A few thoughts. . . . If I'm standing
behind my car as it is being stolen, I might not fire as I can always call the cops and, since I have Lojack, my vehicle will likely be recovered with minimal damage. . . .
But if you are stealing my car,
and you are driving it straight at me as if to take my life if I can't get out of your way in time, I'm going to shoot at you. If I hit your girlfriend, well, shame on her for being complicit in a grand theft auto and attempt on my life; and shame on you for bringing her along. If the Brady comment was to imply that she was the "innocent bystander" in question, well that's just bovine manure. A person who knowingly accompanies a car thief, and then knowingly jumps in the car as it is being stolen, is NOT innocent - even if she didn't get a trial.
Crossfire taught my wife's CHL class, which she most graciously allowed me to sit in on. She gave an interesting and solid perspective on the use of lethal force to protect property. She hypothesized a situation in which you come home at night to confront a thief walking down your driveway with your brand new 50" flat screen TV in his hands. Can you shoot him if you feel threatened for your life when you try to stop him? Well, (and Crossfire, if you read this, please correct me if I got it wrong) Joe Horn's experience indicates that you likely can, and you'll be no-billed. However, you're going to incur a $25,000 (or more) legal bill in the process - all to stop a guy from stealing a $2,500 television. Now, from my own perspective, a car
can be a lethal weapon, while a television is not.
IN THIS THREAD, our member
TheBlake recounts exactly a scenario in which he was attacked directly by a motor vehicle driven by a criminal with murderous intent. I'd have shot the sunufagun. He unfortunately could not access his gun because it was locked in his car, and his wife had the keys. Had he had a gun in hand and used it, it would have been a righteous shooting, and he might well have been no-billed.
I have a lot of things which are my property that I probably wouldn't shoot someone for taking. Some things are kind of gray areas. For instance, we have a very expensive cutlery set from Cutco. If I found someone stealing it, I might well shoot him because those great big carving knives are quite lethal weapons, and dangerous to me in the wrong hands. Same if I caught someone stealing my guns. But my TV? Probably not. However cars are a whole different thing, because whether or not they are a lethal weapon being used against you is entirely dependent upon whether you are standing behind or in front of the vehicle as it is being stolen.
I don't know if all of that is coherent, but that's kind of my thinking in the matter.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
― G. Michael Hopf, "Those Who Remain"
#TINVOWOOT
What is the delima?
with TAM!
Cat-burglar!
)