Common mistakes in Self-Defense Shootings

[Feuer Frei!]

This guy makes some interesting points. Albeit common sense and if you are in the loop on local or state or, federal laws, pertaining to self-defense:

SOURCE

lots of great info there, especially the part of finding a good lawyer BEFORE you actually need one. how many people go around knowing what lawyer to call if needed?

[Platapus]

Anyone even considering keeping a gun for self-defense really needs to read

http://www.amazon.com/In-Gravest-Ext.../dp/0936279001

It is written by a man with many years experience with the legal side of self-defense cases.

It is an eye opening book.

[Ducimus]

That was a great read. I hope I am never forced to defend myself.

In the event I am not at home, but out and about somewhere, I already have a plan of action in mind.

1.) Try to verbally defuse the situation, whatever it may be.
2.) Failing that, leave. Remove myself.
3.) If they follow, run away, as fast as i can. In other words, retreat, even though I am not required to by law.
4.) If they gave chase. Try to lose them and/or hide somewhere.
5.) If they find me, by this time my back would be against the wall, and I would have done everything a rational person could have done to avoid the use of deadly force. To borrow a quote from a Serious Sam 3, "Mr Smith! Mr Wesson! So glad you could make it".

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

That was a great read. I hope I am never forced to defend myself.

In the event I am not at home, but out and about somewhere, I already have a plan of action in mind.

1.) Try to verbally defuse the situation, whatever it may be.
2.) Failing that, leave. Remove myself.
3.) If they follow, run away, as fast as i can. In other words, retreat, even though I am not required to by law.
4.) If they gave chase. Try to lose them and/or hide somewhere.
5.) If they find me, by this time my back would be against the wall, and I would have done everything a rational person could have done to avoid the use of deadly force. To borrow a quote from a Serious Sam 3, "Mr Smith! Mr Wesson! So glad you could make it".

Exactly, Shooting should be the very very last resort regardless of how the laws are written. I am so against the castle doctrine as commonly written in legislation. Like the guy in Florida* who shot the door to door salesman, castle doctrine gives the wrong people the wrong idea about self-defense.

Sometimes I get the feeling that there are people out there who are eager to "legally" shoot someone. As a long time gun owner, I find that attitude abhorrent.


*http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/b...man/index.html

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Platapus

I am so against the castle doctrine as commonly written in legislation. Like the guy in Florida* who shot the door to door salesman, castle doctrine gives the wrong people the wrong idea about self-defense.

A common (mis)conception is if someone breaks into your house, you have free license to ventilate them. Operative words being breaking into. Meaning forcible (and unauthorized) entry inside your house. But there's one caveat, at least in Utah - you have to be in fear for your life.

I didn't realize this until I took my concealed carry class. Simply put, if someone breaks into your house, so long as they make no hostile actions or intent against you, or do anything that would make fear for your life, they can pretty much steal everything you own right in front of you. You basically have to sit there and watch them cart your computer, big screen TV, or whatever right out the door, and you can not legally shoot them, (edit) regardless if their facing you or not. Frankly I think that's silly. If someone breaks into your home and steals from you, i think they deserve to be shot. But you have to justify that to a jury, and that is the ONLY reason i would not plant their sorry asses because I REALLY hate thieves, especially if their in my house. Another reality, is said thieves, no matter how much i hate them, are not worth going to prison over. Property crime by itself, even inside your own home with you present, does not justify lethal force.