by Eric Lendrum
The left-wing crowdfunding website GoFundMe has shut down all fundraisers for an Arizona cattle rancher who defended his property by killing an illegal alien, thus leaving him and his wife to bear the financial burden of the coming legal battle.
The New York Post reports that 73-year-old George Alan Kelly was arrested on Monday on the charge of first-degree murder, with his bail being set at a staggering $1 million.
“GoFundMe’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit campaigns that raise money to cover the legal defense of anyone formally charged with an alleged violent crime,” said a GoFundMe spokesman. “Consistent with this long-standing policy, any fundraising campaigns for the legal defense of someone charged with murder are removed from our platform. Donors who contributed to the fundraising campaigns for George Alan Kelly’s legal expenses have been fully refunded.”
On January 30th, Kelly shot and killed a 48-year-old illegal alien from Mexico after the illegal trespassed on his property in Kino Springs, which is located a mere 150 feet from the southern border. Authorities have since confirmed that the illegal was attempting to enter the United States undetected.
A fundraiser for Kelly is still active on the conservative platform GiveSendGo, where campaign organizer Shannon Pritchard wrote that Kelly acted in self-defense of his property, his cattle, and his wife.
“Neighbors say that he had been having difficulty keeping invaders out and say that Mr. Kelly would have acted in good faith,” said Pritchard. “It is a tragedy that a simple farmer, who should be protected by the government, has been abandoned and had to defend himself. That is bad enough, but the government that caused this, now wishes to persecute him.”
Heather Wilson, the co-founder of GiveSendGo, said that her company would allow the fundraiser for Kelly to continue since the website operates on the “presumption of innocent until proven guilty.”
“We understand we are not the judge and jury,” said Wilson in a statement. “We will not take down campaigns based on our own biases. We will be praying for all involved.”
Although Arizona has a “stand your ground” law that allows the use of physical force as a means of protecting one’s home and property, Kelly’s unusually high bail is putting a significant strain on himself and his wife, who Kelly says is currently unable to run the ranch by herself.
“She’s there by herself,” Kelly said from jail, “nobody to take care of her, the livestock or the ranch.”
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Eric Lendrum reports for American Greatness.
Background Photo “Border Wall” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
