Michigan man charged in shooting of anti-abortion canvasser

[Judi Lynn]

A Michigan homeowner has been charged with shooting and wounding an 84-year-old woman who was canvassing door-to-door against a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion in the state

By The Associated Press
September 30, 2022, 2:48 PM

ODESSA TOW

NSHIP, Mich. -- A Michigan homeowner has been charged with shooting and wounding an 84-year-old woman who was canvassing door-to-door against a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion in the state.

Richard Harvey was charged Friday on charges of felonious assault and reckless discharge of a firearm causing injury charges, Ionia County Prosecutor Kyle Butler said in a statement.

Harvey surrendered to authorities Friday morning and was being held in the county jail.

The State Police investigated the Sept. 20 shooting at Harvey's home in Odessa Township, a community about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, and submitted charging recommendations to the prosecutor's office, Butler said.

More:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/man-charged-shooting-anti-abortion-canvasser-shot-90788306





Right to Life volunteer who was shot: ‘It was intentional’
by: Ken Kolker

Posted: Sep 29, 2022 / 11:20 AM EDT

Updated: Sep 29, 2022 / 06:13 PM EDT

ODESSA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The 84-year-old woman shot and injured while campaigning door-to-door against abortion disputed her shooter’s claim that it was an accident.

“I think he knew what he was doing, and I think it was intentional,” Joan Jacobson told News 8 in an interview from her attorney’s office. When asked why the man would want to shoot her, she said: “I have no idea.”

Man who shot Right to Life volunteer: ‘It was an accident’
“Usually when voters don’t want to talk to you, they just shut the door,” said Jacobson, a longtime Right to Life volunteer who lives in the Lake Odessa area.

That wasn’t the case on Sept. 20, she said, when she knocked on the door of Sharon Harvey on West Bippley Road, near Lake Odessa hoping to convince her to vote against Proposal 3, which would enshrine the right to abortions in the state constitution.

She had already knocked on more than a dozen doors in the area that day. Her goal, she said, is to change minds, “to let them know how radical this proposal is, absolutely.”

More:
https://www.woodtv.com/news/ionia-county/right-to-life-volunteers-attorney-shooting-was-no-accident/

[hlthe2b]

1. I guess the facts will come out and of course no one would justify such a thing, if it was

intentional.


But, thinking of some of the highly persistent people who have come to my door, even though most of the neighborhood has "no solicitation signs), I have had to caution a couple to leave or I would call the police. Of course, injuring them would never cross my mind unless they tried to enter or hurt me, but some of these people are crazed by their "crusade," so I don't assume she was reasonable.

Sigh...

[Kaleva]

10. I think it's clear the gun owner wasn't reasonable

[James48]

2. Nope.

Proposal 3 isn’t “radical”.

Proposal 3 simply enshrines the right to reproductive freedom in the State constitution. The rascals are those trying to turn women into baby making machines.

Contraception will be legal n the Constitution. Abortion CAN be regulated, as long as it’s not interfering with the rights of the mother, and recognizes health of the mother.

If anyone dies while trying to enslave women, I’m sorry, but they should stay off other peoples property. Proposal 3 wouldn’t be necessary if the R’s had stayed out of other peoples business.

[Kid Berwyn]

3. An 84-year-old woman.

Shot her in the back.

As she walked away.

[James48]

4. It was accidental.

I believe the jury will agree. We shall see.

[jimfields33]

5. I hope not. Looks like straight up attempted murder

In the back outside the house? He should be found guilty.

[sarisataka]

8. Nope, not accidental

Negligent at best. And as DU has often demanded, negligence is not an excuse for shooting someone.

The two stories are at odds so the evidence will show who is truthful.

[hlthe2b]

7. This why having guns so ubiquitous is nuts. Assuming it was accidental, I can only say

that is still horrible.

But, I'm not prepared to assume she was a meek, mild little old lady just knocking on doors given that I've had elderly religious Evangelical extremists who just would NOT leave, nor let me shut the door despite increasingly less polite refusals to speak with them. Not your regular door-to-door religious solicitations that I am accustomed to and always try to politely send along--I'm talking almost militant activist kind of behavior. Fortunately the latter is rare, but if these anti-choice activists (as well as the RW elections-denying and combative RWers) start upping the ante on people's doorsteps, I worry about what will result.

[James48]

6. Flip side:

His side of the story-



“ODESSA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The man who fired the shot that struck an anti-abortion rights canvasser in the shoulder last week called it an accident but also said the volunteer had been arguing with his wife, who supports abortion rights, and refused to leave their property.

“I came out and she (the volunteer) is screaming and having a great old time, and being told, I’m sure I heard at least a dozen times, ‘You’re trespassing, get off the property,'” 74-year-old Richard Harvey, wearing a “Facts Matter” baseball cap, told News 8 on Tuesday.

The 83-year-old victim volunteers for Right to Life, which says she was peaceful and was walking away when she was shot in the back.

Harvey disputes that.

The woman drove herself to a nearby police department and is recovering.

No charges had been filed as of Tuesday while state police continue to investigate.
“This lady comes up to me, knocks on my door, and says she’s from some coalition to save women and babies,” Sharon Harvey said. “She needed me to vote no on Proposal 3.”

That’s the proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot that if approved would enshrine reproductive rights, including to abortions, in the Michigan Constitution. Right to Life of Michigan is campaigning against it.

“I told her I can’t do that and she says, ‘Well, you have to.’ I says, ‘No, I don’t. It’s not going to happen,'” Sharon Harvey said. “I told her I had a four-and-a-half month tubal pregnancy, and she says, ‘Well, you survived, didn’t you?'”

Sharon Harvey said the tubal pregnancy in 1971 required surgery and nearly killed her.

The argument, she said, was on.

“She would not take the fact that I was going to vote yes on Proposal 3 as an answer,” Sharon Harvey said. “She didn’t care. She didn’t care. I told her, I says, ‘Women are going to die. I nearly died.’ She says, ‘Well you didn’t, did you?'”

“I says, ‘You need to go. Just go.’ She says, ‘Well, I have a right to be here.’ ‘No you don’t; you need to go. You need to go now. Get off my property.'”


She said the woman ignored at least a dozen warnings to leave, though she finally did step off their front porch.

“It got louder and louder. My husband was in the barn and he heard it,” Sharon Harvey said.

“I’m in the barn,” her husband recalled. “I hear a bunch of screaming going on.”

Richard Harvey said he came out of the barn with a .22-caliber rifle that belongs to his wife and fired a warning shot into the pine tree out front.

2022)
“She (the volunteer) is still ranting and raving and she’s got this clipboard. She’s waving it around. I’m thinking she’s going to smack Sharon with it. So without thinking, I went to club it away with the rifle and my finger was still in the trigger guard. It went off and hit her about in here,” he said, pointing to his right shoulder.

Michigan State Police are investigating. Ionia County Prosecutor Kyle Butler told News 8 Monday that he’s waiting for police reports before deciding on whether to file charges.

Richard Harvey acknowledged he could face charges.

“It’s always possible,” he said. “I shot somebody. It was an accident.”


Source: https://www.woodtv.com/news/ionia-county/man-who-shot-pro-life-volunteer-it-was-an-accident/?ipid=promo-link-block1

Michigan has a “stand your ground” law now. He might have that as a defense. Like I say- it was an accident. Let the jury decide.

[ok_cpu]

9. The flip side being his starting point was firing a "warning shot"

And ended with him swinging a loaded rifle at a clipboard being held by an 84 year old woman?

It's too bad he and his wife were blocked from going back in their respective buildings and closing the door. I can't think of any other way to handle an elderly solicitor but to fire the heater.

[Kaleva]

12. A warning shot could be considered assault. At least in Mi.

Deadly force is only authorized if s person believes he or others are in danger of losing life or limb. Firing a warning shot may lead a jury to believe that is not the case.

[gratuitous]

13. None of this back-and-forth was mentioned by Jacobson

Jacobson makes it sound like she knocked on the door, was asked to leave, and as she was doing so got shot for her trouble. The Harveys both seem to be saying that there was (at least) an animated conversation and several requests for Jacobson to leave. I wonder why Jacobson didn't mention any of that? Or are the Harveys just lying after the fact?

[LiberalFighter]

17. His side of the story looks likely what happened.

The stupid irritating woman was trespassing.

[Buckeyeblue]

11. Jesus. I hope these people don't show up at my house

I don't own a gun but I probably won't be polite...especially if they are persistent.

[Kaleva]

14. Firing a warning shot leads me to believe the man had no training

on the use of a firearm for home defense.

I'm unaware of any reputable self/home defense organization that teaches firing warning shots.

[roamer65]

15. The 84 year old woman was looking for conflict.

…and she got it.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

[louis-t]

16. I have church people drive up my (private) road all the time.

Usually one elderly man with one or two elderly women. The man is always wearing a suit and they knock on my door. Even if they can see that I'm home, I don't answer. They leave a pamphlet on my door. If I see someone with a clipboard, I will definitely not answer. These people are crazy. If you show them that you disagree with them, they might come back and damage property. Lunatics.

[harumph]

18. Hmmm, she's still alive - so great - whatever.

Can't muster any indignation or anger. Nope.

[XanaDUer2]

19. Kick nt