What is your choice?

[SeaCat]

Your at home some evening. Your sitting back with your S/O. Maybe you're in bed or maybe you're in the living room watchng TV. Everything is peacefull then someone kicks in your door. What do you do?

Do you defend yourself or do you let them have their way?

Me? I know what I'm going to do, but I know the consequences. Do you? Think about what happened with Cory Maye in Jefferson Davis County, Miss. in 2001. (Any and all drug charges against him vanished.)

Cat

 

[elsol]

I call my lawyer.

I have a ninety pound pitbull, bulldog mix.

 

[Jubal_Harshaw]

I'm going to reach for the holster attached to the back of my night stand and pull out the PPK. I'm going to squeeze off three rounds that will disable him but not kill him (right away). Then I'm going to ask him who the fuck he is and give him no more than 3 seconds to answer. If he answers he can have another in head. If he doesn't he can have a couple in the thighs before I ask him again.

My thinking is, if he kicked in my door, he is not a common burglar. He is there with the intent to do harm to me or my SO. He will not succeed.

 

[joeys-game]

Put him down and ask questions later, no question about that in my mind whatsoever.

 

[SeaCat]

All good answers.

Personally I will put at least one round center of mass. Drop the MF soonest. You kick in my door and you are invading my domicile and I will defend myself and my domicile.

Sounds great doesn't it? Too bad in the case above the person who defended himself shot a cop. The police broke into his place with false information. The person he shot was a cop who died. (Yes R.R. I know you will say the cop deserved it, but I disagree.)

The person who defended imself was at first charged and convicted of second degree murder, The charges were later dropped upon appeal.

Hey I know the risks I run by defending myself. If I shoot someone breaking into my place, even with the new laws here in Florida I run the risk of being charged with Asault, Attempted Murder, and if the person shot is of a minority, Violation of Civil Rights. If the people breaking in my door happen to be Police then I am faced with even more charges.

Here in Florida we have a nifty law, it is nicknamed the "Castle Doctrine". It allows a Florida resident to protect themself in any legal venue with the force they deem needed for the situation. It has been tested once, with the home owner being found justified.

Cat

 

[SeaCat]

I'm going to reach for the holster attached to the back of my night stand and pull out the PPK. I'm going to squeeze off three rounds that will disable him but not kill him (right away). Then I'm going to ask him who the fuck he is and give him no more than 3 seconds to answer. If he answers he can have another in head. If he doesn't he can have a couple in the thighs before I ask him again.

My thinking is, if he kicked in my door, he is not a common burglar. He is there with the intent to do harm to me or my SO. He will not succeed.

Now the funniest part of this is, while I own several handguns the weapons closest to hand are several blades and a collapsibale baton. Not to blow my own horn but you have to worry more about these than my hand guns. (Then again I live in a small place.)

Cat

 

[mjl2010]

If it happened to me, he'd die quick.

But check this out. Up on the north side of Chicago a number of years back some hood broke into the house of an elderly lady. She'd been robbed and beaten up twice before. Anyway this guy is coming at her and she warned him to stop, she had a gun. The guy laughed and kept coming so of course, she pulled out her .44 mag from her dress and blew the guys head off. Of course, the local news said more than once there was no word on if she'd be charged for having a weapon without a firearms card. gimme a break it was all they could think of to ask. She almost 90 years old at the time.

I just applauded and said good for her.

MJL

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I don't own any firearms, but I have a few weapons close by my bed. By the TV in the livingroom I'd have to improvise, but I'm sure I could come up with something.

 

[transendrabbe]

Having a short and stubby fat-football player kind of build, I think I'd just tuck my head down and charge. Then take care of 'im after he's down. Cop or not, if he's undercover and comes charging in like that......no one could be sure of the intention. I certainly hope the court would take that under heavy consideration. ::sighs at my own idealism::

 

[rgraham666]

Do what I can to defend myself.

My sais are always close to hand and I'm a fair hand with them.

 

[jeanne_d_artois]

Different country; different rules.

In the UK, possession of a handgun is an offence.

The legal position if your house is broken into is that you can use 'reasonable force' to defend yourself, including a weapon of opportunity e.g. the broom standing by the back door.

You cannot use unreasonable force. You must stop using force as soon as the intruder retreats. Blasting the intruder with a shotgun is unreasonable unless you have warned the intruder that you have a loaded shotgun. Shooting the intruder in the back as he runs away could lead to you being charged with murder or manslaughter because at that time he is no longer a threat to you.

Several years ago I confronted a burglar in my house. I woke to hear him moving about on the landing outside my bedroon. I was alone in the house but thought my wife or a daughter had returned unexpectedly because of some family crisis. I opened my bedroom door to see the burglar coming out of another bedroom.

I asked what he was doing in my house. He said he was in the wrong house by mistake. I asked him to leave and pointed the way to the stairs. He moved slowly towards them. I followed. By this time I was sure that not only had he broken in, but that he was concealing a weapon inside his jacket AND he was high on alcohol or drugs or both. Although he was smaller than me, he was 30 years younger and wearing heavy boots. I was in my pyjamas and had bare feet.

As he came close to the front door I could see that the stained glass in the door had been picked out of its frame and the locks opened. He turned on me just inside the door and threatened to kill me if I called the police. I repeated my request that he should leave. He crossed the threshold. I shut the door behind him but the gaping hole in the door gave me little protection.

He started kicking at the door and the windows either side of it. I retreated to the kitchen, grabbing a coat, slipping on a pair of shoes and taking my mobile phone. I left the house by the back door, locking it behind me. From the garden I called the police who arrived in about five minutes. The intruder was about 30 yards from the house, having searched it unsuccessfully, looking for me. He was arrested.

When the case came to trial, the prosecution was a mess. They had lost some of the evidence e.g. his bloody fingerprints from inside my house, the broken stained glass that he had handled and the sharpened screwdriver he had used to pick out the lead around the glass. It was my word against his. The magistrates believed me. He was fined, ordered to pay compensation, and given a suspended sentence.

IF I had attacked him, I would have had to use considerable force. He was so high that he couldn't feel anything for about 18 hours after his arrest. When his case came to trial, because I outweighed him by about 80 lbs, his defence would have claimed that I had used unreasonable force. As it was, I could swear under oath that I had not laid even a finger on him. If the missing evidence had been produced in court he should have been jailed...

The advice given to UK residents if your house is invaded by a burglar is - run away! Anything else could land you in court as the accused. Nonsense - but that's the reality of UK law. The burglar has more rights than you.

jeanne for Og

 

[mjl2010]

In the UK, possession of a handgun is an offence.

The legal position if your house is broken into is that you can use 'reasonable force' to defend yourself, including a weapon of opportunity e.g. the broom standing by the back door.

You cannot use unreasonable force. You must stop using force as soon as the intruder retreats. Blasting the intruder with a shotgun is unreasonable unless you have warned the intruder that you have a loaded shotgun. Shooting the intruder in the back as he runs away could lead to you being charged with murder or manslaughter because at that time he is no longer a threat to you.

Several years ago I confronted a burglar in my house. I woke to hear him moving about on the landing outside my bedroon. I was alone in the house but thought my wife or a daughter had returned unexpectedly because of some family crisis. I opened my bedroom door to see the burglar coming out of another bedroom.

I asked what he was doing in my house. He said he was in the wrong house by mistake. I asked him to leave and pointed the way to the stairs. He moved slowly towards them. I followed. By this time I was sure that not only had he broken in, but that he was concealing a weapon inside his jacket AND he was high on alcohol or drugs or both. Although he was smaller than me, he was 30 years younger and wearing heavy boots. I was in my pyjamas and had bare feet.

As he came close to the front door I could see that the stained glass in the door had been picked out of its frame and the locks opened. He turned on me just inside the door and threatened to kill me if I called the police. I repeated my request that he should leave. He crossed the threshold. I shut the door behind him but the gaping hole in the door gave me little protection.

He started kicking at the door and the windows either side of it. I retreated to the kitchen, grabbing a coat, slipping on a pair of shoes and taking my mobile phone. I left the house by the back door, locking it behind me. From the garden I called the police who arrived in about five minutes. The intruder was about 30 yards from the house, having searched it unsuccessfully, looking for me. He was arrested.

When the case came to trial, the prosecution was a mess. They had lost some of the evidence e.g. his bloody fingerprints from inside my house, the broken stained glass that he had handled and the sharpened screwdriver he had used to pick out the lead around the glass. It was my word against his. The magistrates believed me. He was fined, ordered to pay compensation, and given a suspended sentence.

IF I had attacked him, I would have had to use considerable force. He was so high that he couldn't feel anything for about 18 hours after his arrest. When his case came to trial, because I outweighed him by about 80 lbs, his defence would have claimed that I had used unreasonable force. As it was, I could swear under oath that I had not laid even a finger on him. If the missing evidence had been produced in court he should have been jailed...

The advice given to UK residents if your house is invaded by a burglar is - run away! Anything else could land you in court as the accused. Nonsense - but that's the reality of UK law. The burglar has more rights than you.

jeanne for Og

Right about here is where I hit the guy once with a baseball bat. A nice hard swing that strikes the back of the head just above the neck. Then stop swinging. He'll be dead or a vegetable.

"Well of course your honor, he tried to stab me with that 10" knife he had so I swung and hit em. I stopped as soon as he quit trying to stab me."

"Yes your honor of course I play baseball with my friends. They're all here to back me up. See?"


MJL

 

[R. Richard]

Sounds great doesn't it? Too bad in the case above the person who defended himself shot a cop. The police broke into his place with false information. The person he shot was a cop who died. (Yes R.R. I know you will say the cop deserved it, but I disagree.)

Cat

Cat, I would not say that the 'cop' deserved it. I would say that the 'scumbag' deserved it. The scumbag has a set of procedures that it is to follow. Usually, the procedures include notification prior to entry. There are 'no-knock' procedures, usually when it is suspected that the occupant has drugs that may be flushed down the toilet or that the occupant may put up a fight.

The police would not conduct a no-knock entry to my home because of my spotless reputation and my standing in the community. Also, I keep my .475 Wildey close at hand. You know what a bullet proof vest is. I know what a bullet proof vest is. At close range, my .475 Wildey doesn't know what a bullet proof vest is.

 

[oggbashan]

Right about here is where I hit the guy once with a baseball bat. A nice hard swing that strikes the back of the head just above the neck. Then stop swinging. He'll be dead or a vegetable.

"Well of course your honor, he tried to stab me with that 10" knife he had so I swung and hit em. I stopped as soon as he quit trying to stab me."

"Yes your honor of course I play baseball with my friends. They're all here to back me up. See?"


MJL

Unfortunately, Baseball is not played extensively in the UK. Possession of a baseball bat in the street is considered 'carrying an offensive weapon'.

A cricket bat is harder, heavier, and the edge is sharper.

I just happen to have accidentally left an 18 inch plumber's wrench by my bedroom washbasin...

Og

 

[R. Richard]

In the UK, possession of a handgun is an offence.

The legal position if your house is broken into is that you can use 'reasonable force' to defend yourself, including a weapon of opportunity e.g. the broom standing by the back door.

You cannot use unreasonable force. You must stop using force as soon as the intruder retreats. Blasting the intruder with a shotgun is unreasonable unless you have warned the intruder that you have a loaded shotgun. Shooting the intruder in the back as he runs away could lead to you being charged with murder or manslaughter because at that time he is no longer a threat to you.

Perhaps your local MP has never heard of a tactical retreat. He/she/it should have time to research the subject. He/she/it should not have to try to research the subject while attending to the heavy duties of an MP. JMNTHO.

I called the police who arrived in about five minutes. The intruder was about 30 yards from the house, having searched it unsuccessfully, looking for me. He was arrested.

Unless the local doughnut shops had just burned down, I find it difficult to believe the response time.

When the case came to trial, the prosecution was a mess. They had lost some of the evidence e.g. his bloody fingerprints from inside my house, the broken stained glass that he had handled and the sharpened screwdriver he had used to pick out the lead around the glass. It was my word against his. The magistrates believed me. He was fined, ordered to pay compensation, and given a suspended sentence.

IF I had attacked him, I would have had to use considerable force. He was so high that he couldn't feel anything for about 18 hours after his arrest. When his case came to trial, because I outweighed him by about 80 lbs, his defence would have claimed that I had used unreasonable force. As it was, I could swear under oath that I had not laid even a finger on him. If the missing evidence had been produced in court he should have been jailed...

Of course, he will never pay the fine and/or the compensation. The local scumbags will also never try to collect what is owed.

The advice given to UK residents if your house is invaded by a burglar is - run away! Anything else could land you in court as the accused. Nonsense - but that's the reality of UK law. The burglar has more rights than you.

In most of the US, the burglar also has more rights than the citizen in his/her own home. However, I live in the western US. In my area it is legal to carry a loaded firearm in plain sight. There is probably a house in my town that does not have a loaded firearm close at hand, but I damn sure would not like to gamble on finding that house. When the local scumbags get a call about a nighttime burglary, they always bring a body bag with them. We have almost no nighttime home burglarys. We do have a large number of car break-ins. The burglar can see that there is no one inside the car with a loaded firearm.

 

[buxxxom]

When I was a child, our home was burglarized while we were absent. This guy was apprehended for our crime, but found to be involved in other crimes in our area, including the murder of a family who was home when they intruded. He was later executed by the state of North Carolina.

Now, if someone breaks into my house, I plan to use any and all means of self defense at my disposal, including deadly force.

 

[Remec]

Your at home some evening. Your sitting back with your S/O. Maybe you're in bed or maybe you're in the living room watchng TV. Everything is peacefull then someone kicks in your door. What do you do?

Do you defend yourself or do you let them have their way?

Hmmm...
*picturing how long it would take someone to get from door to sitting area of house*

If I'm down by our tv, I might very well be out the backdoor before they're in. But if I'm in the bedroom, or if they came in the backdoor, then I'll have a three-foot long broadsword in hand ready to break some necks (arms, legs) of the first asshole to show themselves...esp if they pop into view still without identifying themselves.

(I'm handier with a baseball bat, but those aren't as readily available as the swords are. *g*)

 

[scheherazade_79]

I'd hit them over the head with a frying pan, so I could knock them out but not kill them.

 

[oggbashan]

Perhaps your local MP has never heard of a tactical retreat. He/she/it should have time to research the subject. He/she/it should not have to try to research the subject while attending to the heavy duties of an MP. JMNTHO.

My local MP supports the reintroduction of the death penalty. He is in a minority.

Unless the local doughnut shops had just burned down, I find it difficult to believe the response time.

The police station is three hundred yards away and ALL the local police know me as a prominent and noisy member of the local community (so do the Magistrates).

Of course, he will never pay the fine and/or the compensation. The local scumbags will also never try to collect what is owed.

He paid in full. It took three years but he paid it.

I'm not saying that my experience is typical. Perhaps the intruder realised that his life could be made intolerable if he didn't follow the rules set by the magistrate. He has now moved to another town.

Og (who is also jeanne_d_artois).

 

[R. Richard]

He paid in full. It took three years but he paid it.

I'm not saying that my experience is typical. Perhaps the intruder realised that his life could be made intolerable if he didn't follow the rules set by the magistrate. He has now moved to another town.

Og (who is also jeanne_d_artois).

Absolutely amazing! The number of convicted felons who actually pay fines and/or compensation is vanishingly small.

 

[Liar]

If someone manage to kick in my door, they're probably fifteen feet tall, weighs at least a ton and have heavy duty solid steel battering rams for legs. So whatever I shoot at them will bounce off anyway.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I'd end up writing to him in the pen... there's no way I could stop him from defending us.

If I was alone!?



I guess it would depend on the element of surprise. If I could see an advantage, I would take it. But I wouldn't risk my life or my kids' if all they wanted was my "stuff."

great, now I'm all creeped out and checking the locks on my doors.

 

[Elsie Grey]

I would be out the balconey down the wall and over the garden fence into the woods before you could say boo. Then I would ring police on 999. I wouldn't hang around to confront them as I don't seriously think I'd be able to stop them. We were burglared a year ago and it upset me that I lost so much stuff but I'm still in one peice and I think on the whole that's a better way to be...

However I fully support anyone who can stand up to burglars, the filthy pikeys deserve everything they get!

Elsie

xxx

 

[TheeGoatPig]

If someone manage to kick in my door, they're probably fifteen feet tall, weighs at least a ton and have heavy duty solid steel battering rams for legs. So whatever I shoot at them will bounce off anyway.

Like a giant with Chainsaw Nunchucks.

 

[R. Richard]

If someone manage to kick in my door, they're probably fifteen feet tall, weighs at least a ton and have heavy duty solid steel battering rams for legs. So whatever I shoot at them will bounce off anyway.

If you are typical, your front door is suitable for a fortress. However, your back door is flimsy. The guy who is high on whatever may just go down the block. However, if he goes to the typical backdoor, you are in trouble.