It must say something for the degree of desperation when posting something like this on a forum simply because there's no one to ask in person. Like Ken said in his thread, laws vary from place to place. Unfortunately, I've not found anything on the www that addresses this issue specifically for this state. State legal code and other sites seem to only address lethal force, and that's not the issue, I'm not talking about shooting/killing somebody: It's a widespread belief in this city that citizens do not have the right, by law, to protect/defend themselves. The widespread belief is you put your hands on an individual to get the individual away from you, you are at risk of being arrested and charged with assault. Because of this, criminals know they can get away with virtually anything, and average citizens feel and are very vulnerable. You can figure how many law-abiding citizens are victimized simply because they don't want to risk ending up in jail for fighting back. The added complication: there's so much crime in this area that calling 911 brings either of two results: either an individual is 'long gone' by the time officers show up, or else it's the criminal's word against the victim's. And another complication: on any subject, the answers you get depends on who you ask. Any advice or input?
you have the right, by law to protect you life from intruders in your home. but can you kill an intruder?? do you have the instinct to do it. I do. its loaded by my bed and a Glock under the mattress
@Janice Martin .."widespread belief in this city that citizens do not have the right, by law, to protect/defend themselves ...." "State legal code and other sites seem to only address lethal force, and that's not the issue, I'm not talking about shooting/killing somebody:" ... "it's the criminal's word against the victim's." @Janice Martin Which city? Ask, because self-defense in protection of one's life is a universally-accepted concept, and law, everywhere in the U.S. In many places, folks are led to believe, erroneously, that this is not so. Given, in such jurisdictions, Prosecutors are early on taught and always practice "law" based on "preserving rights"; a guy tries to kill you, it's YOUR responsibility to prove that. (explains why I would not live on the east coast). Self defense in preservation of one's life is generally considered almost everywhere to be a "God-given" right, not legally deniable. "Lethal Force" means of course the use of means to take a life. If you are physically accosted, violently and for no obvious reason, by an assailant you BELIEVE is about to end your existence, you are justified in all 50 states, .legally, to use any means available to you to prevent your death. The key lies in the degree of fear for one's life, unfortunately, as that factor is just yet another embossed into the lawbooks which is undefinable. The "criminal's word" carries much more force than perhaps 50 years ago. After all, an individual turned criminal may have done so through reason of no fault of his/her own. (facetiousness intended, though Liberal interpretation supports this contention). Now, please explain what led you to begin the OP? Were you acossted in some way? Fear? Curiosity? Expect trouble? Examples of legal right, regarding the home: (assuming armed resident) Detect intruder in home, see intruder, very quickly that scenerio becomes extremely "cloudy". Is intruder obviously armed? If yes, shoot him beforte he/she does you. LEGAL. Wake up, hear noise, see individual outside Arcadia Door, no possible "legal right" there of Lethal Force. The possible varieties are endless. In general, almost everywhere, if one feels true fear for one's life, fighting back is justified. In all cases, it will involve an absolute change in expected day to day life. Avoid interventional conflict wherever possible; confront it when inevitable, endangering your life, use lethal force as you deem necessary to preserve your own life Better to avoid death at the hands of some moronic interloper, and endure the legal aftermath, than "roll-over", possibly die, and allow the next victim to be accessed. Frank