Homeless Man Sues Oregon Business Owner for $10 Million After Being Shot During Break-In

A homeless man is suing the owner of an Oregon business he was trying to rob for $10 million.

Kenneth Voyles, who was homeless at the time of the incident, is suing James Grant, the owner of a Portland countertop manufacturing business, for shooting him three times on a cold winter’s morning.

The Multnomah County Circuit Court heard testimony that Voyles planned to look for food and items to rob when he broke into the business before dawn.

Voyles assumed that the premises were unoccupied, and was taken by surprise when the owner, who lived in a back room, suddenly appeared.

Evidence was that Grant threw a cup of urine and heavy tiles at the intruder. Grant then left the area momentarily, reappearing with a gun which he used to shoot Voyles three times in the torso and arm.

The Owner’s Reaction to the Intruder’s Appearance Exceeded the Boundaries of Acceptable Behavior

Voyles claims that the owner’s reaction to his presence exceeded the boundaries of acceptable behavior and has asked the jury to award him $10 million in damages.

Voyles was 43 at the time of the incident. and Grant was 70. Parts of the confrontation were recorded on a surveillance video.

The violent confrontation occurred at 5.30 a.m. on March 6, 2023. Voyles entered Touchstone Granite & Marble on Northeast Columbia Boulevard by forcing his way through an outside gate, prying plywood from a garage door and cutting through metal bars to gain entry.

When Voyles was arrested after the incident, he had multiple convictions for burglaries at businesses and vehicle theft. He was convicted of first-degree burglary and menacing, and was sentenced to five years of drug treatment.

The trial continues this week.