Answered Questions

Some of my longtime readers may remember the story of Perry Stephens. In a nutshell, Mr. Stephens, a CCW holder, saved a Baton Rouge police officer's life on February 17, 2006. Seeing officer Brian Harrision sprawled on his back with George Temple astride him pounding the officer's head into the pavement, Stephens retrieved his Sig Sauer P-220 from his truck. Wearing a neck brace, Stephens ordered Temple to stop the assault.

"Not heeding my commands to stop, I fired my pistol rapidly several times…The driver didn’t appear phased (sic) by the shots and continued beating the officer. I quickly gave another command for the driver to ‘Get off.’"

"Instantly the driver grabbed the officer behind the neck and head and slammed his face into the pavement. At the same instant, the driver thrust his right hand/arm under the officer’s upper body…"

Officer Harrison's gun was underneath his body. Stephens shot Temple four more times, center of mass. Temple continued the onslaught. Finally, with Temple still beating the officer and trying to gain control of the duty weapon underneath him, Stephens advanced and from a distance of approximately three feet, he shot Temple in the head, ending the brutal assault.

45 HydraShoks are what I carry. It's sobering to know that they failed to stop an enraged man without a headshot. My friend Gordon Hutchinson has finally laid many of the questions to rest by interviewing Mr. Stephens himself. Go here to read the complete story.

A Comment to Comment On

Jackie Mouton has left a new comment on my blog post Update on the Baton Rouge Shooting. The blog post is about the no-billing of a citizen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a Mr. Perry Stephens, who used his weapon to put an end to a vicious attack on Officer Brian Harrison by George Temple. The aftermath, as usual is painful for all involved.

Jackie Mouton says:

I just wanted to clear some things up on this blog. First, I want you to know that George Temple, II is my god-brother. He was a great person who was loved in this community. Defend Mr. Stephens actions if you must, but there was NO need for this to happen. It will be proven that Mr. Harrison was the instigator in the fight. George was on the phone with his mother the whole time. She heard the officer yelling at George. She heard the tone in his voice and the 101 questions he was asked about the car he was driving. She heard her son shot. He was less than a mile from her when it happened.

Now, I do believe Mr. Stephens came to the aid of the officer as George did have experience boxing, but he was by no means trained. George could handle himself. I do not believe that George attacked the officer. George has had his run ins with trouble, and he knew the consequences of crossing the law. George had a successful business that he loved and a family that was his world. he would never do anything to jeopardize that.

Lastly, I must ask a question. Did Mr. Stephens truly feel it was necessary to shoot George 4 times? Yes, he was beating the officer. Yes, he was wrong. Could he have been stopped without a bullet? Yes.

First, Mr. Mouton, thank you for your comment. It is a terrible thing to lose a loved one to violence. It must be even more terrible to lose a loved one to violence while that loved one was committing a felony, beating an officer of the law into submission. Not only did you lose your loved one to violence, but he lost the illusion he carefully crafted as an honest business owner. You say he "had his run ins with trouble." I guess he did. His record is proof of that. You see, Mr. Mouton, your god-brother was a thug. That may be a hard thing to accept, but the facts are he had to be killed to stop him from permanently maiming or killing another human being.

At any time George Temple could have stopped his attack on a sworn officer of the law. George Temple was in control of the attack as he sat on top of Officer Brian Harrison pounding him into oblivion over a damned traffic ticket. These are not the actions of a honest businessman. These are not even the actions of a rational human being in response to a policeman yelling at them. These are the actions of an animalistic criminal who knows no bounds for his behavior, and a deviant deranged devil that the world would be better without. His mother should be ashamed she placed this thug in the world. Why was George Temple shot the number of times he was? Because, Mr. Mouton, that is what it took to stop the attack that he was engaged in.

You may believe what you wish Mr. Mouton, as may others, but the fact remains that Perry Stephens would never have come to Officer Brian Henderson's aid if George Temple had quietly accepted his traffic ticket like an honest citizen. You are right about one thing, Mr. Mouton. George Temple could have been stopped without a bullet. He could have stopped himself. He could have stopped himself years ago.

Update on the Baton Rouge Shooting

On Friday, Feb. 17, 2005, a CCW holder armed with a .45 caliber handgun saved a policeman's life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Perry Stephens retrieved his .45 caliber handgun from his car to stop Robert temple, a trained boxer, from pounding Officer Brian Harrision's head into mush over a traffic ticket. Officer Harrison had already shot Temple once in the abdomen with his .38 caliber handgun while Temple was astride him beating the supine officer into unconciousness.

Perry Stephens shot Temple four times center of mass, but the direct hits failed to stop the enraged attacker. Stephens then put a .45 caliber bullet into Temple's cranium, scrambling his brains and ending the man's attack forever. The Baton Rouge black community became incensed as the NAACP tried to use every race baiting tactic available to portray this incident as a racially motivated killing.

After six hours of testimony before the East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury, the decision was made that no charges could be filed. Stephens’ attorney, Tommy D’Amico, said he expected his client to be cleared. "I believe he saved the officer’s life. He certainly saved him from suffering great harm," D’Amico said. "It has always been obvious to me that my client is nothing less than a citizen hero because he stepped up to save the officer while others stood and watched."

Kwame Asanté, executive director for the Baton Rouge chapter of the NAACP, and the Rev. Leo Cyrus, a member of the Baton Rouge Area African-American Ministers, were unavailable for comment.

Baton Rouge CCW Shooting Update

It seems the late Mr. George Temple was indeed an enterprising businessman. While Officer Brian Harrison was writing Mr. Temple a traffic citation, Mr. Temple decided to grease a palm and bribe the law officer. Police officials would not say how much money Temple offered Harrison, only that Temple had several thousand dollars on him at the time. Officer Harrison refused the bribe and began the process of arresting Mr. Temple for bribery. Public bribery is a felony in Louisiana. According to court records, Temple was already on probation for simple battery and simple damage to property at the time of his death.

Thus, Officer Harrison was arresting a felon with a history of criminal behavior when Mr. Temple, a trained boxer, lashed out with brute force against the law officer. When Perry Stephens intervened to assist the officer, George Temple was on top of Officer Harrison, beating him to a bloody pulp. Temple already had one of Officer Harrison's bullets in his abdomen. Citizen Stephens shot Temple four times in the torso. When Temple did not stop his attack, Citizen Stephens stopped the attack the only way he could. He put a bullet in Temple's head.

The NAACP is demanding a federal investigation into this incident of a thug attacking an officer of the law and being stopped by a law abiding citizen.

Lessons learned:
1. Multiple COM hits with a .45ACP may not stop a determined attacker.
2. A cranial shot will stop a determined attacker.
3. Sometimes policemen are damned glad citizens carry guns.
4. The NAACP would rather support thugs than the law.

Hattip to PawPaw

Baton Rouge CCW Shooting Update

A witness has emerged to reveal several pertinent details in the shooting involving a police officer which has caused racial discord in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Auto Zone store records place this witness in the parking lot as the fight and deadly shooting occurred. The witness tells a story not heard before, stating he heard exactly what was said between Officer Brian Harrison and his attacker, George Temple. Out of fear of retaliation, the witness has requested his identity not be disclosed.

The witness states he was parked just a couple of spaces away from the black Mercedes Benz George Temple was driving. At first, he didn't pay much attention to the man getting a ticket from the police officer, until he heard Temple and Officer Brian Harrison start to yell at each other. The witness says Temple called the officer a punk and said "you're just jealous of my car". Next, the officer and Temple started to struggle in a fight that went to the ground, with Temple on top of the officer. According to the witness, "You could here them muffled... 'Mother' this and that. 'I told you not to mess with me, I told you -- I'm a beast, I told you not to mess with me. I told you, I told you.' "

The witness says the officer took quite a beating.

Witness: "I mean, Mr. Temple was a big man."

Reporter: "What was the officer saying?"

Witness: " 'Help me, help me!' That's when he started screaming."

That's when a bystander in a neckbrace, Perry Stephens, shot Temple four times with a .45 automatic, and when Temple still would not stop the attack, Perry put a bullet in Temple's head. Even though the witness believes Stephens likely saved the officer's life, he does take issue with one part of Stephens' story. The witness says he never heard Stephens give a threat or a warning before he shot Temple. "The man probably saved the officer's life... but he did not give out a warning," he says. "But if this would have been on a dark road, we would probably be looking for a cop killer, to be honest with you."

Stephens eventually ended the struggle between Temple and Harrison with a shot to the back of Temple's head. "I heard Temple had a daughter, my heart goes out to the family. But Mr. Temple was aggressive to the officer. If the officer would have shot him, I probably wouldn't have even called Channel 9."

The NAACP is busily creating turmoil with the investigation, attacking the Baton Rouge Police Department's policies as well as Officer Harrison. The witness sees it differently. "I say the officer did everything he needed to do. If I would have been pulled over, I wouldn't have had an attitude, because the officer did everything he was supposed to do." The witness says he doesn't want any trouble or attention. He says he just couldn't sit on the truth anymore. Incidentally the witness is a black man. Sorry NAACP, it's going to be hard to play the race card against him.

Armed Citizen Saves Cop in Baton Rouge

On Friday, Feb. 17, 2005, a CCW holder armed with a .45 caliber handgun saved a policeman's life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Officer Brian Harrision was escorting a funeral procession when he pulled over 24 year old George Temple II, a local businessman, to write him a ticket for breaking into the procession. That's when Temple physically attacked Harrison. During the struggle, which went to the ground, Officer Harrison shot Temple once in the abdomen. Police say Perry Stephens, who was wearing a neck brace and using a cane, was walking out of a store when he heard Officer Harrison yelling for help. Harrison was on his back with Temple on top of him. Stephens went to his car and grabbed his .45 caliber pistol.

Stephens ordered Harrison's attacker to stop the attack and get off the officer. The verbal commands were ignored. The armed citizen fired four shots, all of which struck Temple in the torso. With Temple still on top of the officer, Stephens advanced toward the struggle. He again ordered Temple to stop the attack, and get off the officer. Those commands are ignored. Stephens then fired a fifth and final shot into the head of George Temple, turning his brains into mush, and stopping his deadly attack with justified lethal force.

No charges have been filed.

Update at Paw Paw's Place