried out for the sake of self defense.
Knospler provided statements to The Daily Caller News Foundation about his plight:
“I’m hopeful, you know. I feel terrible that their family lost a son. I feel a whole lot for them. But I put myself in his shoes. If I punched through somebody’s window in the middle of the night and caught a bullet to my chest, that’s what I would expect someone to do to me. I did what I thought was necessary.”
What do you think about John Henry Knospler Jr.’s situation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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