Court throws out part of conviction in 2013 porch shooting

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit-area man who fatally shot a young woman on his porch will get a new sentencing hearing after the Michigan Supreme Court threw out part of his conviction. The court said Wednesday that Ted Wafer’s constitutional rights were violated when a jury was allowed to convict him of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the 2013 death of Renisha McBride. It’s an important result for Wafer because his sentencing guidelines for murder were enhanced by the manslaughter conviction. He has served nearly eight years of a minimum prison sentence of 17 years. Wafer opened his front door in Dearborn Heights and shot the 19-year-old woman through a screen door before dawn. He said he was scared and awakened by pounding, though he didn’t call 911 first.