COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - A Colorado Springs jury is deliberating whether a U.S. Army Green Beret was justified in fatally shooting an intruder inside his garage under Colorado’s “Make My Day” law.
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports (https://bit.ly/2rNVVle ) that jurors will resume deliberations Monday in the murder trial of Michael Joseph Galvin.
Galvin, 35, is charged with negligent homicide in the Nov. 3 shooting of Robert Carrigan. He could face up to three years in prison If convicted.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys sparred over whether Galvin’s actions were justified under Colorado’s Homeowner Protection Act. The act provides homeowners legal protections who use deadly force against intruders they fear could harm them.
Prosecutors say Galvin confronted Carrigan at night inside Galvin’s detached garage. Carrigan, who was unarmed, was shot three times in the back while trying to escape.
Defense attorney Julia Stancil said Carrigan lunged for Galvin’s pistol before the shooting. They also argued that Carrigan was under the influence of methamphetamine and that Galvin was protecting his wife and two children.
Galvin is a 12-year member of an Army Special Forces unit based at Fort Carson, where he serves as a communications sergeant and Arabic language expert.
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