Case: NY versus Bernhard Goetz

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In the case of NY v Bernhard Goetz, on December 22, 1984, a Saturday afternoon, Troy Canty, Darryl Cabey, Barry Allen, and James Ramseur boarded an IRT express subway train in the Bronx heading south toward lower Manhattan. The four young men rode together in the back section of seventh car of the train. The defendant Bernhard Goetz boarded the same subway train at 14th street in Manhattan and sat on a bench near the back section of the same car of the train as the four youths. Goetz carried an unlicensed .38 caliber pistol in his possession which was loaded with five rounds of ammunition in a waistband holster (Lender). Leaving 14th street station, the train headed towards Chambers Street. Allegedly the defendant was approached by two of the youths, presumably Canty and Allen. One of the two youths that approached Goetz, Canty, demanded, “Give me five dollars”. Goetz responded by getting up and pulling out his .38 unlicensed caliber pistol. He fired four shots striking each of the four youths and shot one of the youths, Cabey, again. The bullet severed Cabey’s spinal cord leaving him paralyzed. The rest of the youths that were struck with a bullet fully recovered from the attack. According to the defendant he was aware that the youths did not possess any firearms or guns but was afraid based on his experience of being “maimed”. The conductor of the train , after hearing shots fired , instructed the motorman to call for emergency assistance. When the conductor went into the seventh car of the train, where the shooting took place, he saw the Goetz sitting on one of the benches while the four youths were injured lying on the floor or slumped against a seat. The defendant claimed to the conductor that the four youths were try... ... middle of paper ... ...dant on March 27, 1985. The indictment included four charges of attempted murder , four charges of assault in the first degree, one charge of reckless endangerment in the first degree, and one charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. The defendant was later arraigned on the new indictment against him, combined with the three count indictment from the first grand jury, the next day on March 28, 1985. Work cited Lender, D.. N.p.. Web. 8 Dec 2013. . "People v Goetz." People v Goetz. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. < http://www.courts.state.ny.us/reporter/archives/p_goetz.htm> "People v. Goetz | Casebriefs." Casebriefs. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. < http://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/criminal-law/criminal-law-keyed-to-dressler/general-defenses-to-crimes/people-v-goetz/>

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