Subj : Re: Anyone out there have any?
To   : Nightfox
From : Lizard King
Date : Mon Oct 22 2018 13:34:13

  Re: Re: Anyone out there have any?
  By: Nightfox to Lizard King on Mon Oct 22 2018 10:07:19

 > I've always wondered about the possible legal issues of shooting someone,
 > even if it's in defense.  I'd tend to wonder that they could charge you with
 > assault or something.  But then even if you didn't use a gun and instead hit
 > someone with something in defense, I suppose they could potentially consider
 > that assault too..

Laws on this vary by state so it's dangerous making generalizations about it.

In WA where I live, you are justified in using deadly force if someone breaks
into your house.  It has to be the house -- if they break into your detached
garage and you shoot them you could be charged with murder.  If you shoot them
on your lawn, you can be charged with murder.  So know the laws.  Also keep in
mind that even if you are in the right, the police may arrest you anyway.  They
may leave it up to a judge to decide you were right.  This often varies by city
and county.  In my city, you will likely NOT be arrested if you shoot an
intruder and all the evidence is consistent with the story you tell.  In
Seattle proper, you're probably going to be arrested.

Hitting them with something that could kill them, like a baseball bat, will
land you in the same situation you'd be in if you shot them and they didn't
die.  Ditto for stabbing them, attacking them with a sword, or anything else.

Personally, if I feel like my life is in danger, I'm going to do whatever I can
to eliminate that threat.  What I'm not going to do is to give the other person
every reason to kill me (say, by waving a knife around in their face) while not
doing anything to stop them from doing it.

I mentioned a book in this thread already "In the Gravest Extreme"... it is
worth picking up for anyone who is considering owning a firearm for
self-defense.  It covers a lot of this.   Another good book on predicting
violence is "The Gift of Fear".  If you pay attention to the stuff in that
book, it can keep you out of situations like that in the first place, which is
definitely the way to go.

//lizard_king

---
 þ Synchronet þ Retro Underground - retrounderground.org:6423

.