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Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friends Show Support For Accused Security Guard Murderer
by "Radio Matthew" Keys, published on September 25, 2009 at 3:06PM
Storyline: Crime & Punishment
Before this week, he could have been best described as your average, typical 23-year-old male. A love of cars, technology and fashion is evident from the photos and descriptions that litter his online MySpace and Facebook profiles. Comments from friends show he was much loved and adored, but now those same friends are showing signs of solidarity and support for a man accused of murder.
"My heart goes out to you," friend Christopher Williams wrote Michael "Mykel" Weisz's MySpace profile. "I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt someone on purpose."
But that's exactly what authorities say Weisz did Wednesday morning when he allegedly ran down 64-year-old security guard Leroy Fisher with his car after being ejected from "Badlands," a popular gay Sacramento nightclub. Fisher died from the hit-and-run incident; Weisz and a friend later surrendered to authorities in San Francisco. Authorities say Fisher's death was not accidental.
"We believe he [Weisz] purposefully hit him," police spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong told reporters Wednesday. "It was not an accident."
A passenger that was reportedly with Weisz at the time of the murder has not been charged, though the investigation is still ongoing.
Weisz was booked into Sacramento County Jail early Thursday morning on one count of felony murder and one count of felony hit-and-run. Almost immediately following the news, an influx of friends flocked to Weisz's online profiles to express their support and love.
"Love ya Mykel, here for you!" friend Cheryl Ehara wrote on Weisz's Facebook profile. Another, Tru Calderon, wrote "May God be with you my friend."
The support for Michael Weisz seems underwhelmed compared to the evening vigil for Leroy Fisher, where friends, family and supporters of Sacramento's gay and lesbian community gathered on K Street near a line of gay clubs and businesses to remember a person who felt more like a friend than a security guard. Sacramento resident George Raya frequently hired Fisher for security at events, but was also familiar with Weisz.
"He has a bad reputation," Raya told Sacramento Press reporter Suzanne Hurt. "He's just this wild 23-year-old who gets drunk and doesn't act considerate."
Now, the same 23-year-old adored by family and friends sits behind bars, accused of murdering a beloved community figure. Weisz did not enter a plea when he appeared in Sacramento County court Friday afternoon. Instead, his attorney requested, and was granted, a delay by the court. Weisz's next scheduled appearance in court is set for early October.
A statement reportedly from Weisz's family was placed on his Facebook profile Thursday afternoon on his behalf, thanking the public for their support.
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Matthew Keys is an online news writer for FOX40.com and community contributor to The Sacramento Press. He can be reached by e-mail at mkeys@tribune.com.
Photos appear courtesy Michael Weisz' Facebook profile.
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At the same time, my sympathies to the family of the victim.
Commentator 95811 brings up an excellent point when he asks, "are we a society interested in really rehabilitating people, or are we simply seeking revenge?" Our justice system does fail us often and I personally find it extremely hard to sentence a young 23 year old man to a sentence longer than his life! It was a tragic situation and I think this was a bad decision made by a young man.
Has anyone even THOUGHT that maybe he was trying to escape the body guard since he got in trouble earlier that night and then accidentally hit the security guard as he as being chased? Just a thought. We need to hear all the facts. We just do not know the story yet. Lets keep love, peace, and not hate or revenge in our hearts. God Bless.
I'm not saying I think he's guilty or innocent. I'm just saying I want to hear all the facts before rushing to judgment. It seems as though some would rather go on public opinion...
"Before this week, he could have been best described as your average, typical 23-year-old male"
How can you even say this when one of the photos shows him surrounded by some serious firepower?
This is NOT a typical 23 year old male. To even make such a statement is misleading. Normal people DO NOT surround themselves with guns, and post it online as a normal picture.
These are the kinds of photos i expect from a disturbed individual who is just one incident away from opening up on a crowd
This should be decided on the facts, but he is, at a minimum a criminal guilty of felony hit and run, and should be treated as such.
As far as rehabilitation goes, i dont like anyone going to prison, but if he intentionally ran over this man, with the end result being death, then its a case of manslaughter at the least, and murder at the most.
If it was an accident, then he at least needs to pay for his felonious actions.
The pictures and story say nothing more than he was near guns, was near an iPhone, wore a tie once, was a playful, possible belligerent drunk (wow that's unheard of for 20 something males), and was back later that night at the club. I've heard no eyewitness accounts of the incident, just rough approximations of what may have happened.
I am going to discuss this case with my fellow professionals to see if they agree with me or with thsas, or if they agree with you.
These are people who are in law enforcement, and threat assesment, down to the regular first contact officer.
I want to see what they have to say about this
Here are some facts that arent in dispute.
This person was operating a motor vehicle that was responsible for the death of another human being.
After the incident, this person then fled the scene of this incident.
He is minimally guilty of felony hit and run.
Now,
all that being said, i would like to know the facts as would the people i discuss this with, since they dont rush to judgement, nor would i presume to tell you because my peers say so, this guy is guilty of anything.
You say the pictures say nothing more than he was near guns. If this is all you want to take away so be it.
I can assure you that if this photo was of someone who had been accused of shooting this same man, you would be singing a different tune i think.
You condemn people, calling everything into question, and say dont rush to judgement, but thats exactly what you have done by calling someone who clearly displays warning signs "playful", but that is my opinion, the same as the playful commennt is yours.
The only thing i havent seen you express is sorrow for the loss of Mr Fisher, who was no less beloved than Mr Weisz. That, once again in my opinion, tells its own tale
I think assuming he had tons of guns and used them often is wrong. The picture shows nothing than at one point he was near guns and a photo was taken. Much as he indicates on his facebook profile that he had driven a bunch of exotic cars. I wouldn't expect, if I had seen pictures of him in those cars, that he owned all of them, or drove them often.
The playful wasn't in the context of referring to the guns. It was in reference to him throwing ice at a bartender. For all we know it was playful and the bartender took it the wrong way, or security or whathaveyou. But immediately when people want to convict someone, they immediately make everything he did in his last hours sinister. It ensures that he is the predetermined wrongdoer before any facts or evidence has been shown to indicate the actual series of events.
Please point out to me where i said he had tons of guns and used them often? I pointed out that the guns, like it would be if it were the cars you mentioned, shows something that cars dont.
A person surrounding himself in a photo with exotic cars ( regardless of who they belong to) shouldnt disturb anyone.
A person surrounding themself in a photo with guns, with one resting almost lovingly on his chest, is, or should be a red flag. If it's not then nothing more can be said to discuss this because it's a case of you believe one way and i another, which only makes us of differing opinions.
I made nothing in his last hourse sinister, nor did i say i wanetd to convict someone, you somehow reached that conclusion from my posts, so let me clear it up by saying that i merely said IF he was guilty then he should be punished.
IF he is innocent he should be immediately released.
I do however hope you can at least concede that he turned himself into the police as the driver of the vehicle that struck Mr. Fisher, since if he wasnt the driver, they could not still be holding him, even as a material witness, nor could they charge him with PC 187, which isnt in dispute.
But, i will concede that he may be entirely innocent, and i will ignore all other facts except one.
In my charge if you and Mr. Weisz were employees at a site i was hired to protect, and i encountered Mr Weisz's photo with the guns, if i didnt note him as a threat and consider him a security risk, i could (rightfully) be sued for failure to perform my duties.
You want to downplay the guns he surrounds himself with like its some wantonly silly activitiy that commonly occurs. I will concede that point to you only if you can show me similar photos
I do concede that he turned himself in, however that isn't proof that he did anything. Only that they were looking for him, and he thought it better to do that, than to hide. I do acknowledge that they've charged him (PC187 and VC20001), however an accusation isn't a verdict.
A photo of a person with guns should be reason to consider him a threat? I don't want to start something new. And by no means am I a gun advocate, although I will concede that I don't see a problem with people owning them. But by your statement, you have a problem and would see as a threat, someone who was doing something that they are allowed to do under the Constitution. How does that seem like a valid argument?
Lastly, I don't think it's a silly activity. The picture says nothing of his ownership or use of the gun. Just that he was near them at some point.
I appreciate the fact that we can have this discussion, and although i feel i was unable to get my point across, you most likely feel the same way.
I want to make it clear that i am a gun owner, and a supporter of peoples right to gun ownership.
I do however feel that this is a right that should be excerised with the utmost of care, and that to publicly post a photo of yourself surrounded by some pretty serious firepower, shows a disregard for the serious nature that i hold ownership in.
Doesnt mean im right, just means its how i feel
Thanks Paul for making me think, and examine things rationally. I hate coming to boards and trying to talk to someone, and feeling like we are just in an arguement, and not a discussion.
I dont know if you are a friend of Mr Wiesz's or not, but believe me when i say i feel sorry for him, since even though i think he shows really bad judgement, and may have even been acting like an idiot, i dont believe he is a malicious person, so i hope there can be some good to come from this.
I will follow the case, as i am sure you will, and i am curious to see the outcome
I will definitely be following this case.
Oh and QuickWord, if my comments are the stupidest thing you have ever read, then you really need to get out more
With that being said. That is just a few of the FACTS of things that happened that night.
My heart goes out to the victim who passed. Tragedy comes but it only makes up stronger.