Home Defense question..

[9mmepiphany]

My information came from the DA of our county. NOT a deputy DA but the DA himself.

I have to admit I don't know Don Anderson professionally, but I have usually found DAs to be more political animals and gladhanders than the working ADAs who have to brief them before they speak in public. Granted, I am a bit bias, as I do have friends who are ADAs and APDs...yes, we all joke about the same things together.

I've had ADAs and APDs come out for ride-alongs and we had a good time...we all work in the same gray area

I think LEO's were smarter and better equipped mentally when they were NOT legal eagles who thought they were lawyers...I think today, cops with legal degrees are a danger to our society because they are trying to practice law as an LEO.

While I have met cops with a JD who were quite full of themselves, they were like that before they got their degrees...they were a bit more unbearable after the passed the Bar...and it didn't make them better or worst cops.

What legal training did for them was make the language less confusing and teach them that how the law is printed has less to do with how it is applied than how Court rulings have interpreted them.

[9mmepiphany]

I seriously hope you are joking.

You might as well take your double barrel shotgun out to your balcony and fire two rounds into the air or shoot a round through your door. Your advice is about as good as Uncle Numbskull Joe Biden.

I was hoping that too...maybe he just forgot to add the smilie

[therealnickb]

What legal training did for them was make the language less confusing and teach them that how the law is printed has less to do with how it is applied than how Court rulings have interpreted them.

Once in a while a concise bit of great information shows up on a forum.

Well done!

[RedVines]

Thats a Great idea, I will for sure try that, along with drills for Different scenarios Regarding time of day, I realize it does not always happen while asleep.... yea i understand the point 9mm and some of the others make,

Thanks all of you for the insight, very informative, and Sorry this turned into a Lawyer vs. Leo Discussion

Adchrome you're very welcome. No need to apologize. You've been a perfect gentleman and started some great substantive discussion with your posts.

[oddjob]

"i would fire one round into the ceiling..."

Very bad idea! Hope that was a joke.

I can tell the OP from personal experience (I'm retired LEO) that one of the many questions asked by homicide investigators is lighting conditions (day or night). They WILL test whatever light you claim and weapon used. They will test the lights in your bedroom and/or hallway. Other related questions might be ....do you wear glasses? Were they on when you shot? How much time did you have to put on your glasses between threat and shot(s)? Hearing aids (same type of questions). How far away do you THINK the threat was away from you? Type of weapon you saw in his/her hands? Color of the weapon (blue vs chrome)? What was the suspect's actions, movements, verbal responses, clothing & etc? The investigators will also look at the scene from the suspect's view point. The above is just related to your observations (hearing included) since the subject of lights/threat assessment was brought up.

Then multiply this by two because your wife will be asked the same types of questions to see if statements are consistent. The responses don't have to be dead on (no pun intended), but reasonably consistent.

Either way its a very ugly situation and I hope you never experience it.

[P5Ret]

I'm just wondering how identifying a target (using some kind of light) Vs. firing blindly in the dark degraded into a pissing match. Now I don't know if it was my father that drilled into my head always know what you are shooting at, or the section on liability at firearms instructor course. Either way I still feel that shooting blindly in the dark is a bad idea. It may be justified and legal to do so given circumstances, but that doesn't mean it is smart.

[Notorious]

I have to admit I don't know Don Anderson professionally, but I have usually found DAs to be more political animals and gladhanders than the working ADAs who have to brief them before they speak in public. Granted, I am a bit bias, as I do have friends who are ADAs and APDs...yes, we all joke about the same things together.

I've had ADAs and APDs come out for ride-alongs and we had a good time...we all work in the same gray area


While I have met cops with a JD who were quite full of themselves, they were like that before they got their degrees...they were a bit more unbearable after the passed the Bar...and it didn't make them better or worst cops.

What legal training did for them was make the language less confusing and teach them that how the law is printed has less to do with how it is applied than how Court rulings have interpreted them.

Yep, jerks are jerks no matter if they are a cop, lawyer or judge... or just some numbskull posting on the interwebz.

[kimber_ss]

Very interesting read. The OP got a lot of specific information to follow up on here.

One more way you could handle your situation might be to install a motion sensor/light in that dark hallway, or at other pertinent locations.

IFF/ Identify Friend or Foe. Just one more way to avert trouble.

[Shasta Frog]

You break my door down in the middle of the night, I'm shooting your *****. I have 2 little girls to protect and sitting around to identify the target and contemplating the legalities of my actions might very well be the demise of my family. Quit beating a dead horse. Stand up for your life and your family and shoot the bastard.

[Warhawk014]

...... saying that you are armed.....just doesn't get the job done to a freak that is bulldozing his way into your home. i would fire one round into the ceiling. this absolutely lets the intruder know that you have a OPERATIONAL firearm. secondly, this serves as a OPERATIONAL check to assure you that your safety is not on, and your weapon works. third.....after hearing a weapon fire, and the intruder still insists on knocking down your door, this will eliminate all hesitation and doubt on your part that the person is NOT OF RIGHT MIND, on needs to be violently terminated.

uncle joe is that you

[Brien]

I went to go look for "how to own a gun and stay out of jail california 2011" but it's like $70! Sound like a great read though. I'm always pondering scenarios in which I question the use of deadly force.

BTW, I guess I'm the only one who likes #1 buck for my shotgun. I like the thought of 16 .30" pellets a lot more then 9 larger ones. I wouldn't go smaller if you want 12" of penetration.

[retired]

I really don't understand why anyone who is not a leo (active or retired) or an attorney, would even think they should be posting any answer to the OP's question. Also, the insult about most leos only having a high school education is just that; an insult and should not have been posted. Another one of those broad brush statements without evidence to back it up. Furthermore, since this is the leo forum, it is not permitted in the first place.

For those offering opinions as to how they would shoot to kill the intruder or shoot a warning shot into their ceiling, you might want to bone up on some of the laws; including penal, statute and case law. It might save you jail or prison time.

Since the OP has received some valuable info from leos and an atty./leo, there is no reason for this thread to continue as it has served its purpose.

One last thing; insults directed against other members is not permitted, so I would strongly suggest no one use them. Thank you.