Jury's Verdict: Abilene 'Mattress Murder' Father Guilty, Son Not Guilty

 

ABILENE – A Taylor County jury found Johnnie Miller guilty and Michael Miller not guilty in the sensational viral video shooting death of Aaron Howard.  

As we reported earlier, the Millers were confronted by a very agitated Howard in an alley over a junk mattress. Warning: this video is too graphic for some viewers.   Howard and Miller were neighbors.  The confrontation escalated until the elderly Miller, 72, produced a handgun and the younger Miller, 36, armed himself with a shotgun. 

The confrontation ended with Johnnie Miller Shooting Howard twice and Michael Miller shooting Howard in the head with the shotgun.  

Defense attorneys argued the Millers were acting in self defense.  Prosecutors said the shooting was murder.  

In the end, the jury found that Johnnie Miller was guilty of murder and Michael Miller was not guilty.  

The punishment phase for Johnny Miller begins Friday in a Taylor County courtroom.  

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Only thing I can think of is the father shot first and maybe the corner said his bullets actually the ones that kill the man.  But I feel the son should have been charged with something.

Since I was not present during deliberations, I can't possibly say how they came to this verdict. But I do see a sequence of events that may have led to Sr. as guilty and Jr. as not. Sr. was under no immediate physical danger when he shot, although being very verbally threatened. So Sr. shot him with his handgun 2 or 3 times, and loudmouth bully threw the metal bat at Sr. causing Jr. to shoot with the shotgun in order to defend Sr. I may be reaching, but I can see a jury coming to that conclusion.

If you do a little research, as painful as it may be, to understand the Texas penal code. You can see that it would be hard for any attorney to defend someone who invited the person they were supposed to feel so "threatened" by to take a swing at them during a conflict of this sort. I can easily see how that one invitation to be punched fouled pops from being cleared of the charges as well. Like Kill Will says, if the pixels don't fit, you must acquit.

This reminds me of Russia and Ukrian, you pick which is which.  All one part has to do is go home and this will not happen, it is all ego.

Hmmmm, Fri, 01/27/2023 - 11:47

They told him calmly to back off multiple times. They shouldn’t be charged with anything. Guy in the orange was way out of line making threats and being that aggressive.

Thats right, take that gun nuts! Be very careful about using that weapon, no like you wouldnt run anyway.

Every single shooting needs to end up in a court room for a jury to decide. Especially when cops shoot people in the streets.

At least the family of the unlawfully slain man will get some justice.

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