Many of us can relate to the fact that family dynamics can be complicated. Histories and competition between family members can lead to passionate arguments, and those arguments can often lead a person into criminal trouble.

A 70-year-old Arizona man got into what he reportedly thought was a regular dispute with his adult stepson back in July. But what started out as seemingly regular ended in what was a new level of seriousness. The stepfather fired a weapon by the end of the altercation, and he was charged with aggravated assault. The case against him is over now, and it sounds like he will have at least one thing to be very thankful for this holiday season: a jury.

The Arizona man may have had to wait months since the altercation took place for his legal fate to be determined, but when the decision finally came down to the jury, it didn't take them long at all to find in favor of the defendant. They found him not guilty of aggravated assault. The jury believed that the defendant had sufficient reason to fire his weapon in self-defense on the night that the shooting occurred.

Reports indicate that the stepfather and stepson had a history of being sort of hard on each other, though there is no indication that violence was part of that history. But the stepfather claims that on the night of Jul. 6, his stepson's aggression became more severe, likely charged by alcohol.

He claims that he separated himself from what was becoming a heated conversation and went to bed. Soon after, he woke up to his wife knocking on the door and the stepson behind her. When his stepson reportedly charged into the defendant's space, that's when he allegedly shot him with what are called snake bullets. Basically, they are a spray of bullet parts that are supposedly less dangerous to a person.

The jury believed that the defendant, who is physically vulnerable due to a heart problem, felt threatened by his stepson that night. Therefore, he was justified in firing his weapon. Also, the criminal defense attorney in this Arizona case highlights the important point that the defendant didn't change his story during the legal process, unlike the stepson. The evidence at the scene matches up to the story that the shot was fired within the defendant's trailer.

While sometimes it might seem like family are the people we should get along with the best, it is often not the case. Many instances of domestic violence or other assault allegations can be the result of resentment, hurt feelings, jealousy and other intense emotions that exist between some family members. Lies based on emotions shouldn't land a person in prison, which is why it is crucial for a defendant like this one to have an experienced, aggressive criminal defense attorney on his or her side.

Source

Pratt Tribune: "Update - Gunderson found not guilty of aggravated assault after shooting stepson," Terry Spradley, Oct. 11, 2011