William Woodward Trial

Prosecutors said Billy Woodward can be seen on a home security camera, crawling across the street from his house and opening fire on three men. Roger Picior and Gary Hembree died in the shootings. One of them was shot 29 times, police said. Bruce Blake was hit 11 times and survived.

Woodward unsuccessfully argued that he was standing his ground.

The “stand your ground” law does not require a shooter to be on his own property, but it does require the shooter to believe an unlawful and forcible act was occurring at the time of the incident.

The defense claims Woodward suffered months of threats and was defending his family.

“This is an accumulation of a month’s worth of harassment and threats to rape his daughter,” defense attorney Greg Eisenmenger said. “And one of the most important threats to remember — that had been made on more than one occasion — during this month, is to burn their house while they sleep.”

Prosecutors said the feud between Woodward and the victims started weeks before the shootings when Woodward accused Hembree’s daughter of stealing a present left at his home.

The defense claims that the shootings weren’t premeditated but legally justified because Woodward believed there to be an imminent threat.

The state argues that there was no imminent threat against Woodward because the victims were drunk and unarmed, and that Woodward’s actions were out of anger, not fear.

Assistant State Attorney Bill Respess said Woodward was a self-described warrior and a hunter.

Repress said the slain neighbors were Woodward’s prey, that he was at war with them.

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