Self Defense

[M14 Shooter]

The obvious problem that might arise is that no one believes you were actually defending yourself. Then you are accused of murder. And convicted of murder. As we have seen happen recently.

I know of one case that happened. Two men came in to rob a pharmacy. The owner came out shooting. He shot one of the men, the other ran out the door. The owner followed him and then returned to store. He walked over the one man lying on the floor, went back to his office to reload, came back out and shot the man on the floor at point blank range. He claimed it was self defense. The jury called it murder.

If the threat is real, you have the right to self defense. Once the threat is gone, it is no longer self defense.

This is exactly correct.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Why do you all think about the right to defend yourself? How far or little should you be able to go to be able to do that?

No one should be required to run away simply because someone in a living room three weeks later thinks it was a viable option.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Define the circumstance and then we can tell you how we think we ought to react, eh?

There's the right answer. It depends. You cannot use deadly force to defend against a non-deadly attack. Whatever is reasonable under the circumstances - and the test is an objective one, not subjective.

Except that it is not actually objective. It is pretty easy for the police to come in and investigate, determine that a highly trained individual would have been able to walk away, and then charge a person who doesn't have the benefit of hindsight with murder because he didn't react properly.

 

[M14 Shooter]

Define the circumstance and then we can tell you how we think we ought to react, eh?

There's the right answer. It depends. You cannot use deadly force to defend against a non-deadly attack.

Incorrect.
You can use deadly force to stop a rape or any other physical assault against you that creates the reasonable expectation of great bodily harm or death, so long as the attacker has the means to so inflict such harm.

Note that "means" does not necessitate the apparent possession of a weapon.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

The obvious problem that might arise is that no one believes you were actually defending yourself. Then you are accused of murder. And convicted of murder. As we have seen happen recently.

I know of one case that happened. Two men came in to rob a pharmacy. The owner came out shooting. He shot one of the men, the other ran out the door. The owner followed him and then returned to store. He walked over the one man lying on the floor, went back to his office to reload, came back out and shot the man on the floor at point blank range. He claimed it was self defense. The jury called it murder.

If the threat is real, you have the right to self defense. Once the threat is gone, it is no longer self defense.

True. Once he took the time to go and reload and come back and shoot the incapacitated man, it became premeditated murder. He basically executed the guy.

If you're going to do something like that you have to be smarter about it.

 

[PratchettFan]

Define the circumstance and then we can tell you how we think we ought to react, eh?

There's the right answer. It depends. You cannot use deadly force to defend against a non-deadly attack.

Incorrect.
You can use deadly force to stop a rape or any other physical assault against you that creates the reasonable expectation of great bodily harm or death, so long as the attacker has the means to so inflict such harm.

Note that "means" does not necessitate the apparent possession of a weapon.

Quite true. If the assailant is an unarmed woman weighing in at 110 pounds and the victim is a man of muscular build at 200 pounds, he will be hard pressed to convince me he was in fear enough to use deadly force. OTOH, reverse it and I can certainly see it. It is almost always going to depend upon the circumstances. The problem, of course, is that often the circumstances are not clear even while it is happening.

I consider myself to be in fairly good shape. However, I am in my 60's and I don't kid myself that I have the same abilities I had when I was in my 20's. At this point, I am far more likely to use deadly force because I am more likely to be injured or killed in an altercation. Still, if someone points a gun at me the circumstances become crystal clear.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I know one thing, as a woman it was a real moment of awakening when a man first slugged me and threw me around. The strength! That's what I noticed immediately is how much stronger he was than me! It was shocking! I was helpless.

No more. Thanks to that asshole, I am not helpless anymore. I always have self-defense on my mind. Always aware of my surroundings. And ready to fight to the death. Wouldn't even hesitate for a heartbeat to kill an attacker.

I think a lot of women who haven't been knocked around by a man are at a disadvantage. They have no idea how dire a situation it is and they might hesitate if attacked. They might hesitate just enough to get themselves killed.

I've been rehearsing my entire life for the next time a man tries to physically harm me. My reaction will be instantaneous.

 

[Politico]

Why do you all think about the right to defend yourself? How far or little should you be able to go to be able to do that?

If there ever comes a time when you are in danger please do nothing if possible.

 

[PratchettFan]

I know one thing, as a woman it was a real moment of awakening when a man first slugged me and threw me around. The strength! That's what I noticed immediately is how much stronger he was than me! It was shocking! I was helpless.

No more. Thanks to that asshole, I am not helpless anymore. I always have self-defense on my mind. Always aware of my surroundings. And ready to fight to the death. Wouldn't even hesitate for a heartbeat to kill an attacker.

I think a lot of women who haven't been knocked around by a man are at a disadvantage. They have no idea how dire a situation it is and they might hesitate if attacked. They might hesitate just enough to get themselves killed.

I've been rehearsing my entire life for the next time a man tries to physically harm me. My reaction will be instantaneous.

I commend you for it.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

There was a girl here in my town who was killed by a guy who crawled through the window of the coffee stand she was in, then kidnapped her and later killed her.

I watched the security video with horror as her opportunity to save herself slipped by. He had a gun, but while climbing through the window he was at a disadvantage and she had a brief opportunity when she could have bashed his fucking brains out.

A karate instructor of mine used to say that all the training in the world is useless if you aren't MENTALLY PREPARED TO ACT!

And in her case that's all she would have needed...the mental preparedness. There a number of heavy objects sitting around she could have bashed his head in with, but she wasn't mentally prepared to act.

So sad. : (

Advance to about 7:40 you'll see him climb in the window in the upper left frame.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-fZvpie1Bw]Surveillance video Samantha Koenig kidnapping - YouTube[/ame]

 

[ELITEofWarman8]

I know one thing, as a woman it was a real moment of awakening when a man first slugged me and threw me around. The strength! That's what I noticed immediately is how much stronger he was than me! It was shocking! I was helpless.

No more. Thanks to that asshole, I am not helpless anymore. I always have self-defense on my mind. Always aware of my surroundings. And ready to fight to the death. Wouldn't even hesitate for a heartbeat to kill an attacker.

I think a lot of women who haven't been knocked around by a man are at a disadvantage. They have no idea how dire a situation it is and they might hesitate if attacked. They might hesitate just enough to get themselves killed.

I've been rehearsing my entire life for the next time a man tries to physically harm me. My reaction will be instantaneous.

I have a similar mindset. I had an asshole who tried to fight me.... In the Arlington National Cemetery out of all fucking places. Why? He thought I was being disrespectful of the why I was "walking around". I told him to go fuck himself and his wife had to drag him along and I was just minding my old business when he came up to me out of the clear blue. Thank god we didn't get physical because I'm a tall fellow and so was he, would not have ended well. Thought he had a gun on him actually to. From that day onwards I told myself I would never let someone get the jump on me again like that.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Define the circumstance and then we can tell you how we think we ought to react, eh?

There's the right answer. It depends. You cannot use deadly force to defend against a non-deadly attack. Whatever is reasonable under the circumstances - and the test is an objective one, not subjective.

All attacks can be considered deadly especially if you are on the receiving end.

It doesn't matter if an assailant is necessarily trying to kill you and violent attack can end with the victim being dead.