Snoopy wrote:You can only fight back to people with equal force, therefor being able to shoot someone is basically irrelevant anyway.
I'm confused. Depression, Connection Speed Pee-Pee size, Gun Law? Why do we forget EMO? Emo has feeling too.
Regarding Gun Law and use of force, the above statement is a myth. In the United States there are at least three (3) standards by which a person's use of force will be judged to determine whether it was 'reasonable'. To discuss each in depth and how they differ would mean writing a book but in a nutshell, here you go:
- The Objective Standard
In essence, the objective standard asks: Would a reasonable person believe that the attacker in their particular case intended to kill or do great bodily harm? If the facts of the case substantiate this belief, then the person claiming self-defense will be justified in doing what was done to repel the attack. - The Subjective Standard
The subjective standard asks the jury to look into the mind of the victim as opposed to a fictional 'reasonable prudent man'. The question becomes: Were the circumstances sufficient, in the mind of this person, to make him / her honestly and reasonably believe they had to use the force they chose to protect themselves from imminent harm? - The Discretion of the Jury Standard
In a nutshell this standard simply requires the jury to determine, from all the facts, whethere or not the use of force was necessary to avoid serious bodily injury or death.
The belief that one is limited to the use of equal force is simply untrue. Consider if you were on a jury and were required to determine whether a grandpa who responded to a gang violence situation were justified in his use of lethal force. Well, maybe not this particular grandpa, make that a poor, innocent victim of your choice.
In point of fact, and in the United States, it is generally lawful to defend oneself with sufficient force to not only repel any attack, but also to stave off further attack. Hopefully you have witnesses and remember to say,
"I'm sooooo afraid," as you strike back with wide-eyed horror.
Oh, one last thought - don't chase them. If the attacker is running away, so is your claim of fear.
