Burglar Rights

I know this may not be in the news right now but what do you people think of burglars rights. I am not sure of what happens in other countries. I am from the UK and remember the case of Tony Martin. A farmer who shot dead one burglar and wounded his accomplice. He was originally convicted of murder but got his sentence reduced to manslaughter and served a few years in jail.
news.bbc.co.uk...

Should burglars loose all rights when they enter someone elses property. This also links with them suing the homeowners

I remember Tony Martin's case, well it's just rediculous, isn't it?
If a homeowner cannot take action when a burgler enters their home and threatens them, then what exactly is the world coming to?

If someone breaks into your home, you have every right to defend your home and protect your family.

I have no legal experience - however - In most states in the US a burglar can be shot and killed as long as he is inside the house. If he survives he may bring a civil lawsuit against the person whom he is burglarizing, which gives further incentive to take him out totally. I've heard of people who shot tresspassers and brought them in the house so they could say it was burglary....

Like a cop in Texas once told me...If you have to shoot them..make sure they are inside....if not DRAG them inside

IMO a burglar/thief/rapist whatever LOSES his rights the second he enters MY house, he made the choice to enter someone elses property, I have the choice to defend it as I see fit.



LOL Intelgurl...we were posting the same thing about dragging them inside....


[Edited on 18-4-2004 by NetStorm]

That Tony Martin case wasn't decided by 'the man' but 15 people like you and me on a jury. He was a wacko National Front guy who used to look for burgular's, and after he shot that 16 year old kid, he hid the body in the backyard without telling the cops. I think everyone should have a right to defend themselves, and use deadly force if nessecary, but Tony Martin is not the right poster boy for that.

I remember a few stories of burglars entering a person's house and injuring themselves. However, although they were arrested they sued the homeowner for medical and psychological damages. The sad thing about this, is that they won. Anyone that chooses to enter a person's house has not rights whatsoever, even if that person is injured.

i don't think that a burglar should have any rights what so ever, but if one were to come into my home, they arn't going to leave. not if i can help it anyways. when i lived down in south carolina, someone once told me that if a burglar came into your house, and you shoot them, then they had to have been in a room where they were at least 15 feet from any exit doors or large enough windows to escape through. so, either you shoot them in the bathroom, or you drag them into the bathroom.

a few years ago there was a lawsuit about something like this. a guy broke into this house, the residents were out of town. he broke his leg in the resident's house, sued for this, and sadly won.

i agree that as soon as the person enters another place with ill intent that they lose all rights for personal safety.

Originally posted by NetStorm
Like a cop in Texas once told me...If you have to shoot them..make sure they are inside....if not DRAG them inside

IMO a burglar/thief/rapist whatever LOSES his rights the second he enters MY house, he made the choice to enter someone elses property, I have the choice to defend it as I see fit.


[Edited on 18-4-2004 by NetStorm]

Also in Texas if it is night [not during the day] then you have the right to kill a person who is attempting to steal your car or other property or someone elses property if it is on your land; i.e. a car in you driveway getting broken into. The only thing you need to make sure of is that it was necessary to stop them from getting away. The thief doesn't have to be armed, just in your yard.

If you come home even in the day and catch someone in your home even if they exit your home you have a right to track them down in the street and kill them to stop them from getting away with your stuff. You would have to prove they were in your home to avoid being charged.

I have no explanation why a burglar/thief/rapist would want to commit such crimes in a state which allows its citizens to walk around packing pistols anyway.

The only right an intruder has in my house is the right to a swift funeral.

Originally posted by Hyperen
Should burglars loose all rights when they enter someone elses property. This also links with them suing the homeowners

There was an interesting twist on this. I originaly saw this case on tv a few years back. A store-owner set up a shot-gun trap in his store.(tripped by a wire)

It is illegal because of the possible danger to fire-fighters. Denver Shotgun Trap Case

But, back to the original subject, if someone is in my home with mal-intent, I will defend my home&property by any means available to me.

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The best home protection money can buy..I keep one under my bed loaded with 00Buck 3"Magnum...Ive got the 18 1/2" barrel model...when I showed the wife how to use it, I said "The nice thing is, you dont need to know exactly where they are in the room, just a general direction"....and I heard a wise man once say "when a burglar hears the sound of a shotgun shell chambering, it must sound like the gates of hell flying open"

[Edited on 18-4-2004 by Todeskopf]

Originally posted by Todeskopf
....and I heard a wise man once say "when a burglar hears the sound of a shotgun shell chambering, it must sound like the gates of hell flying open"

[Edited on 18-4-2004 by Todeskopf]

I too have heard something along thos same lines...... that the sound of the pump chambering the round is one of the scariest sounds known to modern man. (Esp. in the dark!)




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Would you say that the preacher is incorrect, or correct, when he responded to his church being broke into by two young men?
Quote from article follows....


"BIG LAKE -- A church pastor shot and killed two men he caught burglarizing his small chapel early Thursday morning, Alaska State Troopers said.

The pastor, whom troopers identified as Phillip Mielke, shot the men with a handgun, according to investigators still at the scene more than 12 hours later."....


This happened last year in my locale. What do you think the outcome was? Was the preacher 'morally correct' in the actions he took in respose to the situation?

Source

Hmmm....

That is a tough one. Not sure what to make of it. There is not enough details in the article to make a full judgement, but from what I read, the Pastor was in the right That being said, it is odd, because Christians are technicaly supposed to be non-violent. I dunno, has there been anymore info?

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I don't care if the dregs of society are dregs. I am not saying kill off those who don't really help society. However, as soon as they start bringing other people down they are as good as dead to me. If someone robs your store you lose a lot of money. If someone goes homeless because someone made off with thier hard-earned money i say screw the second "someone" in the sentance.

Shoot a robber if he (or she, trying to be fair here) comes into your house.

Its a shame the guns laws have got tight here because i would buy a gun for the sole purpose of protecting my home. When a burglar enters your home, you should have the right to protect yourself. Not them

Originally posted by infinite
Its a shame the guns laws have got tight here because i would buy a gun for the sole purpose of protecting my home. When a burglar enters your home, you should have the right to protect yourself. Not them

But I think it is too extreme in the other direction in our county. What does the average civilian need an MP5, AR15 or AK47 for? Deer and fowl hunting? I have gone shooting with assault rifles and have seen the damage they can do, which is devasting. I am not saying ban those weapons, but put some tighter reigns on them. More strict laws for people to obtain them. ie. someone who just got out of the looney-bin or someone who is a violent felon should not have access to an AK47. IMO

For home protection, a shotgun will do just fine. IMO (hides and prepares for the NRA flamethrower)

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I think it is ridiculous that the victim has less rights than the offender!

Actually there was a case in NY or NJ where a guy from Jamacia was a few days away from the approval on registration of his gun. He shot a burglar in his sons room and was prosecuted for using a weapon that wasn't registered and served time in jail.

Also, does anyone remember that case in NY where a guy on the subway, in the early 90's, was jumped by a gang and he shot a few of them and was sued for millions of dollars for disabling one of the perpetrators. Needless to say, the victim of the crime ended up losing the law suit for millions of dollars. Makes absolutely no sense to me.

Congress needs to change laws, because as a citizen, I'd like to have the right to defend myself instead of ending up a statistic where the criminal gets all kinds of rights!

[Edited on 19-4-2004 by Narnia]