Drug side effects can often have dramatic, but unpredictable consequences. They can make a normally calm, pleasant person paranoid and violent. Unfortunately, loved ones of drug abusers are often unsure how to respond to such unpredictable behavior. In fact, a man in Missouri was recently charged with murder after he claims he defended himself from his girlfriend who was on drugs.
Reports indicate that the 70-year-old man arrived at a police station in Missouri, allegedly telling officers that he had shot his 54-year-old girlfriend. He claims that the woman used meth. Afterward, he reportedly told police, she yelled at him and accused him of cheating on her.
The man reportedly claimed that the woman’s behavior was unpredictable and that he was concerned about his safety. As a result, police say he admitted to shooting the woman. Reports indicate that he further claims that he drove around for hours afterward with a gun, contemplating suicide, before contacting police. He is now accused of armed criminal action and second-degree murder.
When people feel that their personal safety is threatened, they often feel forced to take action to protect themselves. Unfortunately, the erratic behavior of a person on drugs could quickly cause an individual to question one’s safety. Because of the seriousness of the charges against the man as well as the circumstances surrounding the case, the Missouri defendant could potentially benefit from the guidance of an experienced criminal defense attorney to help him adequately respond to the murder and criminal action charges he now faces.
Source: fox2now.com, “Man, 70, charged with killing girlfriend in Missouri home“, July 21, 2017