An Ohio dad will not face charges under the state’s castle doctrine law after fatally shooting his daughter’s rampaging ex-boyfriend as he attempted to breach their property.
Dramatic footage from a Ring doorbell camera shows jilted ex-lover James Rayl, 22, momentarily waiting outside the homeowner’s Sydney home before he pounds on the door and attempts to force entry.
“Get off my porch,” a voice inside the home can be heard saying, as Rayl slams the front door with his shoulder.
As Rayl continues trying to break down the door, he’s met with three gunshots from within the home.
Video shows Rayl stagger backward then fall onto the driveway where he died from his injuries.
According to 911 call audio obtained by WHIO, the daughter can be heard saying, “He’s trying the door dad . . . dad . . dad. Is he trying to kill me?”
The daughter is later heard telling her father, “Dad there’s nothing you could have done. You saved my life.”
A grand jury voted 8-1 against pursuing charges against the father, evidently protected by the state’s “castle doctrine,” or “stand your ground” law which took effect last year allowing citizens in their homes to use deadly force in self defense.
“House Bill 38 repealed the law, which removed a person’s legal duty to attempt to retreat or walk away before firing their gun in public,” reports WHIO. “The law has been updated to keep the ‘castle doctrine,’ which says a person does not have to retreat in their home or vehicle before firing their gun.”
Disagreeing with the shooting, one of the homeowner’s neighbors who went and checked on Rayl after he’d been shot said the ex-boyfriend didn’t deserve it as he didn’t enter the home.
“Another neighbor, Denesa Goings, told McDermott she believed the woman’s father had every right to fire a weapon,” reports WHIO.
Here’s a report from local Dayton, Ohio, NBC affiliate WDTN just days before the grand jury announced their decision on August 4.
