If An Intruder Entered Your Home What Would You Do?

[dex]

I still favor some gun controls, like waiting periods and background checks. I would also support required training before you purchase a gun. Water is too far over the bridge for much in the way of bans. I do not support most concealed carry laws and the one in Minnesota is an embarrassment. If you don't want guns in your business premises, you have to post a "no guns allowed" sign and have a mechanism for checking your weapon. Blech.

Not to change the subject but I think we do the same for having children -
background checks on the parents and training. A teenager can be much more dangerous than any gun.

 

[Marquette]

I would be interested in knowing more about the legality of self defense in your home. I vaguely remember something like, if you have an opportunity to escape without fear for your safety you are obligated to do that, but if that's not possible then you are allowed to use force. I wonder if this may vary by state.

Wikipedia is as good of a place to start as any. Castle Doctrine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Castle Law, or Castle Doctrine, gives a person the legal right to defend themselves and others in their house from intruders using deadly force. It does vary by state. I don't recall which state, but someone shot a burglar entering his neighbor's house... happened rather recently. I believe the sentiment there is that castle law did not extend to allow you to protect another person's castle.

 

[Marquette]

Not to change the subject but I think we do the same for having children -
background checks on the parents and training. A teenager can be much more dangerous than any gun.

And mandatory vasectomies if you fail the test three times! That might cut down on the amount of stupid out there.

 

[mathjak107]

although self defence falls unter state laws usually it really goes by localities and what you can get away with. although most state laws read that deadly force can be used in cases of your home being burglarized or robbed its a real gray area.

every thing is tit for tat. as an example here in nyc my car in my drive way was being broken into almost regularly. it got to the point i didnt lock the door anymore nor did i put a radio back in.

i thought about putting a silent pager alarm on and bagging the scum. i could have surprised him in the middle of the night, put my gun to his head and waited for the cops.

bad move, just going down with the gun makes me the bad guy. he was commiting petty larcneny , i threatned his life. now hes the victim. worse is if we scabble over the gun and hes shot, im in trouble again as whom ever escalates the force to the next level is guilty. if he has no weapon, i cant, if he has a bat i can have a bat etc. but i have to always be the one to react last.

now the sticky stuff, theyre 2 of them and they are both 6ft 3 and 300lbs. now what? what if they are beating me with deadly force and i shoot one, do i still have the right to shoot the other or in the eyes of the law are we even up again.

how far away do i have to be to shoot? were they leaving and no longer a threat. as you can see there is just different shades of gray. i decided to do nothing because even if i was innocent but had to go to court this could cost me 50 grand. once again the criminals have all the rights and we have none

unless you live in dukes of hazard country anyone who thinks if they shot a bad guy in their home isnt going to have legal grief over it is in for a rude awakening about the finer points of the a mans home is his castle clause. even if your found not guilty criminally there will probley be a civil suit next that may leave you penny less. either the bad guy or his heirs will sue the pants off you. remember he only broke into your home. you crippled him or killed him with out just cause.

 

[Insanity]

I should give this idea serious thought, just in case someone does break in. I'll put a sign on my teenager's bedroom door reading VALUABLES AND WEAPONS STORAGE. The avalanche that occurs on entry should, at a minimum, incapacitate the offender.

 

[lets-retire]

I like the way Florida fixed the grey area. If you have the right to be someplace then you have the right to defend yourself. Also burglary is classified a "violent" crime, meaning if someone breaks into your car and tries to steal your radio a weapon can be used.

Disclaimer: I'm not the one going on trial if you do it, you are, so get your own legal advice from a lawyer.

 

[samclem]

(I am not a lawyer, so this is just uninformed speculation. It is surely wrong. Do not depend on it)

Avoiding legal troubles:
- Type of weapon and ammo: When the lawsuit comes, the lawyer for the guy who was shot may very well attempt to make the case that the type of force used was excessive. He'll have an easier time of it if you've used some type of exotic weapon or ammunition. I wonder even about the Glazer safety rounds and other pre-fragmented ammunition: they are definitely safer for others in the home, but I'm sure the attorney will show up with photos of shots into ballistic gelatin to show that you've used a terribly devastating dum-dum round. From this perspective, avoiding trouble means sticking with standard loads. Some people even recommend using a caliber that is used by the law-enforcement agencies in your municipality. This may be impractical, as many people make a well-informed decision to employ a revolver for home defense/concealed carry, and just about all law enforcement agencies have gone to autoloaders.

- "I was in fear for my life. There was no way to get out. I was in fear for my life." Keep saying it over and over.

 

[mathjak107]

exactley sam,,,,,, anything can come back to haunt you. its not so clear cut as everyone thinks. once saw a case with a goodguy who got creamed in a civil suit because he hand loaded his own ammo and was involved in a self defence shooting. powder residues were not consistant in the tested ammo because it was hand loaded and not all the same batch. and the bad guy was claiming he was shot while retreating 12 ft away . some showed the shooting was 6 ft or so and other hand loaded ammo showed 12-15 ft,

 

[mathjak107]

but as we say in the trade better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6

 

[dex]

even if your found not guilty criminally there will probley be a civil suit next that may leave you penny less. either the bad guy or his heirs will sue the pants off you. remember he only broke into your home. you crippled him or killed him with out just cause.

If the bad guy was dead; would this reduce the potential of a suit? Wouldn't there be only one side of the story then?

 

[free4now]

Ask the city of San Francisco. They are facing a multi million dollar lawsuit from the family of a man killed by tiger mauling. The tiger was just defending its home from a drunk stoned troublemaker


Anyway, my weapon of choice for home defense would be a military gun robot with motion tracking:

Gallery: Inside the Navy's Armed-Robot Labs

 

[SteveR]

If the bad guy was dead; would this reduce the potential of a suit? Wouldn't there be only one side of the story then?

Dead men tell no lies....they also don't sue.

BTW, many states have a provision to protect a home defender from lawsuits by the family or the perp. but you have to be within the law of that state for the home defense. Shooting a drunk teenager through the door would not in itself be enough in most states to protect the shooter. But, if the kid was inside the house with a deadly weapon it "might" be a justified self-defense.

 

[mathjak107]

If the bad guy was dead; would this reduce the potential of a suit? Wouldn't there be only one side of the story then?

probley no better or worse , his heirs will sue you and not having his testimony to get himself tripped up in leaves only the hard evidence to tell the story . it may show right or it may show wrong but you cant back up alot of stuff assuming your telling the truth with inconsistancies in his testimony.

 

[Jeb-NY]

I think it went something like this.

You: 911, I just shot a burglar.
911: Is he dead?
You: Just a second.
BANG BANG
You: Yes



Jeb

 

[Texarkandy]

Shoot accurately (I live in TX so I'm not too concerned about any legal repercussions as long as it's on my property)

 

[Texarkandy]

although self defence falls unter state laws usually it really goes by localities and what you can get away with. although most state laws read that deadly force can be used in cases of your home being burglarized or robbed its a real gray area.

every thing is tit for tat. as an example here in nyc my car in my drive way was being broken into almost regularly. it got to the point i didnt lock the door anymore nor did i put a radio back in.

i thought about putting a silent pager alarm on and bagging the scum. i could have surprised him in the middle of the night, put my gun to his head and waited for the cops.

bad move, just going down with the gun makes me the bad guy. he was commiting petty larcneny , i threatned his life. now hes the victim. worse is if we scabble over the gun and hes shot, im in trouble again as whom ever escalates the force to the next level is guilty. if he has no weapon, i cant, if he has a bat i can have a bat etc. but i have to always be the one to react last.

now the sticky stuff, theyre 2 of them and they are both 6ft 3 and 300lbs. now what? what if they are beating me with deadly force and i shoot one, do i still have the right to shoot the other or in the eyes of the law are we even up again.

how far away do i have to be to shoot? were they leaving and no longer a threat. as you can see there is just different shades of gray. i decided to do nothing because even if i was innocent but had to go to court this could cost me 50 grand. once again the criminals have all the rights and we have none

unless you live in dukes of hazard country anyone who thinks if they shot a bad guy in their home isnt going to have legal grief over it is in for a rude awakening about the finer points of the a mans home is his castle clause. even if your found not guilty criminally there will probley be a civil suit next that may leave you penny less. either the bad guy or his heirs will sue the pants off you. remember he only broke into your home. you crippled him or killed him with out just cause.

You should move to Texas and you wouldn't have to worry about answering all those silly questions -

if it happens on your property & you can articulate feeling threatened with GBH, you can shoot as many of em as ya want & you're gonna be covered under the law - doesn't matter that you went out to see what was going on with a gun in your hand.

You can home school your kids here too & the state isn't allowed to look over your shoulder at all.

 

[mathjak107]

better recheck some events there. TEXAS had its issues too, remember luby's cafeteria shooting. sorry not sure of spelling. ms hupp lost her parents because texas law forbid her from bringing her handgun into the restaraunt and so she had to leave it outside in her car and watch a madman slaughter her parents in one he countries worst incidents.
she may have gotten a bill thru recinding that law but im not sure

 

[freebird5825]

keep my two dogs in the room with me and let 'em bark their heads off. a little mystery about their body size and teeth goes a long way.

hit the police PANIC button on my security system

grab my handy-in-the-corner golf putter

not make a sound

 

[MikeD]

I got this sticker at a gun show:

http://www.mmgdriscoll.com/miked/unarmed.jpg

GOD BLESS

 

[Walt34]

Dead men tell no lies....they also don't sue.

But their estate can. And probably will.

But I'd shoot anyway. I'd rather have his estate sue me than have my estate sue him. Just carry an "errors and omissions" clause on your homeowner's policy.

 

[mathjak107]

believe it or not insurance policys wont cover you. they consider shooting someone intentional and not an accident. courts have upheld this too

 

[HFWR]

The gun accidently emptied two clips...

 

[Goonie]

The gun accidently emptied two clips...

"Golly-gee officer! I know it sounds almost unbelievable, but the burglar grabbed my gun off the night stand, and proceeded to shoot himself multiple times!"

 

[MikeD]

"Golly-gee officer! I know it sounds almost unbelievable, but the burglar grabbed my gun off the night stand, and proceeded to shoot himself multiple times!"

Officer replies: "Most determined case of suicide I've evah seen."

 

[Razor]

While looking over barrell of your S&W - You Ask "Are You Ready For Early Retirement? - Well Are You Punk?"

S&W Model 27, 357 Magnun, Nickel Plated, Walnut Grips. Loaded and close at hand!

12 gauge Remington shotgun. Loaded and close at hand, also!

A steady hand.....A gentle squeeze! 8)

Our family ALWAYS has had firearms in the house, and all family members (from grade school age on up) have been trained in there use and handling. As kids, we were given our first gun....usually a .22 rifle, when we were in about 3rd grade. I was also trained NEVER to point a gun at someone unless I fully intended to blow there worthless *ss off the face of the fricking earth!!! I guess ya can take Billy outta da hills....but ya ain't never gonna take the hills outta this Billy!!!

Our house has an alarm, so if they're dumb enough to continue in, then their dumb enough to die for their stupidity!!!

We were always told to make sure that the son of a bitch intruder was far enough into the house before you shoot his his worthless *ss, so that he wouldn't accidently fall back outside of the house. You want to make sure the police can CLEARLY see that he was indeed and intruder IN your house, and NOT just standing on the porch looking in!!!

Could I shoot another human being? HELL yes!! I would have NO qualms at all!!! Especially since I really don't like most humans all that well anyway!

goon

And what if after you turned the lights on you discover it's little 10 year old Johnny from next door lying on your floor?