Maurice Skinner and Diego Everett
Prosecutors announced Friday they will not press charges against two Camp Lejeune Marines and a civilian who fought for their lives and killed two local men who were burglarizing their Jacksonville home earlier this month.
Maurice Skinner, 33, of Banks Street, and Diego M. Everette, 33, of Graytown Road, were shot and killed by residents of 107 Country Club Drive around 2 a.m. on April 15.
District Attorney Ernie Lee refused to publicly identify the residents involved in the shooting.
He said it was clear from the evidence that the state’s Castle Doctrine, which allows for deadly force in defending one’s home, and self-defense laws apply in the case.
“After investigation by the Jacksonville Police Department and reading the statements of the witnesses, it is clear that Everette’s and Skinner’s death were justified because of the actions of Everette and Skinner in burglarizing the residence and assaulting, robbing and threatening to kill the occupants of the residence,” Lee said.
Family of the decedents present during Friday’s press conference said they didn’t believe Lee’s version of events. Lee told them that whether they accepted it or not, Skinner and Everette’s deaths were justified under state laws.
Lee methodically recounted the events of April 15, referring to the decedents by name and calling the other three men involved the Marine resident, civilian roommate and Marine friend.
An ATM withdrawal, witnesses and GPS tracking placed the three men in the Emerald Isle area until they returned home at around 1:40 a.m. After entering the house, the Marine resident noticed his dogs acting strange and found the sliding glass doors leading to his backyard damaged with a pry mark on the frame and a broken latch on the doors.
Skinner came out of the bedroom area of the house carrying the Marine resident’s Mossberg Model 88 12-gauge shotgun, which had been under the Marine resident’s bed. Skinner shined a light in the Marine resident’s face and then struck him in the face with the butt of the shotgun.
Skinner ordered the Marine resident to get on the floor. Everette came out of one of the bedrooms and ordered the civilian roommate and Marine friend, who were coming down the hall, to also get on the floor.
Skinner demanded all of their cell phones and wallets. Everette took their wallets, but all three had set down their cell phones when they entered the house.
Skinner and Everette then told the three men they were going to kill them. Skinner placed the shotgun to their heads and told them he was going to shoot them. Skinner demanded duct tape and rope.
“Once the Marine resident realized that these men were going to tie them up, the Marine resident believed that he and his friends were going to be killed,” Lee said.
Skinner, who had four children, and Everett, who was the father of five, asked the Marines whether they had children. Skinner said he would not shoot anyone with children, but would shoot the ones who didn’t.
“The Marine resident saw Skinner look away momentarily and realized this was his chance to act,” Lee said. “The Marine resident grabbed for the shotgun. He and Skinner started struggling for it.”
The fight ended up in one of the bedrooms. Skinner called for help, and Everette came into the room and hit the Marine resident several times in the head and ear with a crowbar.
The Marine resident momentarily blacked out, came to and called for help. The Marine friend entered the bedroom and Everette attacked him with the crowbar. The Marine resident and Skinner were struggling on the floor.
“Skinner said, ‘You are going to die now’ and squeezed the trigger of the shotgun repeatedly,” Lee said. “The gun did not fire. Apparently, Skinner did not realize that while the Marine resident kept the shotgun loaded, he did not keep it ‘pumped’ and chambered.”
The Marine resident was able wrestle the shotgun from Skinner’s grip. Skinner came at the Marine resident, who was on the floor, and the Marine resident shot Skinner twice in the torso.
The civilian roommate entered the room. The Marine resident shoved him out of the way and ran to the other side of the bed where his Marine friend and Everette were still struggling.
The Marine resident shot Everette in the buttocks with the slug exiting his stomach area. Everette turned around and, believing the intruder to still be a threat, the Marine resident shot him in the right armpit area.
Everette crawled toward an object beneath the bed. The Marine friend broke a wine bottle over Everette’s head and Everette stopped moving. Police found a flashlight under the bed.
The two Marines and civilian roommate had significant injuries and were transported to Onslow Memorial Hospital. The Marine resident had scratches and bruises on his chest and back. He had deep cuts on his chin, right ear and the back of his head. The civilian resident had cuts to the top of his head and stippling on his arm from the shotgun being fired near him. The Marine friend had a deep cut to the top of his head.
Crime scene investigators found blood on the steps of the carport, kitchen, dining room area, hallway and bedrooms. Skinner and Everette, who were dead when authorities arrived, were wearing gloves and dark clothing. They had a total of $161.55 in their possession.
Skinner and Everette have both served prison time, Skinner for assault and Everette for larceny and drugs, according to the N.C. Department of Correction.
The Marines and civilian roommate do not have criminal convictions.
http://www.jdnews.com/articles/killed-103251-residents-attorney.html
Don't fuck with the Marines.
