Man freed after killing Japanese student
NATIONAL
BATON ROUGE.
La lA!’) — A man
who mistook a
Japanese exchange
student tor a burglar and latally
shot him ns hit approached his
house looking for a Halloween
party was acquitted of
manslaughter Sunday
The jury del demited for more
than three hours before acquit
ting Rodney Peairs. 31, in a case
that drew widespread interest in
Japan, where guns are rare and
most shootings are gang-related.
In closing arguments Sunday,
the defense said that the way the
student. Yoslti Hnttori, was act
ing made it reasonable for F’eairs
to think his life was in danger,
Peairs acknowledged he fired
the gun hut said he had no choice
because he feared for his fami
ly Under Louisiana law. homi
cide can fie justified under u vari
ety of reasons, including what's
known as the "shoot the burglar"
law that allows a resident to pro
tt» t him self from an intruder
Spectators applauded when
the forewoman announced the
unanimous verdit t, but bailiffs
quickly quieted them
Peairs. who had fat ed a maxi
mum sentence of 40 years, stood
up for the verdict, his attorney
holding him by the arm He
bounced into his chair and wiped
away tears.
The student's father, Masai chi
Hatton, was not in the court
room.
Outside the i ourtroom. Peairs
said he would no longer use
guns and. in remarks intended
for the teen’s father, said. I'm
very sorrv that anv of this ever
happened."
District Attorney Doug More
au said of tin* verdict. If they
wanted to say that 'we approve
of what occurred.' that's a had
message. It they are sus mg they
weren't sure ." He then
shrugged and dropped the
thought.
fury deliberations began
shortly before 2 p til and ended
soon after 5 pm
The events of Oct J? were
hardly disputed during three
days of testimony
Hatton, of Nagoya, and his
Ameru an host were invited to a
party, but got lost and went to
i'oair*' door Ins ause the address
was similar and the house was
already decorated for Hal
loween. which was two weeks
away.
They rang the front bell twit e.
but Bonnie f’eairs answered the
garage door Hatton tame
around from the front quickly,
she said and frightened tier, so
she slammed the tloor and
veiled for tier husband to get his
gun
There was no thinking
involved.” \1t> Peairs testified
1 v.iirs i ante to me tioor won
his -H caliber Magnum
revolver Whim hi1 saw tin1 teen.
I Vain yelled “Freeze'" ami pos
sihlv "Stop1'1 but Hattori kept
(liming Hattori was not wearing
his contact lenses and with his
limited English nutv have mis
understood the word as
■‘Please." a« cording to testimo
ny.
When Hattori was between
four and eight feet aw as Peairs
fired, hitting hint in the i host
1 lotion was wearing .1 ruffled
shirt and white tuxedo jut ket
like the joint I nnolt.i 1 h.ir.ii ter
in “Saturday Night Fever "
Defense lawyer l ew is I ngles
h\ said it w.is reasonable lor
f’e.urs to think he was in danger
Hattori was running at the door.
a< cording to I’eairs' testimony.
wav log something above his
head, which turned out to he a
hi liter a
Know anyone named Bob? Send him to Avon
AVON, Colo (AP) — The snow is melting
and the skiers ore gone and everyone's atten
tion is turning once again to Hob.
Kach spring in Avon, there's a Bobfest in
Hob's honor. This year, there's hope that
another Boh will show up
Boh isn't a person. It’s a bridge Support
ers say the name — picked front IHfi entries
in a contest to name the new bridge in 1901
— reflects the town 's ethos of "ultimate Ok
ness."
The four-lane span crossing the Kagle Kiv
er and connecting Interstate 70 with U S
Highway t> doesn't have a nameplate Offi
( tally, it is known as FIOAG. the designation
assigned l>v the state highway department
Bobfest is tieing held the weekend of May
;>o-;in in Avon, a ski i.mmtry town 70 miles
west of Denver
Last year's fast attrni ted 1,000 Bobs.
Wannabobs. Married to a Bobs. Know .1 Bobs
and 1 Wish I Was a Hobs, said Carol Frangos.
spokeswoman for the Vail Valley Marketing
Board.
The town is hoping entertainer Bob llo|>e
wilt stop by this year's event to wish bis
namesake a happy sworn) birthday, while ho
ii( i opts lies! wishes fur liis ‘10th hirthdav
Among i ho ot i r<tt lions tins year are Hut is
Hotting/.oo. featuring tlm Hobby l.lama. 1 he
Hut> it Quo. .1 western street riant e. Hot). Hob
Hohhing Along, a white-water railing evtrnv
agan/a that is free In 'Hobs'' if at < ont|Minieti
hv u (laving t uslumer. ami (Jondola rules tin
Vail Mountain.
It all k11 ks nil the Vail Valiev summer
season and. while it s not the l>est any thing.
Its the I lest ‘just Oh' (dal e to he that week
end.'' said Hobfesl trealor loin "(.all Me
Hob" Brit/. « marketing manager whose
offii e is one him k away from the Bridge
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