Ted Wafer Sentenced to 15-30 Years for Killing Renisha McBride

On August 7, 2014, Theodore “Ted” Wafer was found guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and unlawful use of a weapon in the killing of 19-year old Renisha McBride.

McBride was intoxicated, and had an automobile accident where at  trial, evidence was given that her head struck the windshield. For reasons unknown, Renisha knocked on Wafer’s front door and was greeted with a shotgun shell to her face that killed her.

Wafer claimed self-defense, a defense that has caused some others to slide away from consequences for taking the life of a human being when evidence says otherwise.

Today, Judge Hathaway called it “one of the saddest cases” she’s ever heard.

“A young woman’s life is gone and otherwise a law-abiding citizen’s life is gone. Although the evidence clearly shows in this case that Ms. McBride made some terrible choices that night, none of them justified taking her life.

At this morning’s sentence hearing, members of McBride’s family addressed the judge in impact statements. Among them was Diane Pearson, Renisha’s 66-year-old grand-aunt, who said, “I’d like to have had 17 more years.”

Renisha’s dad, Walter Simmons, told the court during his statement that he’ll never have the opportunity to watch his daughter “grow up, be a woman, have kids.”

Cheryl Carpenter, Wafer’s defense attorney, argued that a sentence of more than 10 years would be life for the now 55-year old wafer. She argued that because Ted is not likely to commit any further crimes, that he should not be sentenced to more than 6 years. Judge Hathaway disagreed, pointing out that his sentence is for the crime he did commit.

 

Here’s video of the full sentencing hearing.