- In full:
- Bernhard Hugo Goetz, Jr.
- Born:
- November 7, 1947, Queens, New York, U.S. (age 79)
Bernhard Goetz
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Who is Bernhard Goetz?
Bernhard Goetz (born November 7, 1947) is an American vigilante known for shooting four African American males on a New York City subway train on December 22, 1984, an event that triggered widespread debate about race and crime in America.
Goetz, who had a degree in electrical and nuclear engineering, was working at an electronics business when, after being mugged a second time in 1981, he began carrying a concealed handgun without a permit.
On that day in 1984, Goetz shot Barry Allen, Darrell Cabey, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur, after Canty asked him for money. Goetz surrendered to authorities and was eventually indicted on weapons possession and attempted murder charges. He was convicted of criminal possession of a handgun and served less than a year in jail because his lawyer successfully argued self-defense. In 1996, Cabey brought a civil case against Goetz and was awarded $43 million in damages.
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What does it mean to be a 'vigilante'?
A vigilante is someone who considers the legal system inadequate and takes the law into their own hands by suppressing and punishing crime. The term, which came into use in English in the 19th century, is often applied to self-appointed individuals or groups who enforce laws without regard for due process or the general rule of law.
Bernhard Goetz is an American vigilante who shot four African American males on a New York City subway train in 1984. Goetz said that he shot them because he believed they were about to mug him.
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What happened on the New York City subway involving Bernhard Goetz in 1984?
On December 22, 1984, Bernhard Goetz, an American vigilante, shot four African American men on a New York City subway train. Goetz claimed the men were attempting to rob him, but he was eventually found not guilty of attempted murder, though convicted of illegal weapons possession and served less than a year in prison. One of the men, Cabey, was shot twice, resulting in paralysis from a severed spinal cord. Goetz surrendered to authorities on December 31, 1984, and faced a grand jury in late January 1985, which indicted him on three counts of illegal weapons possession. The event triggered widespread debate about race and crime in America. In 1996, Cabey won a civil case against Goetz and was awarded $43 million in damages.
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Why did Bernhard Goetz become a controversial figure after the subway shooting?
Bernhard Goetz became a controversial figure after he shot four Black men on a New York City subway train on December 22, 1984. Goetz claimed the men were attempting to rob him, and he acted in self-defense.
The incident triggered widespread debate about race and crime in America. Goetz was acquitted of attempted murder but was convicted of illegal weapons possession and served less than a year in prison. In 1996, in a civil case brought against Goetz by Cabey, Goetz was found responsible for the harm inflicted on Cabey and was ordered to pay him $43 million in damages.
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How did the public and the legal system respond to Goetzâs actions?
Bernhard Goetz, after shooting four African American males on a New York City subway in 1984, became a figure in a widespread debate about race and crime in America. Goetz surrendered to authorities and was indicted on charges ranging from illegal weapons possession to attempted murder.
Public opinion initially leaned in Goetz's favor but later waned as political pressures on the prosecution increased. In court, Goetz's lawyer successfully argued self-defense, leading to his conviction only for criminal possession of a handgun and a sentence of less than a year in jail. In a 1996 civil case, he was found responsible for the harm inflicted on one of the victims and was ordered to pay $43 million in damages.
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What impact did the Bernhard Goetz case have on discussions about crime and self-defense in the United States?
The Bernhard Goetz case sparked intense discussions about crime and self-defense in the United States. Goetz, after being mugged in 1981, shot four Black men on a New York City subway in 1984, claiming self-defense. This claim ignited debates about race, crime, and the limits of self-defense.
Goetz was acquitted of attempted murder but convicted for illegal weapons possession, serving a short jail term. A subsequent civil case found him responsible for harm to one of the men, awarding $43 million in damages. The case occurred amid rising crime rates and fears, influencing the jury, some of whom had experienced crime.
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Bernhard Goetz (born November 7, 1947, Queens, New York, U.S.) is an American vigilante who rose to national fame when he shot four African American males on a New York City subway train on December 22, 1984. The event was notable for triggering widespread debate about race and crime in America.
Goetz earned a bachelorâs degree in electrical and nuclear engineering from New York University in 1969. He was working at an electronics business he had established in his apartment when he was mugged for a second time in 1981, after which he began carrying a concealed handgun despite having no permit to do so.
In the afternoon of December 22, 1984, Goetz shot Barry Allen, Darrell Cabey, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur while riding the number 2 train in New York City. The incident began when Canty asked how Goetz was doing. Goetz interpreted the inquiry as a prelude to a mugging. Canty then approached Goetz and asked for money. Goetz produced a .38 calibre handgun and shot the four youths. Goetz later stated that he shot Cabey a second time, after saying, âYou seem to be all right, hereâs another.â The shot severed Cabeyâs spinal cord and resulted in his paralysis. The conductor heard the shots and engaged the emergency brake, bringing the train to a stop. Goetz stepped from the train and disappeared into the subway tunnel after briefly checking on two nearby passengers. Reports indicated that the youths had three screwdrivers in their possession.
Goetz surrendered to authorities in Concord, New Hampshire, on December 31, 1984. A grand jury was convened in late January 1985, and he was indicted on three counts of illegal weapons possession. The grand jury failed to return an indictment on the more serious charges facing Goetz, including attempted murder and assault. The favourable public opinion he enjoyed immediately following the shooting began to wane, and political pressures on the prosecution increased. As a result, the case against Goetz was brought to a second grand jury. On March 27, 1985, he was indicted by a second grand jury on a total of 13 charges ranging from illegal weapons possession to attempted murder. Prior to the start of the trial in the spring of 1987, a significant portion of the indictment was dismissed by a state supreme court judge due to the instructions to the grand jury associated with the reasonable person standard for self-defense; the charges were later reinstated by the Court of Appeals.
Goetzâs lawyer was able to successfully argue a claim of self-defense. New York law allows deadly force in self-defense to thwart an attempted robbery. In the case of Goetz, the four men did not show the screwdrivers to him, although he claimed that one of the men had his hand in his pocket and there appeared to be an unidentified object. The defense centred on Goetzâs belief of impending physical harm if he did not comply with their demands for money. Goetz faced a jury that included several people who had had experience with crime and fear of crime. As a result, he was convicted for criminal possession of a handgun and found not guilty on the other charges; he served less than a year in jail.
In a 1996 civil case brought against Goetz by Cabey, he was found not guilty of the more serious criminal charges stemming from the shooting, but he was found responsible for the harm inflicted on Cabey. The jury awarded Cabey $18 million in damages for the physical harm and $25 million in punitive damages.