It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
(visit the link for the full news article)
A Texas man has provoked a debate about the right to self-defence in America after he shot dead two burglars as they were leaving a neighbour’s house.
The cha-chick of a shell entering a shotgun's chamber rattled through the 911 line just before Joe Horn stepped out his front door.
Horn, 61, had phoned police when he saw two men break into his neighbor's suburban Houston home through a window in broad daylight. Now they were getting away with a bag of loot.
"Don't go outside the house," the 911 operator pleaded. "You're going to get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun. I don't care what you think."
"You want to make a bet?" Horn answered. "I'm going to kill them."
He did.
"You want to make a bet?" Horn answered. "I'm going to kill them."
"I had no choice," he said, his voice shaking. "They came in the front yard with me, man. I had no choice. Get somebody over here quick."
§ 9.43. PROTECTION OF THIRD PERSON'S PROPERTY. A person
is justified in using force or deadly force against another to
protect land or tangible, movable property of a third person if,
under the circumstances as he reasonably believes them to be, the
actor would be justified under Section 9.41 or 9.42 in using force
or deadly force to protect his own land or property and:
(1) the actor reasonably believes the unlawful
interference constitutes attempted or consummated theft of or
criminal mischief to the tangible, movable property; or
(2) the actor reasonably believes that:
(A) the third person has requested his protection
of the land or property;
(B) he has a legal duty to protect the third
person's land or property; or
(C) the third person whose land or property he
uses force or deadly force to protect is the actor's spouse, parent,
or child, resides with the actor, or is under the actor's care.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 1.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1994.
Originally posted by BitRaiser
His comment before stepping out amounts to premeditation. He planned on killing these two and then did. That perty much tanks any claim of "self defense". In fact, it's not a big legal leap to make that grounds for murder charges. If you plan to kill someone, then do it, it's murder. Kinda cut and dried.
Personally... I think I woulda knee capped 'em. Best of both worlds. You stop 'em and they live to learn a valuable lesson about cause and effect (crime and punishment).
Originally posted by discomfit
Despite popular belief law enforcement officers and judges in Texas are capable of executing the law.
Originally posted by -Reason-
That is how it works in Colorado with the "Make My Day Law".
Originally posted by goosdawg
reply to post by discomfit
It's the law!
If he "knee-capped" then he'd be sued by the perps, right?
Originally posted by Badge01
... How did the guy know they were burglars and not the neighbor's kinfolk borrowing their TV?
Originally posted by Badge01
I know we sometimes slept with the back door open (screen was latched) and didn't always even lock the car - much of the time people left the keys in the ignition to run in and shop.
[edit on 1-12-2007 by Badge01]