In today’s hectic, fast-paced world, you want your home – more than ever – to be a haven. Just like Superman, you need a fortress of solitude, a place to retreat, relax and recharge. Mary Ashley’s problem was that her neighbors weren’t really on board with the whole peace and quiet thing. Their version of R&R apparently includes friends and music. More music than Mary was willing to endure. Which was probably why she broke out her rifle on Saturday night . . .
She’d apparently had just about enough when she lugged her long gun out onto her porch to confront the partiers next door.
According to an arrest report, when deputies arrived on scene, a group of people was standing outside and advised deputies that the next-door neighbor, Ashley threatened them to turn their music down before pointing a rifle at them from her porch.
Ashley told (police) that she gets annoyed with her neighbors because they play loud music, according to reports.
But when pressed, the 61-year-old denied pointing her rifle at her noisy neighbors.
Ashley denied threatening anyone with her rifle and that she pointed her wooden cane at them.
That explanation wasn’t ultimately persuasive. Ashley was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. Like so many gun owners, Mary no doubt owns (more likely now in the past tense) the gun for personal protection, but that doesn’t include fending off a musical intrusion. That’s why the cops are there. So she’ll now have to replace her rifle with our IGOTD award. It may not be as intimidating, but it makes a great conversation piece.
Unless Ms. Ashley admitted to threatening them with a gun (which it looks like she hasn’t) I wouldn’t be so eager to accept the word of drunken, noisy partyers. I’ve defended cases like this and one of my colleagues recently won a dismissal under similar circumstances after the first jury hung 8-4 in favor of acquittal.
OTOH, If the cops found her rifle on the front porch (or just inside the door) she’s definitely the IGOTD. And she’s screwed at trial, too.
she’s screwed at trial
Judging from the charming mug shot, her other option would be getting screwed at the local truck stop.
Perhaps only a man of your diverse experience could so precisely assess this woman’s opportunities?
Well, I read a lot.
If I had threatened my neighbors with a firearm every time they had a drunken party with loud music, I’d be serving a life sentence by now. It is SO MUCH easier to call 911 and report a disturbance in the neighborhood. I only call when I hear someone beating up someone else.
As someone who has been through the same thing with inconsiderate neighbors blaring music loud enough to rattle the windows in your house and partying loudly till the wee hours of the morning, I can empathize with this woman. There’s nothing you would like any more than to be able to scare them into shutting up. Doesn’t work that way, however. And it’s just not very smart to threaten someone with a gun over noise, if that’s even what she did.
I feel her pain.
This case highlights a problem with states’ and their gun brandishing statutes.Most states have laws which criminalize displaying guns in public,for reasons such as this IGotD demonstrated.Then when Joe RKBA has his shirt ride up getting out of his truck some hoplophobe calls police and poor Joe gets proned out for “brandishing”.Some legal distinction between “hostile” brandishing versus “accidental” exposure should be clarified in the various codes.
Inadvertent flashing would be treated as “disturbing the peace,” which if charged would be a low misdemeanor. A hostile display would be treated as an ADW, which is a felony.
Still, I favor open carry laws so that someone who inadvertently flashes can’t be proned out in the first place.
Sorry for her trouble, but she richly deserves the IGOTD. Yep, one thing you can make use of the PD for is to quiet the crazy, loud party neighbors…better than getting your butt in a legal sling like this lady did.
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