Good guy faces felony charge, bad guy misdemeanor
See link. That's what happens when you try to do something useful.[:(]
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/973089.html
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/973089.html
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This isn't too hard to figure out.
1. The thief didn't use a gun.
2. The good guy used a gun.
3. Guns are evil. They have a mind of their own. They are capable of spraying bullets everywhere indiscriminately and go off by themselves, even when completely unloaded and left unattended.
4. Obviously, the right move here was to make the good guy a felon so that he could no longer possess a gun.
What aren't you understanding here?0 -
A long history of legal decisions runs against people who use force to protect property.
"In a 1983 case that drew national attention, a jury ruled that a man in Holloway, Minn., should pay $77,000 to a burglar he chased down and shot in the foot. The case was settled for half that or less; the burglar got probation.
In 1999, a Red Wing man was sentenced to six months in jail after he booby-trapped his Wisconsin cabin and injured a burglar. According to media reports, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld $30,000 in damages against the owner of a booby-trapped abandoned farmhouse in 1978, and a California homeowner was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon when his spring gun shot a teenage burglar in 1974."
It seems like the people from those areas are a little skewed on right and wrong and what's fair. I also doubt the shotgun toters vot much against the assault weapon banners either.0 -
Seems to me that they have a bit of a rural crime spree going on there. I think he was right for chasing down the bad guy, wrong for not doing it alone. Stupid for asking the sheriff what he asked.
Good initiative-poor judgement.0 -
I think they'll plea bargain out of the felony or maybe get it dropped altogether.
quote:In Isanti County, Dan Conlin, chief deputy county attorney, said that no one is looking to put Englund in jail -- "that is silly," he said -- and that the charge "doesn't need to be resolved as a felony, obviously," but that the charge fits the facts.0 -
The police can not protect you and you are not allowed to protect your own - What the hell is wrong with this picture?????? 0 -
So, you set a spring-gun, or any other type of booby trap in your summer cabin to protect it over the winter. A passing hiker sees that the cabin is on fire, and calls the local fire department. The fire department arrives just minutes later, kicks in the door, and blammo, a firefighter takes a shotgun blast in the face.
Is this a good idea? Spring guns cannot decide who's good or bad.0 -
quote:Originally posted by The Tinman
So, you set a spring-gun, or any other type of booby trap in your summer cabin to protect it over the winter. A passing hiker sees that the cabin is on fire, and calls the local fire department. The fire department arrives just minutes later, kicks in the door, and blammo, a firefighter takes a shotgun blast in the face.
Is this a good idea? Spring guns cannot decide who's good or bad.
With my luck I would set up the gun then forget it was there and I would get it next spring. [xx(]0 -
The vehicle Englund chased also carried a woman and a 3-year-old child, the sheriff said, and "what happens if there was a crash?"
As sad as it maybe the Driver/Theif should have thought about that before he decided to steal stuff. Maybe the driver should have thought about that before he ran. I am shooting off at the mouth but my guess is that 3yr old will grow up to be like the theif becuase that is what he will be what he knows. I know that is not always the case.
How come when someone breaks the law then someone gets hurt it is always the person trying to stop the criminal that is to blame, including cops. Once someone has broken the law responsability should fall on that person for any other damages caused unless there is TRUE neglance on someone elses part. Had the criminal NOT commited a crime non of it would have happend, if the criminal would have stoped for the cops less bad things could happen.
I love it on cops when the person runs from the cops because they thought they had done nothing wrong. Or when they run and all that was wrong would have gotten them a minor traffic ticket. Now they have Many felnoy charges. Sounds pretty dumb to me.0 -
Minnesota has turned into a very liberal state, thats probably why crime is rising. On the other hand, I dont think its appropriate or in good judgement to have a 74 yr old man chase a theif with a shotgun on public roads. I would not prosecute the elderly man though 0 -
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
This isn't too hard to figure out.
1. The thief didn't use a gun.
2. The good guy used a gun.
3. Guns are evil. They have a mind of their own. They are capable of spraying bullets everywhere indiscriminately and go off by themselves, even when completely unloaded and left unattended.
4. Obviously, the right move here was to make the good guy a felon so that he could no longer possess a gun.
What aren't you understanding here?
I agree with you, but you have to look at the circumstances here. The thief stole $5 worth of gas. The farmer got into a high speed car chase with the thief (the thief's wife and three-year old daugher were in the car) and the farmer asked the police over the phone if he could, and I quote, "blow them away."
I'm as much in favor of guns for self-defense as you, but I do not think that killing a man and possibly his wife and daugher as well is an appropriate response to stealing FIVE DOLLARS worth of gasoline. This is one case where the farmer overstepped his authority, he's not the police and he doesn't get to execute an unarmed thief for stealing gasoline. This kind of Dirty Harry crap makes all gunowners look like wackos with itchy trigger-fingers who just can't wait to kill someone.0 -
I agree with you, warriorsfan.
I live in rural MN. A couple of years ago, a friend came home in the middle of the day (left work because he wasn't feeling well). There was a vehicle pulled up to his house; when he investigated, he could see some of his stuff loaded in it. He backed partway down the driveway (blocking the only way a vehicle could exit), called the sheriff, hunkered down behind his truck with a shotgun, and waited. When he heard the cops, he put it away...the two freelance socialists were arrested with no difficulty (the underage idiots got into his liqour cabinet, and were plastered).
If he woulda gone into his house, a lot af very bad things could've (and, as he said himself, probably would've) happened. I've pretty much decided that if I should ever step into a similar situation, I'll take the same course of action. If they try to ram their way through my vehicle, then THEY are the agressors, and I will take the action I deem appropriate at that time. But I'm not gonna go looking for trouble.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p64mak
I agree with you, warriorsfan.
I live in rural MN. A couple of years ago, a friend came home in the middle of the day (left work because he wasn't feeling well). There was a vehicle pulled up to his house; when he investigated, he could see some of his stuff loaded in it. He backed partway down the driveway (blocking the only way a vehicle could exit), called the sheriff, hunkered down behind his truck with a shotgun, and waited. When he heard the cops, he put it away...the two freelance socialists were arrested with no difficulty (the underage idiots got into his liqour cabinet, and were plastered).
If he woulda gone into his house, a lot af very bad things could've (and, as he said himself, probably would've) happened. I've pretty much decided that if I should ever step into a similar situation, I'll take the same course of action. If they try to ram their way through my vehicle, then THEY are the agressors, and I will take the action I deem appropriate at that time. But I'm not gonna go looking for trouble.
In my opinion they started being aggressors the moment they broke into the house. In my opinion they also went looking for trouble the moment they broke into another persons house. I see what you're saying though and probally would do just the same thing he did to avoid having a life on my conscious.
My best wishs go out to this farmer. The fact is he didn't "blow them away". I hope my neighbors are good enough to keep a eye on my property while I'm not there and I surely will watch out for theres.0
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