CLEVELAND, May 15, 2008
Fireworks Murderer Convicted For 3 Deaths
Veteran Cleveland Firefighter Showed No Emotion When The Verdict Was Read
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A jury convicted Terrance Hough Jr., a city firefighter Thursday, May 15, 2008 of fatally shooting three people and wounding two others during a late-night Fourth of July celebration, rejecting defense claims that he was angered by the noise and snapped. (AP Photo/Cleveland Police Dept.) (AP)
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A jury convicted Terrance Hough Jr.,a city firefighter Thursday, May 15, 2008 of fatally shooting three people and wounding two others during a late-night Fourth of July celebration, rejecting defense claims that he was angered by the noise and snapped. (CBS/AP/iStockphoto)
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Terrance Hough Jr. was convicted of three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of attempted murder. The jury is to return Tuesday to hear evidence on whether to recommend the death penalty.
Hough, 36, killed Jacob Feichtner, who lived next door to him, and Feichtner's friends Katherine Rosby and Bruce Anderson.
Hough showed no emotion when the verdict came in. There was a brief gasp and cheer from the courtroom gallery, which included relatives of the victims.
"There was no remorse at all," said Bruce Anderson, whose son was named after him. "Our children had no mercy from him, no compassion, and he had nine months to put a case together. It's been hard waiting for this moment, and I'm very happy it turned out the way it did."
Hough was a 12-year firefighter in Cleveland at the time of the shootings, which the defense claimed happened in a fit of rage. His attorney had argued that the shootings weren't planned, as required for the aggravated murder convictions leading to a possible death sentence.
Prosecutors portrayed Hough as determined to kill when he emerged from his home, upset by fireworks set off by the neighbor on a neatly kept street popular with police and firefighters required to live in the city.
Assistant Prosecutor John Kosko told the jury the killings were deliberate.
"It wasn't an accident. It wasn't self defense. It wasn't insanity. It was cold-blooded, aggravated murder," he said.
An off-duty police officer who lived nearby heard gunshots and ran to the scene with his gun drawn. He found Hough sitting at his kitchen table with a handgun in a gun box. Hough told the officer that he just snapped, and he asked whether the victims were dead.
Hough's wife had called police several times between 2003 and 2005 complaining about loud noise, drugs, underage drinking and problems with neighbors, police reports show.
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Fireworks have a totally different sound than Gun shots, Heres how to learn the difference, Spend a week in a warzone fighting for your life, then you will no longer be confused.
I am a Viet vet and came back from combat with an attitude that i never wanted top hurt anyone again. I am sure many of th vets returning feel the same way. I had a coworker who wanted to got to Iraq and kill rgheads, he shipped with his army reserve unit. When he had to kill someone the first time all he wanted to do was come home. It wasn''t anything like he expected it to be like. A majority of these vets are fine people. It took me six years rto adjust back to normal after i came back and i cosider myself one of the lucky ones.
No, no. He said,
"I''''m an State Certified Armour."
He spelled it Armour, with a "u," like the canned ham company. He is evidently some sort of certified, inspected hog.
But to clarify, it matters what state you''re talking about. In Maine, it would be a lobster shell, In Maryland, we''re talking about the Blue Crab, in West Virginia, it''s the bulldozer, on the freeways of California, it is an actual tank. But I''m getting off-topic.
It seems that this guy who snaps and starts shooting at everyone at the sound of explosions is just what we need in Iraq. Can''t the judge offer him military service as an alternative to jail time? After he pays his debt to society he''ll be trained and employable by Blackwater. I''ve heard of this type of thing before, but usually just with juvenile delinquents. But these are desperate times.
Haven''t heard for gunownerdan for quite a while - this story should be right up his alley.
Posted by maxify55 at 06:56 AM : May 16, 2008
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Dear "maxify55",
You are an idiot. What''s that sound I hear? Oh, it must be your complete lack of humanity. Send me your address so I can come kill YOU for making sounds I don''t want to hear in MY world.