Murder or job well done?

[DannyD]

Some of ya's in this area might already know the story. The basics are a crook breaks into this guys house. The guy catches him in the act, & the crook flees. The guy chases the crook for a few blocks & then shoots him.

If you were to rule on this, what would be your verdict?

For what it's worth, I'd let the guy walk scott free. To my knowledge he has no previous arrest record. If he does the article didn't state it. So even though he didn't shoot him inside his house, the crook deserved to be shot.

 

[RLENT]

Ya might wanna think about that one a little more ....

 

[EnglishLady]

There was a similar case in England a few years back - 2 burglars broke into a farmhouse, the farmer shot one dead and wounded another outside the farmhouse.
(I have to add here that most of the UK was behind the farmer and still support his actions to this day)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)
For some reason this link is not opening the actual page - but you can see where you need to go ... Tony Martin (Farmer)
Thanks RLENT

So your scenario would, IMO, be the same - the "good guy" is not being endangered at the time of the shooting and could be charged.
It would not be a case of self defence.

 

[RLENT]

Sue,

Your link needs fixed.

 

[EnglishLady]

Sue,

Your link needs fixed.

Thanks RLENT - sorta fixed it LOL ..... use link and then go to Tony Martin (Farmer)

 

[xiggi]

As much as I would like to think the guy was in the right he wasn't.

 

[jaminjim]

Legally wrong is my guess, morally not so wrong.

 

[layoutshooter]

Everyone has a RIGHT to defend their lives and property. Many areas have usurped that right. It has become very clear that the "authorities" are NOT able to protect everyone, every house at all times. I would have NO problem stopping a thief from stealing what I legally own. I would have NO problem killing someone who is a threat to my family. IF they are IN my home they ARE a threat.

I would not run them down and shoot them in the back. Catch them in the act, they are toast. I work hard to provide a comfortable life for my family. NO ONE has a RIGHT to OUR property. I WILL protect my family AND property by any means that I have available to me.

We have had our house robbed, twice. Once in England thieves took 300 pounds. Here they took several items, including guns. Had I been home in EITHER case, those thefts would NOT have happened, neither would a trial.

 

[jjoerger]

If I were on the jury I would vote not guilty. Reason: Temporary insanity due to the heat of the moment.

 

[Mixerman2006]

I have no sympathy for a thief. In the 15 years i have owned my house it has been broken into four times and ive had a truck stolen out of my driveway. Its a shame that those of us who chose to work are not allowed to have anything nice to show for it. I often wonder why i even bother working at all. It seems all im doing is providing or enabling the low life useless scum of pontiac. Why should they work when i will for them? As far as im concerned that ******* got what he deserves.

 

[layoutshooter]

I have no sympathy for a thief. In the 15 years i have owned my house it has been broken into four times and ive had a truck stolen out of my driveway. Its a shame that those of us who chose to work are not allowed to have anything nice to show for it. I often wonder why i even bother working at all. It seems all im doing is providing or enabling the low life useless scum of pontiac. Why should they work when i will for them? As far as im concerned that ******* got what he deserves.

LOL!! Now tell us how you REALLY feel!!! Welcome to the forums!

 

[chefdennis]

I understand how the guy felt, yea you can defend yourself , family and property, and I understand the frustration of mulitple robberies, but you just can't chase a thief down and kill him....you are no longer "defending" at that point....

 

[layoutshooter]

You are right, you can't run them down and kill them. You SHOULD be allowed to run them down and STOP them, WITHOUT endangering YOUR life! Even in my home and on my property I would PREFER to "shoot to disable" but then I am likely to be sued by the THIEF!! Strange, thieves have MORE "RIGHTS" than law abiding, hard working, property owners. Of course, they are only following the example of our government, the biggest "den of thieves" in this Nation!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

yeah and should this guy shoot the robber and the shot is a thru and thru or richoches..(sp) and takes out an innocent bystander is just as bad...he should be charged with public endangerment and discharging a weapon in public...

 

[LDB]

Unfortunately for him he's in the wrong legally and will have problems because of it. Fortunately for society he didn't miss. I know, that comment will appoplexify (sic) a few of our members but oh well.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Unfortunately for him he's in the wrong legally and will have problems because of it. Fortunately for society he didn't miss. I know, that comment will appoplexify (sic) a few of our members but oh well.

Hopefully the good guy won't get raked over the coals too badly...

 

[layoutshooter]

Hopefully the good guy won't get raked over the coals too badly...

In Michigan? Not likely. There is a VERY good chance that he will get reamed by the courts and sued by that THIEF'S family!! I mean, after all, not allowing him to rob and steal takes away their income!! They surviving family will be forced to become drug dealers or thieves themselves to support the lifestyle that they are entitled to!

 

[EnglishLady]

In Michigan? Not likely. There is a VERY good chance that he will get reamed by the courts and sued by that THIEF'S family!! I mean, after all, not allowing him to rob and steal takes away their income!! They surviving family will be forced to become drug dealers or thieves themselves to support the lifestyle that they are entitled to!

Which is why I put the link on for Tony Martin, it is so similar.

The buglars were in his house when he fired the first shots, the first buglar was shot inside the house, managed to climb outside before he died. The second was shot & wounded on Martin's property and its Martin who is serving a life sentence - preposterous.
And Yes the wounded buglar tried sueing Martin - it was thrown out but only AFTER the thief was granted Legal Aid to pursue his claim against Martin.


I do hope your jurors are more lenient than ours were.

 

[greg334]

Sue,
Edit the post with the link and do this

Put your cursor between the e and the r in farmer

type in er)

then hit the delete key until the black ) is gone which should be twice

that will fix the link

 

[DannyD]

Some interesting thoughts here. When I saw the Tony Martin link, my gf is from England & I was like "holy cow!! that's one of the first mega conversations we had, this guy Tony Martin. I remember that story!!!!" Brought back a flood of nice memories.

I liked the comment about "temporay insanity due to the heat of the moment." That was pretty much perfectly said.

I have only read a newspaper article on it. By this I mean the hard copy, not something online. The trial is ongoing. His trial date is Jan 10 if I recall it right. The prosecution seems peeved because the judge used some small thing to throw out the trial (he'd been tried before I guess) & it's the same judge for the new trial. ie, the prosecution thinks the judge is already on the defendants side.

For that I say GOOD!!!!!

I'm also glad that the guy who shot & killed the guys who raped his daughter is free. Glad people on that jury had some common sense.

And yea, I've been broken into also. Once in my apartment & once in my car. Both times I was MF'in PIZZED!!! That's where I can see the temp insanity plea being true. I'm not a tough guy, not violent, nothing like that.

This is a rant, but it's how I felt at the time(s). In these cases, I wanted to kill em. Not shoot em, that would be too quick. I wanted em to die by cutting off their fingers & toes 1 by 1. Along the way drop some acid in thier eyes. I realize that's the talk of a lunatic, but that's how I felt when I found out I was robbed.

Finally, those crooks haven't stolen nearly as much from me as our government has.