On Wed, 05 Nov 2014 12:33:53 -0500, F*O*A*D wrote:

On 11/5/14 11:57 AM, wrote:
On Wed, 05 Nov 2014 03:52:58 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 11/4/2014 11:11 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 22:15:16 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

Harry recently described an incident where he ended up being injured
in the course of protecting someone else from violence. Momentarily
suspending any possible disbelief in the facts as stated, a number of
troubling questions are raised in my mind.

Could the situation have been better handled without resorting to
physical violence? Let's assume that Harry was armed with a legal
concealed carry hand gun. Could he have legally pulled the gun and
ordered the alleged perpatrator to cease and desist? In the Florida
concealed carry course that I attended we were taught to never pull
your weapon unless you intend to use it. Otherwise you could possibly
be charged with brandishing and threatening. You are also
specifically taught to never fire a warning shot, and to never try and
effect an arrest. A person who fired a warning shot in Florida is
still in jail for that crime even though he had been threatened and
had no priors.

Another possible strategy is to order the person to stop, relying on
your physical presence and force of personality to carry the day.
Harry apparently tried to do that and was assaulted in return. What
to do next? Assault them back and risk escalation and/or injury?
Invoke self defense and shoot? Both are problematic.

So what's a person to do in Harry's situation? Tough call I think.
For discussion purposes let's leave personalities and political
leanings out of this. And yes, I know that will be difficult.

A lawyer would tell you to call the cops.
I understand the instinct to just run over and sucker punch the guy
like Harry says he did but that is fraught with complications.
If you are lucky the guy lets you get away with it
He could turn around and have you arrested for assault and battery.
Abused spouses still tend to stand by their man and you could end up
with her testifying against you. ("We were just talking and this crazy
man attacked my husband")
Worst case, the other guy is an MMA fighter and he kicks your ass or
he just has a gun and pokes a hole in your chest claiming you attacked
him.

This is certainly a time when you should start with talking at a safe
enough distance so he can't sucker punch you.



First, according to Harry's account, he did *not* "run over and sucker
punch the guy". Harry said that when he saw the guy physically abusing
the woman and child, he ordered him to "stop". The guy took a swing at
Harry and missed. Harry returned fire, breaking his wrist in the process.

I think he did exactly the right thing under the circumstances. He
didn't attack the guy initially but had the right to swing back in
self-defense.


That is what Zimmerman said


Gee, Greg, I used to think you were one of the few bright right wingers
in this sea of conservative stupidity, but now I am realizing you are
just as dimwitted as flajim, psychoscotty, herring, and a few others in
that crowd of intellectually disableds.

Bad day, huh Harry?