NEIGHBOR CHARGED IN MAN'S DEATH : FAMILY SAYS SUSPECT FIRED IN SELF-DEFENSE.Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer A Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. man was charged Monday in the slaying last week of his next-door neighbor, but in self-defense (Law) in protection of self, - it being permitted in law to a party on whom a grave wrong is attempted to resist the wrong, even at the peril of the life of the assailiant. - Wharton. See also: Self-defense after being assaulted with pepper spray. Disputes between the two were nothing new, with Simi Valley police responding to four disturbance calls this year to the Helene Street neighborhood. They responded again Thursday when Harbridge, 27, shot Rowe, 30, once in the chest, officials have said. Ventura County prosecutors have charged Harbridge with murder and a special allegation that he used a firearm firearm, device consisting essentially of a straight tube to propel shot, shell, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder. Although the Chinese discovered gunpowder as early as the 9th cent., they did not develop firearms until the mid-14th cent. . Harbridge did not enter a plea, and Judge Steven Hintz continued his arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted until Monday at the request of defense attorney Jerry Webb. Harbridge remains in the county jail on $750,000 bail. Webb said he will urge prosecutors to reconsider the murder charge, saying Harbridge shot Rowe because he feared for his safety. ``That's all he did,'' Webb said outside of court. ``The District Attorney's Office hopefully will look at both sides, at all of the evidence.'' Deputy District Attorney James Ellison James Ellison can refer to:
Witnesses told police last week that Rowe and Harbridge had been yelling yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. at each other just before Harbridge pulled a .357-caliber Magnum and fired one shot into the ground and a second into Rowe's chest. Harbridge's father said his son carried a gun when he left his home, where he lived with three roommates, because he lived in fear of Rowe. ``Ron Rowe would harass harass (either harris or huh-rass) v. systematic and/or continual unwanted and annoying pestering, which often includes threats and demands. This can include lewd or offensive remarks, sexual advances, threatening telephone calls from collection agencies, hassling by and threaten Christopher any time he saw Christopher in both the front and back yards, to where Christopher would not go out of his own home unless absolutely necessary. Christopher wanted no trouble but feared Ron Rowe's threats,'' John Harbridge said in a prepared statement given to reporters outside court Monday. The father stated that Thursday's confrontation began when Christopher Harbridge noticed his garage light bulbs were missing. The father stated that Harbridge asked Rowe if they could leave each other alone. ``Ron Rowe started calling Christopher names then attacked Christopher with some kind of pepper spray,'' the statement read. ``Ron Rowe kept spraying Christopher to a point that Christopher could not breathe. Christopher was now in fear of his life as the spraying went on relentlessly. ``Christopher was defending himself against what he felt was sure death against this crazed craze v. crazed, craz·ing, craz·es v.tr. 1. To cause to become mentally deranged or obsessed; make insane. 2. To produce a network of fine cracks in the surface or glaze of. v. attacker. ``We all regret that it had to go this far, and our prayers are not only for Christopher but also for the family of Ron Rowe.'' |
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