Imagine for a moment that you are the father of a young male teenager. One evening your son runs into the house yelling that a mob is after him. You automatically grab your handgun and go see what the disturbance is about. You subsequently confront the mob of teenage males, who are yelling racial epithets and challenging your son to a fight. Inadvertently you shoot and kill the alleged leader of the group. Imagine that this shooting happened on your property. Would you expect to be cleared of the shooting? Are you justified in arming yourself? What should your punishment be for your actions?
" Make sure your expectations are chosen by you and not for you." Dr. BLR
This blog was created solely for my students to generate intellectual dialogue with their classmates. Reach one and teach one. Peace.
26 comments:
You would definitely want to protect yourself and your family. But when it comes to dealing with kids you should probably treat the situation with an extreme amount of care. With such a hostile situation you would probably have to muster as much self restraint possible.
You see so many parents who are so quick to the defend their children before knowing the situation and their kid's role.
Unless you or your kid are being physically assaulted I think that calling the police would serve best and most importantly keep people from getting hurt and facing a jail sentence.
No matter what you have to be an adult or you could find yourself in a situation far worse than being called a name. Yes, I think that you should be punished, and held accountable but of course your intentions should be considered in a case such as this. (9510)
In all honestly I would have done the same thing. I would have been very angry that you had the nerve to come to my house and try to attack my child regardless of what was going on. And ,in that moment I was doing the right thing by trying to protect my child. Punishment for my actions would be the furthest thing from my mind at the time. I should be made accountable for my actions but not to the fullest because, I didn't plan for this to happen but it did. That's why I don't believe in having a gun in the home for that simple reason it gives false since of protections. It protects you from the enemy but, who protects you from you in the event of this happening. spc0460
I believe that if the happens to myself I will go crazy on any one whos trying to heart anyone from my family. I think that u are not go to jail because of the reason that he was in your propety and he was arm and trying to hurt one of your family members. I would 've shoot. 5794
In New Jersey they don't have a self defense but other states do have it. I would kill people if they was bothering my son. I would go to jail for my son. I have to defend my family. But you should have the right to kill people if they on your property.
I believe the parent should not go to jail, because just like cops he fell his life and his family's was in danger. ms0777
I will use John White as my example since this seems quite similar. The person killed was known for being hot headed, he had a blood alcohol level twice that allowed by law and went with car load of friends. They had a weapon, a baseball bat. He could only assume they meant him harm. Were it me, I would expect to be exonorated because I believe I should have the right to protect my family. I believe that I should be cleared of all charges. Lets look for a moment at the perps, they came to my house drunk and disorderly, yelling racial slurs and making terroristic threats, I can only take their threats seriously. I must defend myself and protect my children. If I inadvertantly kill one of the perps, well that will be my punishment for the rest of my life. Knowing that I took someone else's life. We also must bear in mind that I am a hardworking, respectable citizen who was on my own property and minding my own, the perps come to me, I can only assume that I am in danger and fear for my life and the lives of my family. *2232
to me the phrase 'by all means neccessary' for my children(son), there is nothing that i would not do,(well in some sitations) i will hurt a person then think about my consequences later. if a group of peole was after anything i brought into this world, i will defend what belongs to me believe that.(7593)
I cant blame the man for protecting his family and his self. who knows him and his son could have been beat to death by the group of angry young adults. But whose willing to chance on thier life not me. 4539
If this was me i would have done the same thing but I know that if it was my son that got shot and killed over something that could have been talked about over a cup of juice i wouldnt understand why this had happened.i do believe in the phrase by any means necessary, but some things can be handled differently. Killing someone or hurting them doesnt really get anything done because then that makes you the same as the individual with intial problem.but then again i probably would have beat the crap out the kid or really hurt him because in no way possible are you going to cause any harm or even think about causing harm to me and mines.CA7739
If a group of young adults were trying to attack my child, I would have probably done the same thing. You would not think about the consequences you just know that you have to protect your family.
While under the circumstances I would have acted the same way, never the less, a life was taken and if the person did not threaten your life, some criminal prosecution needs to take place. Perhaps manslaughter or some charge similar to that is in order. SPC3027
All actions have consequences. If a mob of people are on my front lawn and i come outside and see them challenging my son or daughter to a fight I dont think id shoot them automatically. People get the messege sometimes just by the gun being there, and if not and they chose to act out anyway then it can be justified as self defense. SPC7202
I would have used my weapon only if they had a weapon too. I would have not confronted the mob I would have called for the police or waved my weapon in the air without the intention to shoot. If I did shoot inadvertently I would not expect to be cleared from the shootings if the person I shot was unarmed. But I believe i would be justified in arming myself to protect my family from a mob. I do not think the punishment should be severe should be a slap on the wrist. SPC 5936
I cant blame the man for protecting his family and his self. This man and his son could have been beat to death by the group this group of angry young guys. But whose willing to chance on thier life I won't. SPC 6169
IF I WAS IN THIS SITUATION I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING IN PROCECTING ME AND MINE, IF THESE PEOPLE CAME ON MY PROPERTY TRYING TO HURT ME AND MY FAMILY I WOULD DO WHATS RIGHT BY DEFENDING MY FAMILY. RS 6569
Seeing as how this person has lost his life and I am responsible for that, I wouldn't expect to be cleared of any and all charges. I'm a realist and I understand that for certain actions come certain consequences and rightfully so. That's not to say I would expect to spend time in prison. I feel a suitable punishment would be a sentence of probation and some sort of counseling because that would prove to be a very traumatic experience for myself and my family. I would feel justified in arming myself in the event that the mob of teenage males brandished weapons while on my property. Otherwise, it would be in the best interest of all parties involved for me to seek protection of local law enforcement with the understanding that they are better equipped to deal with the situation than I am as a father protecting the safety and welfare of his son and family.
K.G. 3792
In the event a situation like that would involved me, I would expect to be cleared of the shooting. I would be justified under the US Constitution, Second Amendment.
In District of Columbia v. Heller
(2008), The Supreme Court decided the Second Amendment Case.
The Supreme Court votes 5 to 4 to strike down a Washington, D. C. ban on the private possession of handguns.
The Court concluded that the Second Amendment does establish an individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense and hunting.
I shouldn't be punished for defending my family inside of my property.
ES 1810
This is a very sensitive subject i mean i know how rowdy a group or gang can get. I truly feel most americans should be equipped with a gun, and this can go either way. If we all have guns don't you feel more people will be scared to pull one out knowing the possibilites of the other person having one is greater. But then again with guns in the wrong hands and people emotionally unstable too many people can be killed. I don't know if i agree with the man killing the leader. In one way it shows the rest of them they're not untouchable in another way they're probably still kids who simply need their mind to be retrained.
S.S. 8161
I forgot an important point in my opinion, I'd rather have a gun and not need it,then need it and not have it.
S.S. 8161
I don't think bringing the gun was necessary for the father. He should have first called the police and then gone out to see what the teenagers were up to. If he didn't have the gun he wouldn't have had the chance for it to "accidentally shoot". Even though he and his son were being threatened self-defense can't be used to reason using a gun.
SG 4591
Nowadays , self defense is rare to be justified because we have too many ways to communicate .Besides ,the leader should have not been killed just because of the racial epithets,hence the father was too excessive in his actions .In fact , the father could haved subdued him .Extremely, he could have slayed the leader and had him thrown far away ,as opposed to his property in order to not get entangled in the justice system.
LJ 6631
I can honestly say I would have probably done the same thing. I'm sure that mob of males didn't come to talk with the boy. They came to bring harm. The man had a right to defend his family. That's what a man is suppose to do. I also believe he didn't just pull the trigger and shoot the boy. The boy probably challenged him or threatened him. DG7659
Darnell After reading everyone else's comments, I am under the assumption that they are not from the hood. Self defense where I am from should indeed be justified. The mob of teenagers intentions was not good, so therefore the father felt threatened and did what he thought was necessary. But in all actuality, you cannot blame a father for being a father. I'm just curious to know if our justice system feels the same way.
if i can eliminate someone who come in front or inside of my house to hurt or to kill my son i will definitely kill that person first before i let that person come near my baby boy,no matter what the consequences. i don't think i deserve any punishment for trying to protect my child.JS7920
I agree with Darnell, defending your child is an instinct. I would justify the fact that the person entered my property with an intent to injure either me or my child, so with that being said, self defense is indeed very crucial and well thought of. I do not think it is necessary for the man to be punished unless the weapon was purchased illegaly and he did not have a license to own or carry that weapon. DA6353
if i was in this position, i think that my reaction would be to defeand my self and loves ones along with my property. although its wrong because i could stay inside the hause and call law enforcemen to take care of the situation. it would be different if it was in side of the house.
JE#7974
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