The new “Stand Your Ground law” in Ohio is set to take center stage this week as the case of a deadly shooting involving a man who is accused of forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home will be presented to a grand jury in Shelby County.
The Stand Your Ground” took effect in April 2021 and leads Sheriff James Frye to believe that the panel will dismiss the case altogether.
The law says that a person does not have to make an attempt to retreat or walk away before firing their gun in public. The law also says that a person does not have to retreat in their home or vehicle before firing their gun.
A doorbell video obtained by local media News Center 7 shows footage of James Rayl appearing to force his way into the home on July 31st, just seconds before he is shot.
A woman, presumably Rayl’s former girlfriend, said, “He’s trying the door dad . . . dad . . dad. Is he trying to kill me?”
County sheriff’s investigators said it is at that moment, Rayl broke the front door and began to go inside. He’s hit immediately by three gunshots.
In the same 911 call, the woman is heard to say, ” Dad there’s nothing you could have done. You saved my life.”
A neighbor checked on the wounded Rayl — when the woman inside refused a dispatcher’s request to do so — and said he didn’t see Rayl enter the home.
“If he entered the house, why did he shoot through the door?” the neighbor, Jeff Hereford, asked McDermott.
Hereford said he doesn’t agree with his neighbors or the incident report on the shooting, claiming he saw everything as well as Rayl on the ground.
Another neighbor, Denesa Goings, told McDermott she believed the woman’s father had every right to fire a weapon.
Sheriff Frye said the county prosecutor’s office is to present the case a grand jury on Thursday.
