Don Beason said he was afraid when another motorist walked up to his truck.
On the stand today, the former lobbyist said that he honked briefly after Jason Batten pulled in front of his truck in Cameron Village. He said Batten then walked over to his truck, cursing and making obscene gestures, and tried to open the door.
At that point, Beason told the court he pulled the gun from the floor of the truck and set it on the passenger seat. He said he did not point it or wave it at Batten.
"With the man's demeanor, the look on his face and pulling on the door handle, I was concerned for my safety," he said.
On the incident at City Market, Beason said he mistook air conditioning repairman Steve Bass for a "panhandler." He claimed the man reached into the truck, prompting him to pull the gun out. Again, he said he did not point it or wave it at the other man.
"I never threatened anyone with a weapon," he said.
Batten denies threatening Beason, and Bass says he did not reach into the truck.
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Re: Beason's defense
ARE YOU AMERICAN CITIZENS? DID YOU FORGET THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION?
"A WELL REGULATED MILITIA BEING NECESSARY TO THE SECURITY OF A FREE STATE, THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED"
THIS MAN WAS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN. WHETHER HE WAS A MILLIONAIRE, A BLACK PERSON, A WHITE PERSON, A POOR PERSON, A WOMAN, A MAN - HE HAS THE UNITED STATES RIGHT TO DEFEND HIMSELF. THIS PORTION OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS SEPARATES US FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. IT IS PRECIOUS.
DO YOU WANT TO BE ATTACKED IN YOUR CAR? DO YOU WANT YOUR WIFE, CHILDREN, OR HUSBAND TO BE THREATENED BY AN ANGRY PERSON WALKING UP TO YOUR CAR WHEN YOU ARE NOT THERE TO PROTECT THEM? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TAKE THAT CHANCE? IF YOU WERE IN A LIFE THREATENING POSITION, WOULDN'T YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE A FIREARM IN YOUR POSSESSION OR CAR, WHETHER THROUGH A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT OR THROUGH YOUR RIGHT TO CARRY A FIREARM FOR PROTECTION? IF YOU ARE A U.S. LAWFUL CITIZEN, INTELLIGENT, AND HOLD YOUR LIFE AND THOSE OF YOUR LOVED ONES PRECIOUS, YOU WILL AGREE.
JASON BATTEN WAS AT FAULT IN ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GETTING OUT OF HIS VEHICLE TO PURSUE BEASON WHO WAS SITTING AND HONKING IN HIS OWN VEHICLE. ANYONE WITH LOGIC CAN SEE JASON BATTEN WAS THE PERPETRATOR AND THE AGGRESSOR OF THE INCIDENT. IT WAS HE WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUNISHED.
BEASON WAS COMPLETELY WITHIN LEGAL LIMITS AND ABIDING BY THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND HIS INALIENABLE RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE. HOW CAN ONE QUESTION THE INTENT OF SOMEONE WHO IS UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO LEAVE HIS VEHICLE AND APPROACH YOUR OWN IN THIS DAY AND AGE? YOU'RE FOOLISH TO NOT EXPECT THE WORST, TO ALWAYS BE ON GUARD.
OBVIOUSLY BEASON WAS NOT WAVING OR POINTING A GUN AT BATTEN. IF SO, BATTEN WOULD NEVER HAVE LEFT HIS OWN VEHICLE IF HE KNEW A GUN WAS BEING POINTED AT HIM. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO AFRAID. CASE IN POINT:
GUNS DETER CRIMINALS.
TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, WHAT KIND OF TWISTED PERSON FOLLOWS SOMEONE THEY JUST TRIED TO ATTACK? IF BEASON WOULD HAVE CALLED THE POLICE FIRST, EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN REVERSED. BATTEN BEAT HIM TO THE CHASE, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE REALIZED HIS OWN MISTAKE IN GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR AND APPROACHING THE VEHICLE UNDER THE CONFLICTING CIRCUMSTANCE. HE DECIDED TO CALL THE POLICE FIRST AND PLAY "VICTIM" BEFORE BEASON COULD.
I HOPE JUDGE JOY HAMILTON IS NOT RELATED TO ALEXANDER HAMILTON. IF SHE IS A DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, SHE HAS JUST COMMITTED A GRAVE INJUSTICE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR FOUNDING FATHERS AND EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR.
I AM A DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (DAR). FIVE OF MY ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS WRITTEN IN THE CONSTITUTION, IN THIS CASE THE RIGHT THAT ALLOWS MEN AND WOMEN LIKE BEASON TO BEAR ARMS FOR THEIR PERSONAL PROTECTION. IT IS MY DUTY AND THAT OF OTHER AMERICANS TO UPHOLD THESE RIGHTS UNTIL OUR LAST BREATHS.