Oregon man gets life for killing adult son
BEND, Ore. (AP) — A 62-year-old Central Oregon man who fatally shot his drunken adult son after an argument was sentenced Friday to life in prison.
Jim Hargrave will get a chance for parole in 25 years, but he's already frail from a stroke and other ailments. As he was led from the courtroom, his wife, Pamela, yelled, "stay strong." And a sobbing sound was heard as the door shut, KTVZ-TV reported.
A jury last week convicted Hargrave of killing his 29-year-old son, Steven, in December.
According to trial testimony, Hargrave fired the shot after the two began arguing in their Tumalo home. Steven Hargrave, who at the time of his death had a 0.38 blood-alcohol level as well as traces of drugs in his system, threatened to attack his father, who told him to come over and try.
When the son approached, Jim Hargrave shot him in the chest.
Hargrave and his attorneys argued that the shot was fired in self-defense. Prosecutors said Hargrave acted in anger after growing tired of his son's abuse.
Hargrave declined to speak when given the chance by Judge Wells Ashby, who imposed the mandatory sentence. His wife, however, did address the courtroom.
"We all know what's happened," Pamela Hargrave said. "Anyone who has never lived around an alcoholic, or someone who is mental and violent like that, would never know."
Judge Ashby said the case was a troubling one for the jury to weigh, and the family to watch.
"This is a very tragic case, and I think you know that," Ashby told Hargrave. "I think it's tragic, for several reasons. You took the life of your son, and you've really taken the companionship away from your son Kenneth and your wife."
District Attorney Patrick Flaherty said he never believed Hargrave was afraid of his son.
"The word 'tragedy' has been used frequently, and every murder is tragic," Flaherty said. "But this one is particularly disturbing and distressing, because you have a father who murdered his son."
Jim Hargrave will get a chance for parole in 25 years, but he's already frail from a stroke and other ailments. As he was led from the courtroom, his wife, Pamela, yelled, "stay strong." And a sobbing sound was heard as the door shut, KTVZ-TV reported.
A jury last week convicted Hargrave of killing his 29-year-old son, Steven, in December.
According to trial testimony, Hargrave fired the shot after the two began arguing in their Tumalo home. Steven Hargrave, who at the time of his death had a 0.38 blood-alcohol level as well as traces of drugs in his system, threatened to attack his father, who told him to come over and try.
When the son approached, Jim Hargrave shot him in the chest.
Hargrave and his attorneys argued that the shot was fired in self-defense. Prosecutors said Hargrave acted in anger after growing tired of his son's abuse.
Hargrave declined to speak when given the chance by Judge Wells Ashby, who imposed the mandatory sentence. His wife, however, did address the courtroom.
"We all know what's happened," Pamela Hargrave said. "Anyone who has never lived around an alcoholic, or someone who is mental and violent like that, would never know."
Judge Ashby said the case was a troubling one for the jury to weigh, and the family to watch.
"This is a very tragic case, and I think you know that," Ashby told Hargrave. "I think it's tragic, for several reasons. You took the life of your son, and you've really taken the companionship away from your son Kenneth and your wife."
District Attorney Patrick Flaherty said he never believed Hargrave was afraid of his son.
"The word 'tragedy' has been used frequently, and every murder is tragic," Flaherty said. "But this one is particularly disturbing and distressing, because you have a father who murdered his son."
I'm sorry, I'm not buying the self defense! Chances are the father knew his son well and probably knew the condition he was in. He knew he was tempermental and threatened to attack him, and he stood there and literally dared him and challenged him to do it! Not a smart idea! And he literally thought that was the best way to handle it? You know what? I have been in a VERY simular situation and I can definitely tell you there were better ways to handle that, and he in fact did not! When you're in a position like that with a family member, you're supposed to help stop the conflict, not let it esculate to something bigger, which I know from experience! I'm sorry! The father made the wrong decision!
Only in America can "big money bankers and politicians"" rook our entire country, cause HUGE financial upheaval, cause people to commit suicide, destroy the lives of MILLIONS of people....and not see a DAY in jail. Some poor old man, tired of being abused by his drunk, drug addicted son, pulls the trigger, and gets life. Let him off with "time served" already. He doesn't have much time left, and he will live with the guilt of killing his son for the rest OF that time.
 @Wolfen Sounds like he invited the son over to him though, then shot him as he came over. At .38 BAL, the son surely couldn't react quickly and maybe didn't even realize what was happening. Should that have happened, where he was so drunk his own father feared for his life? No. But should his father have taken his life when he could have forced his son outside or called 911? Doesn't sound like it to me.
How sad that the father had to do this. I understand the fear that he may have had and I do not feel that he should do any time. I really hope he gets an appeal. Â This dad does not deserve to be behind bars.Â
 @Just my say If the father had FIRST shown the gun and said (in effect) 'make my day', then possibly self defense could be claimed. But it seems he rather egged his son on and there is no mention of him showing the gun until just before he fired.
 @Commenter87643 There is also no mention that the father carried around a gun at all times and the son knew about it. However there is mention about the son alcohol level and that he had other drugs in his system, and the wife even said "We all know what's happened Anyone who has never lived around an alcoholic, or someone who is mental and violent like that, would never know." Sounds like she is saying her son had a problem and was violent.Â
 @Just my say Just because the son was known to be violent doesn't excuse his father's actions. They should have banned the son from their home (& possibly their lives) years prior to that altercation. It's called 'tough love'.
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Having had alcoholic family members, I have had to use the tough love. It's harder to do than shooting someone, even someone you love a lot. To shoot them, you need only to be angry with them (and that's not too hard when dealing with an alcoholic), when they get drunk. Anyone dealing with an alcoholic knows that chances are really good, that sooner or later, drunk is going to happen.
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Given that, this sounds a little premeditated on the part of the father.
Tragic. Â And I am not certain the outcome is just. Â Maybe justice will be served on appeal.
This could have ended up much differently if only they had more guns in the house
 @cyclops Not a funny joke. Not cool, he should get life in Prison... fair sentence for sure. No matter the situation, there is ALWAYS a better resolution that fighting... let alone killing someone. I can't believe he shot his son. He could have handled that MUCH differently... duh, talking would have worked. Or, maybe pin your son down and wait for police to come and tame down the situation/take the son to jail for drunk and disorderly, but killing him is outrageous!