Quote:
Originally Posted by SULPHITE
What this homeowner should have done is pulled over to the side of the street when he saw a suspicious vehicle in his driveway. He should have called 911 and given them the license plate and waited for police to arrive.
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While I agree that the use of deadly force is not appropriate to stop a burglary, I am not sure I can agree that the best approach is always to observe and merely be a good witness without any attempt at intervention.
What if I had left my children at home to run a quick errand and return to find a burglary in progress?
What if items of particular concern are in the home:
-life saving medications that cannot be quickly replaced
-confidential materials
-firearms or explosives
-dangerous drugs
-keys or codes that permit easy access to the above
-keys or codes or information that makes family members vulnerable to personal attacks
-information that would facilitate identity theft
-medical records by which a party could be blackmailed
-financial records that would encourage additional crimes
-romantic or relational records/photographs that should be kept private
-a work computer with company secrets or proprietary information
-confidential counseling records or files
A homeowner certainly has the proper standing to confront parties who have made illegal entry into his home and appear to be making off with items of value or related to privacy concerns or future security concerns. Of course, there are rules of engagement that vary by state, and moving to deadly force prematurely in a confrontation can have legal consequences. I think it is a mistake to presuppose that the only thing a homeowner stands to lose is a TV or consumer electronics.