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Detroit-area man gets 17 years in porch shooting

By WTOP Staff

ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A suburban Detroit man who killed an unarmed woman on his porch instead of calling police was sentenced Wednesday to at least 17 years in prison after telling the victim’s family he would carry “guilt and sorrow forever.”

Wayne County Judge Dana Hathaway followed the recommendation of prosecutors in the case of Theodore Wafer, who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Renisha McBride.

Wafer, 55, of Dearborn Heights opened his front door and shot McBride through a screen door Nov. 2. He said he was awakened by pounding before dawn and feared for his life. A jury rejected his self-defense claim.

“Although the evidence clearly showed that Miss McBride made some terrible choices that night, none of them justified taking her life,” the judge said. “I do not believe that you’re a cold-blooded murderer or that this case had anything to do with race or that you’re some sort of monster.

“I do believe that you acted out of some fear but mainly anger and panic,” Hathaway said. “An unjustified fear is never an excuse for taking someone’s life. … So what do we have? One life gone and one life ruined.”

No one knows why McBride ended up at Wafer’s home about 4:30 a.m. Prosecutors speculated she may have been seeking help hours after crashing her car about half a mile away in Detroit. An autopsy revealed she was extremely drunk.

Wafer is white and McBride was black, and some wondered in the aftermath of the shooting whether race was a factor, likening it to the shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. But race was hardly mentioned at trial.

With his back to the courtroom gallery, Wafer told the judge that he killed a woman who was “too young to leave this world.”

“I will carry that guilt and sorrow forever,” he said, often pausing to control his emotions.

Wafer was convicted last month of second-degree murder, manslaughter and unlawful use of a gun. The trial centered on whether he had a reasonable and honest belief that he was in peril. He said he couldn’t immediately find his cellphone to call 911 and grabbed a shotgun instead.

He first suggested to police that it was an accident but later admitted to intentionally pulling the trigger.

Noting Wafer’s age, defense attorney Cheryl Carpenter told the judge that anything more than 10 years in prison would be a “death sentence.”

Wafer has health problems after a career as a laborer, including outdoor maintenance at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Carpenter said.

“This wasn’t planned,” she said of the shooting. “He didn’t go out looking for this. It came to him.”

Wafer’s maximum sentence is 32 years in prison, although he’ll be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 17 years. He is automatically eligible to appeal.

“Somewhere down the line in life, I have to forgive you in order to be accepted into heaven,” McBride’s sister, Jasmine McBride, said during an opportunity for relatives to speak in court. “But I will never forget the pain, the hurt, the heartache or the devastation you caused my family.”

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Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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