Saw this article this morning at newsok.com. “Charles Timothy Taylor, 52, was escorted by Park Tavern employees out of the bar, 196 E Lake Dr., about midnight because several patrons had complained about his behavior, Brown said. Taylor then pulled out a knife and tried to stab bar employees and other patrons. The employees and patrons ran back inside the bar, locked its doors and called 911 along with the bar’s owner, Brown said. The bar’s owner arrived shortly before police. Taylor had left the bar’s door and returned with a gun by the arrival of the bar owner, who also had a gun, Brown said. Taylor shot at the owner and at a small crowd that had gathered, and fired inside the bar, she said. The bar’s owner returned fire, fatally shooting Taylor, Brown said.” I can’t imagine any self-respecting DA that would charge the bar owner for ventilating the perp . . .

Intoxication is no excuse for being reckless with a handgun, but intoxication can negate the culpability requirements of purpose or knowledge with respect to his possible attempted murder. Who knows if Taylor intended on murder, but shooting a gun at the bar owner, a crowd, or into the bar sure doesn’t look good for him. Or his estate.

Surely the “defense of self/others” defense is a no-brainer here and the bar owner can walk with no charges. Of course, there may be facts that we don’t know about, but hopefully this is an armed citizen story for the books. And not fuel for the fire for gun control advocates in other states who’d ban firearms at bars and restaurants. [Click here for information on various states’ “guns in bars” laws.]

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5 COMMENTS

  1. Just a quick note, the link to state bar rules is dated. For example Virginia in the last couple years changed the rule so we no longer have to perform the “Virginia carry” when entering a place that serves drinks if we have a CCP. Much to the dismay of the gun grabbers there have not been any heated alcohol fueled gun fights in family restaurants, as they were predicting.

  2. I’m willing to bet that every person in that bar was unarmed and helpless when this moron attempted to murder them. If it wasn’t for the quick action of the armed owner, many of these people would have been shot for sure.

  3. Just the way the Brady Campaign wants it. Guns only in the hands of the baddies and the cops–with everyone as victims in between.

  4. In Egelhoff v. Montana (1995?), the Supremes ruled that voluntary intoxication is not an excuse for a more serious crime. (Defense had appealed a double-murder conviction on the grounds the perp was too drunk (BAC .36) to understand what he was doing. The Supremes said tough luck.)

  5. Any man armed with a gun and did not manage to shoot anyone was probably not trying to shoot anyone. The Medicine Park police should have been the ones securing the situation. Due the probability the officer was patrolling the area around the I-44 area, response time was increased to insufficient levels. The individual that shot Taylor could have avoided the situation. There is nothing right about the entire incident. This is a prime example of vigilante law.

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