“Among the natural rights [of the people] are these: first, a right to life; secondly, to liberty; thirdly to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can.” –Samuel Adams (1772)

“White Man Kills Two Unarmed Black Men”

Fortunately, that’s not a real headline, but it is the type of hype that emblazons the top of the fold and 24-hour cable news spin “Special Reports.”

However, after investigating a case in Onslow County (Jacksonville/Camp Lejeune), North Carolina, the district attorney made sure that justifiable self-defense did not become fodder for a media feeding frenzy sponsored by race hustlers Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. He did so by never mentioning the race of the victim who shot two black men. In fact, none of the Jacksonville investigators or media outlets have mentioned the race of the shooter. (How the DA achieved that media color-blind cooperation should be a case-study for every city in the nation.)

Heck, if anyone suggested this case might be spun on race, even Barack Hussein Obama might make a campaign stop in North Carolina to issue this proclamation about the two men killed: “If I had sons, they would look like Maurice Skinner and Diego Everette.” (Recall that our Agitator-in-Chief brought the Zimmerman/Martin case in Florida to a national boiling point by announcing, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.”)

However, District Attorney Ernest R. Lee is a modest and humble man singularly devoted to Rule of Law rather than egomaniacal facetime in the national media. Thus, he chose to take the high road. In an interview, Lee told me, “Race, gender, socio-economic status – these are not factors in this case nor should they be. What mattered was gaining a clear understanding of the facts in this case and applying the law.”

Since you’ve likely heard nothing about this case, allow me to enlighten you.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, 15 April, two thugs burglarizing neighborhood cars decided to burglarize a house. Unknown to the perpetrators, the house is owned by a Marine from neighboring Camp Lejeune.

According to the official investigative finding of the Jacksonville Police Department, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the District Attorney, the Marine, who will remain unnamed, returned to his house with another Marine and a civilian friend, around 0140 Sunday after attending a birthday party and then patronizing a local club.

Upon entering his home, the Marine noted that things were not in order. As he walked toward the back of his house, Maurice Skinner, 33, stepped out and hit the Marine in the face with the butt of a Mossberg shotgun belonging to the Marine. Skinner and Diego Everette, also 33, had forced entry through the back of the house and had discovered the shotgun under a bed.

Skinner ordered the Marine and his two friends onto the floor and demanded their wallets and cell phones. Everette and Skinner told the men they would kill them if they caused any problems, but reassuringly noted that they would not shoot the Marine who was a father.

Skinner demanded duct tape and rope with which to bind the three victims.

At one point, as Skinner looked away, the Marine resident reached for the shotgun and a struggle ensued. Everette entered the room and joined the brawl, hitting the Marine and his civilian guest with a crowbar. Skinner broke loose and pointed the shotgun at the Marine saying, “You are going to die now,” and squeezed the trigger. However, while the Marine resident kept the gun loaded, as a safety practice he didn’t keep a round chambered. Thus, the gun did not discharge, leaving Skinner perplexed.

The Marine resident then kicked Skinner and freed the shotgun from the assailant’s hands. The Marine retrieved the firearm, chambered a first round, shot Skinner and then shot Skinner again. He then moved to the other side of the room where Everette and the other Marine struggled. The Marine resident shot Everette once and then shot Everette again.

The Marine guest dialed 911 and Jacksonville police officers arrived on the scene minutes later to find perp Skinner and perp Everette deceased. The Marine, his Marine guest and the civilian all had injuries and their clothing was bloodied.

According to District Attorney Lee, “Both Everette and Skinner [had] criminal histories.” Everette had numerous assault charges, but Skinner had the most serious charges including a previous felony conviction for assault. Both had served time in prison. Lee noted that neither of the Marines, nor their civilian guest, had previous criminal convictions.

Lee concluded, “Based upon my review of the facts of this case, the occupants of the residence were justified in using deadly force against both Everette and Skinner because the actions of Everette and Skinner caused the occupants to reasonably believe it necessary to use deadly force to protect their lives. The evidence shows that the occupants of the residence held a reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily harm to themselves and others and that both Everette and Skinner had unlawfully and forcefully entered the residence of the occupants. … Furthermore, the general rules of self-defense and defense of others in North Carolina allow for the use of deadly force when the individual actually, or honestly, believed in the need to defend him or others from death or great bodily injury and the individual’s belief is reasonable in light of the circumstances as they appeared to him at the time.”

If those criteria sound familiar, it’s because they are the basis for the so-called “stand your ground” laws in many states, including Florida, where evidence suggests that George Zimmerman, despite having been all but convicted by Obama, other race hustlers and the Leftmedia, may well be found to have justifiably protected himself by shooting Trayvon Martin. (If Zimmerman is not found “guilty,” prepare for some inner-city turmoil.)

The editor of the Jacksonville Daily News concluded, “The innocent families of the two men who died, and their children in particular (of which Lee says there are nine between the two), must face the unfortunate consequences of the actions of these two men. They have been left to mourn the loss of their loved ones. The community should recognize that they, as much as anyone, are also victims. When individuals choose to break the law, they leave others behind to grieve their actions.”

I certainly don’t mean to spit on the graves of these two thugs, who will no longer pose a threat to anyone, but those occasions when the good guys win are worth noting. It is no small irony that this incident occurred on April 15, Tax Day. Perhaps Everette and Skinner thought they weren’t getting enough of the graft from what Obama calls “redistributive justice” and were motivated by his “fairness doctrine” to redistribute wealth from another’s home to their own.

Unfortunately for them, Skinner and Everette chose the residence of a gun owner, and moreover, a United States Marine. A clue to avoid this house might have been the word “Avengers” stenciled on the home’s mailbox – but they chose to use the backdoor, not the front. Indeed, life is tough, but it’s even tougher when you’re stupid. Likewise, life is short, but it it’s even shorter when you’re stupid.

The day after this incident, Jacksonville PD Chief Mike Yaniero announced increased patrols in the Marine’s neighborhood in order to thwart future burglaries. However, I suspect that even if there are absolutely no patrols, the crime rate there will now be ZERO. And regarding police patrols and deadly threats, as this incident clearly demonstrates, when seconds count, law enforcement assistance is only minutes away.