A 64-year-old grandfather is being charged with murder, but it's not his crime that has people talking. It's his victim and his motive.

Hubbard Junior Hall shot his own son to death after a heated argument about his granddaughter.

Mark Hall, was driving home from a softball game with his daughter and wife, Martha. Police say that at some point he received a phone call which made him fly into a rage. He started hitting his 12-year-old daughter and wouldn't stop.

The beating continued until the family arrived at their house in Mobile, Alabama. Mark lived directly behind his parents and his father came to intervene. Mark tried to drag his daughter into the home, but Hubbard wouldn't allow it.

The two got into an intense argument that only ended when Hubbard pulled out a handgun and shot his son in the stomach.

It's hard to justify a murder, especially when a parent kills their child, but was it necessary in order to protect his granddaughter?

The police will let that courts decide that later this year.