Criminal Details

DothanEagle.com
Jim Cook – Apr 23, 2015 Updated Sep 14, 2015

No Castle Law defense in Gordon stabbing

Gordon on Wednesday, according to Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza.

Paul Bernard Peterson, 29, of Gordon has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of Norman Battle, 28, also of Gordon. Peterson’s bond was set at $100,000. Peterson has made bail and secured his release from jail pending his trial.

Valenza said the stabbing occurred as a result of an argument between Peterson and Battle at 63 St. Mary St. in Gordon on Wednesday afternoon. During the argument, Peterson obtained a knife and stabbed Battle multiple times, Valenza said.

Initial calls to police concerning the incident were made around 2:58 p.m.

After the stabbing, Battle fled and was picked up by a passerby, who attempted to take the injured man to a hospital. Battle didn’t make it, and the driver was met by police at an Ashford gas station where Battle was pronounced dead around 4 p.m.

Valenza said Alabama’s Castle Law would not apply to the incident because it occurred outside Peterson’s home. The Castle Law, passed in 2007, allows homeowners to defend themselves from burglary or assault within their homes with deadly force.

Source: View DothanEagle.com Article

Criminal Details

DothanEagle.com
Matt Elofson – Sep 14, 2015

Alabama Castle law may have gotten Gordon man out of murder indictment

Gordon man no longer faces a felony murder charge after a Houston County grand jury recently no-billed the case.

Attorney Cada Carter said his client, 29-year-old Paul Bernard Peterson, was eating watermelon on his front porch when he had to use a knife to defend himself from another man who attacked him as he ate the melon.

“My guy was sitting there eating watermelon,” Carter said. “The guy went up on his porch and attacked my client first.”

Carter said he believed the grand jury returned no murder charge because of the Alabama Castle law, which allows for people to defend themselves on their own property with deadly force.

Deputies with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Peterson on April 22 and charged him with felony murder. Deputies charged him in the stabbing death of 28-year-old Norman Battle.

Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza told the Dothan Eagle shortly after the arrest how the stabbing occurred as a result of an argument between Peterson and Battle at 63 St. Mary St. in Gordon.

After the stabbing, Battle fled and was picked up by a passerby, who attempted to take the injured man to a hospital. Battle didn’t make it, and the driver was met by police at an Ashford gas station where Battle was later pronounced dead.

The Alabama Castle Law, passed in 2007, allows homeowners to defend themselves from burglary or assault within their homes with deadly force.

Source: View DothanEagle.com Article