Legal/Law/Criminal Justice and Reform

Man Justifiably Kills Shooter In Self-Defense, Still Gets Punished By Blue State Anyways

Photo courtesy of Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash

A 19-year-old man who fatally wounded a gunman received two years of probation from a Michigan judge who accused him of using “poor judgment.”

Martinez Long, 19, was with Cania Cain at the Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Michigan, on July 3 when Cameron Watkins and Keonte Seaborn produced weapons during an altercation, with Watkins fatally shooting Seaborn, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Long, while he was found to have acted in self-defense, was still charged with carrying a concealed firearm, The Detroit News

“He didn’t plan on using it that day. He thought he kept it for protection,” Long’s attorney told the court. “He didn’t instigate the fight. He didn’t start the fight, and he did pull it out for protection of others.”

“I know there was a gun fight at the Fairlane mall, and the lawyers have agreed, according to this court’s evaluation, that you were acting in self-defense or the defense of others, so that’s a valid legal defense,” the judge said to Long. “Why did you walk into the mall with a gun in the first place?”

Michigan is a “shall-issue” state that requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry a concealed handgun for any applicant over the age of 21 who meets certain criteria, according to the NRA’s summary of the state’s gun laws. The laws distinguish between concealed and open carry, treat pistols in vehicles as concealed, and impose specific duties and location restrictions on CPL holders.

Due to his age, Long was placed under the provisions of the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, a 2021 law that will allow him to have no criminal record if he successfully completes probation.