Ronald Gasser Arrested for Manslaughter … Mug Shot

Ronald Gasser, the Louisiana man who shot and killed former National Football League star running back Joe McKnight in a road rage incident in Terrytown, has been formally charged with manslaughter.

Off the unexpected tirade, Normand did reveal that Gasser pointed his gun at a naval officer after firing at McKnight three times. Gasser, who is white, was arrested late Monday.

Normand defended releasing Gasser after the shooting on Thursday, saying that the decision allowed detectives to interview the man for more than 10 hours without an attorney present and to search his home.

Defending his methods, Normand said that by being patient and conducting business as they had, they were able to make an arrest.

“Our arrest is only as good as the prosecution”, he said.

“In this state, whether we like it or not, we have a very forward-leaning stand your ground, self-defense, justifiable homicide laws – however you want to refer to it – that … creates for us an obligation to make sure that we get it right”.

The sheriff wouldn’t reveal what was said between the two although he said Gasser felt threatened by McKnight’s statements.

Normand’s news conference turned into a profanity-filled rant against those who criticized his department and local politicians who asked for patience. “At some point of time we’re going to have to come to grips with, and we’re going to have to talk about, this dialogue”.

“Shame on you”, Normand admonished, before apologizing to those insulted online. “It’s not really anymore about this case”.

“We better reflect and look at ourselves in the mirror”. He blamed those protestors for “tearing” the community apart.

“Last Thursday, we had a statement by Mr. Gasser”, he said. Some of the rhetoric used, which Normand repeated during the news conference, were racial and anti-gay slurs.

Normand said releasing Gasser last week helped investigators put together the case they have now. Normand stated that McKnight was standing outside his auto when he was shot.

McKnight then got out of his vehicle and the two continued arguing until Gasser pulled a gun and shot McKnight three times, the sheriff said. McKnight then exited the vehicle he was driving and approached Gasser. There is no evidence suggesting McKnight claimed to be armed, Normand added. Normand responded by saying, “If the victim would’ve been white, do you think that this would’ve been said?” “What we had were two adult males engaged in unacceptable behavior who did not know how to deal in conflict resolution”.

The problem may have been that one man cut the other off in traffic, Normand said. “We’re castigating people that are trying to do the right thing”.

“You can believe that we will be going back to the Capitol to work on legislation to make it clear [that] when people commit these crimes, they cannot hide behind laws that were meant to do one thing, and are used to disguise what appears to be [murder]”, state Sen.

When a reporter pushed back by asking if Normand understands “where that fear and anger comes from”, he responded by explaining “black-on-black crime” statistics.

“I don’t mean to be offensive”, he said at the conclusion of the news conference.

Justice appears to be on its way to being served in this case, one that highlights the sad reality that life seems to be a cheap thing to society today.