Limits Of Castle Laws

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by speeder

Wait...a burglar got shot by someone named "Kaarma"?

Glad to see I'm not the only one who caught that.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Tobra

If someone breaks into my home while I am in it, are they there to rob me, kill me or my family, kidnap someone? I have no way of knowing what their intentions are. I do know that they were not deterred by the lock on the door or window they breached to get in, failed to be dissuaded by the alarm claxon going off, are not terribly concerned about going to prison and view criminal laws as guidelines, rather than rules. I view it as imprudent to allow them the latitude to do as they wish after breaking into my residence. This being the case, it is not likely that both of us will walk out of the house.

They don't deserve to die for stealing, or threating to steal stuff, which is what you guys are saying the people who wish to exercise their Right to defend themselves intend. I deserve to be secure in my home, and worked hard to be in a position where I would be.


The right of a criminal to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness ends at the threshold of my front door. They forfeit those rights the second they break into my house. This is not because I fancy myself to be a judge. It is because I am a US citizen.

I agree whole heartedly, at least with the overall premise of this position. I believe, however, the two situations under discussion involve some unique circumstances. Unique enough to where I no longer think the above applies.

The above assumes that we are surprised in our homes by someone breaking in unexpectedly, and that we have no idea who that someone may be or what their intentions may be. Such was not the case in either situation under discussion. The homeowners pretty well knew who it was, what would entice them to come in, and prepared accordingly. There was no surprise, no fear of the unknown, none of that. They were absolutely sure, as a matter of fact, that no loved ones would be in danger. The homeowners had essentially eliminated every component that would justify their actions under the "unknown persons surprising one in his home and threatening his loved ones" premise.

That premise was non-existent in these cases. These homeowners were hoping they could get some traction with it, playing the part of the terrified homeowner valiantly defending hearth and home from potentially violent invaders, and striking a chord with their fellow Americans that cherish our right to do so. While I maintain we do have that right, that is not what happened here, in either case. They laid in wait like a farmer protecting his henhouse from a marauding fox. They were in equally little danger, but they owed these kids and their families a bit more than the farmer owed the fox.

[Mike80911]

I see how the first story might be looked at as "setting up a potential thief" but what did the homeowner in the second story do to entice these lowlifes? The story says he parked his pick up truck out of sight to give the impression he was not at home. This is setting up these two idiots to break into your home. I guess I need to make sure my car is always parked in front of my house so if someone breaks in and I have to shoot them it does not look as if I set them up.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by Mike80911

I see how the first story might be looked at as "setting up a potential thief" but what did the homeowner in the second story do to entice these lowlifes? The story says he parked his pick up truck out of sight to give the impression he was not at home. This is setting up these two idiots to break into your home. I guess I need to make sure my car is always parked in front of my house so if someone breaks in and I have to shoot them it does not look as if I set them up.

The audio, which was played several times in court, captured the sound of glass shattering, Brady descending the basement stairs and Smith shooting Brady three times. Smith can be heard saying, “You’re dead.” Prosecutors said Smith put Brady’s body on a tarp and dragged him into another room, then sat down, reloaded his weapon and waited.

About 10 minutes later, Kifer came downstairs. More shots are heard on the recording, then Kifer’s screams, with Smith saying, “You’re dying.” It’s followed soon after by another gunshot, which investigators said Smith described as “a good, clean finishing shot.”

The tape continued to run, and Smith was heard referring to the teens as “vermin.” Smith waited a full day before asking a neighbor to call police.

IMHO, this guy enjoyed hunting humans for sport.

[sc_rufctr]

"Complicated" thread???

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED> You have a God given right to protect your home and you shouldn't feel like you're under siege.

Should you shoot someone who stole your stuff? No because it's only stuff.
Should you shoot someone who threatens your family? Yes. It's not nice but you absolutely have a right to protect yourself and your loved ones.

The problem is you don't know what the person entering your home has in mind until after the fact.
Most people would assume a person entering their home is there to hurt them of their family.
I think that's a reasonable assumption considering the history of home invasions.

[Racerbvd]

Should you shoot someone who stole your stuff? No because it's only stuff.

Don't want to get shot, don't steal, really pretty simple. Some "Stuff" is more important than other "Stuff", like things that can't be replaced.

There is no way of knowing someones intentions when they break into your home or business, steal, rape, murder??? Just like all the people whining when the Police shoot an unarmed person who was threatening, attacking or resisting, just how does the officer know that someone is unarmed if they haven't been thoroughly searched??



Sorry, I just don't lose any sleep when someone dies while committing a crime, they made the choice to violate someone else's space and rob them.

[masraum]

70 years

BBC News - Diren Dede: Man handed 70-year term for killing German

A Montana man has been sentenced to 70 years in prison for killing a German exchange student last year.